... before the kindle, before the nook, even before e-ink there was the ETI2.

I'm in a bout of cleanup and tossing, something best done when there is nothing else to do. In one of my boxes was an old e-book reader. A Gemstar ETI2. This was one of the early e-book readers.

• Weight - 18 ounces (0.51 kg)
• Size - 5.0” x 7.5” x 1.5” (12.7 x 19.1 x 3.8 cm)
• Memory - 4MB RAM; 8MB internal Flash for program and content storage; expanded content storage on SmartMedia™ Memory Cards, up to 128MB
• CPU - Cirrus Logic ARM-7
• Battery - Rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery
• Screen - Back-lit 5.5” diagonal 4-bit grayscale LCD touch screen; half-VGA resolution (with 104 ppi it means the screen is 3.1" wide x 4.6" tall for a diagonal of 5.5")
• Internal v.34 33.6Kbps modem! and USB(1)

The charger was there so I plugged it in and let it sit while I tossed some more stuff in the trash and moved other stuff around.

Wonder of wonders the thing still works.

As crude as it is, the ergonomics of this thing far surpasses anything I currently have. It fits in my hand beautifully and the buttons (yes, buttons) are artfully placed just where they are needed. I spent 45 minutes reading some Conan Doyle and lost all track of time until Trike the cat came up to remind me it's time for his dinner.

I may not toss this one.