Get a Sony Reader Pocket Edition for $139.95

The e-book revolution is upon us, and I, for one, am delighted. It's not that I don't love bookstores and real, bound books that you can hold in your hands--I do. But for years I've been smitten by the convenience and environmental-friendliness of books "printed" in digital ink.

Ah, but which e-book reader should you get? I'll save the Kindle versus iPad versus iPod versus smartphone debate for another day. Today, Buy.com has the Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300 for $139.95 with free shipping.

Chip in with your siblings and you have the makings of a splendid Mother's Day gift. (And don't forget: dads-and-grads season is just around the corner.)

You've probably heard of the Sony Reader; it predates the Kindle and was widely regarded as the best of its breed before the latter came along.

The Pocket Edition is one of several new models Sony released last year. It's one of the most compact readers on the market, owing to its 5-inch screen; however, Sony's playing fast and loose with the "pocket" moniker: The PRS-300 simply cannot ride around in a pair of jeans.

But as CNET's David Carnoy demonstrates in the video review, it can slip into a jacket or cargo-pants pocket. So it's definitely easier to transport than the Kindle. I really like the Pocket Edition's design. It's arguably the most comfortable e-book reader on the market today. (Read Carnoy's full review for his take.)

Buy.com's deal is for the silver model. The Sony Style store also has the PRS-300 on sale and you can get it in your choice of colors (silver, navy, or pink) for $149.99. However, you'll also have to pay sales tax, and express shipping adds another $13. (At Buy.com, plan on spending $4.55 extra to get it in time for Mother's Day.)

I'm still happy as a clam reading e-books on my iPhone, but for anyone who prefers a larger, nonbacklit screen--or is looking for a cool gift for Mom, Dad, or Grad--the Sony Pocket Reader is mighty nice.

Bonus deal: Are you in the market for a new laptop? OfficeMax has a spectacular deal on a refurbished Acer Aspire AS5740-5513: $359.59 with free shipping, plus sales tax in some states. It has an Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 15.6-inch screen, a 320GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Home Premium x64. I'm not sure about its warranty--I assume it's only lasts 90 days--but I am sure this laptop will sell out fast.