So is the best design actually going to be manufactured or is it just a competition for thinking's sake?

I have an ingenious product we here at Luddite Industries Inc are call The Paperback. Like conventional eBooks, it uses ascii script and possesses an extremely intuitive user interface. It is a low power device, requiring merely the energy generated by the page-turning hand to operate, similar to watches that are powered by the movement of the body they are strapped to. Unlike most eBooks, my device has very limited storage capacity-about 300Mb, or as much space as it would take to store a single book in Adobe Acrobat format. While it can only be loaded with a single book, and while that book cannot be replaced with a following upload, the genius of this product is that it is cheap enough to produce all by itself (why, roughly the cost of a single electronic publication), that the user can easily buy as many Paperbacks as there are books she would like to read. While my device is not net capable, it does not require an operating system or occasional program updates, and is lightweight, immune to the deleterious effects of magnetic fields, although it is as susceptible to moisture damage as any electronic device. Finally, the Paperback is fully recyclable and biodegradable-a plus for the environmentally conscious literature!

I very much like the idea behind the tube-form reader, but wonder if it wouldn't be even better if it included limited mp3 storage and inboard text-to-voice.

I listen to a LOT of podcasts when I'm driving to and fro; I'd love the option of one or the other (or both - perhaps as a way to teach literacy?).

Here's my entry:

Envision a tablet measuring 6" x 8" x 1/4" thick. A single USB port handles transfer of titles and charging.

No need to put a bunch of buttons on it --Just make a simple track-pad like touch screen without obscuring labels. Move your finger up and down to scroll. Tap upper-right for page-up, lower-right for page down. Upper-left for menu. Lower-left for enter. Maybe swirl your finger for fast scroll.

Use a reflective display like e-paper or even simple, high-res B&W LCD with optional backlight and, of course, anti-alias it.

Round all of the corners for a little sex appeal. It fits in my travel bag easier than a paperback. I toss it on the night stand and forget about it 'til I pack my bags. It doesn't have Wi-Fi and gets FAA approval for use during takeoff.

I can read it on a park bench in bright sunlight on a Sunday afternoon after a nice bike ride at Miami Whitewater Forest.