I've gone from reading ~10 books per year to reading ~80 books per year, just because I always carry that thing with me since it's so small and light.
I also save a ton of money since printed books are so expensive in Australia, and out-of-copyright books are free.
The formatting of technical non-fiction books for e-readers has come a long way, too.
I didn't want a kindle for the longest time, because the process of browsing and choosing books was part of the fun, along with the smell and feel of paper.
That said I've bought one, and acquired a lot of material, and I've grown to like it an awful lot more than I ever expected I would.
Currently I'm planning a holiday to Helsinki, and I know that I'll be taking it with me because it is so very small, and contains a whole bunch of material. But I'll hate myself a little for it.
Which reader do you recommend?
For software I use Calibre, I have never used Amazon's own thing. If I buy from Amazon I use the USB cable and Calibre to transfer it, the WLAN/whispernet is always off. That way battery lasts for about a month and I don't get any "unexpected surprises" from Amazon [1]
I have held the Kobo in store and it's pretty much identical in terms of dimensions/clarity/weight. Not sure about the rest.
[1] Like this one: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18ama...
[2] Here's one on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazon-Kindle-3rd-Generation-WI-FI-w...