While Steve Ballmer confidently predicted that the little people will continue to read on the Microsoft Ereader (i.e. desktop computer), we little people know better. There is no competition for ereaders. There is no other way you can put all your college textbooks into a little bag, and take them all to the beach with you, or on the subway, or on a plane.

Or at least we should know it. There are some rivals out there, though, and the most obvious in the netbook or tablet. And the netbook certainly has a future. Long gone are the days when it's either/or so far as our net connections.

It's like arguing whether a radio or TV is better. They're just different. That said, if you are thinking of using the netbook instead of an ereader, here are a few things to consider.

Internet access-

No doubt about it, full internet access on an ereader would be a nice option. As long as ereaders allow you to turn the option off. One reason for this is the following....

Quick startup-

When you are in an airport lounge, or moving about anywhere, you want the option to kill a few minutes by reading. The last thing you want is a slow startup, the kind you get with most computers. An ereader is there for you as quickly as a book.

Reading in sunlight-

Again, like a book, you want to be able to read on the beach in full sunlight. If you want to see the difference between the ereader and a netbook, take your netbook with you on your next beach outing....I dare you.

Battery life-

Again, ereaders are way ahead in this. You don't want to interrupt your reading every couple hours. Or worse, have to search around for an electrical outlet. On a beach.

Comfort-

Netbooks are less comfortable than dedicated ereaders to hold for long periods of time, as you would a book. The heat of the netbook might be a problem as well. Ereaders are designed with reader ergonomics in mind.

Ereaders completely beat out netbooks when doing what they are designed to do....being read. That said, there's no reason not to have both. Ereaders aren't made to compete with netbooks - they are made to compete with books themselves. Rather than wondering whether you should get a dedicated ereader or a netbook, you should be asking whether you're rather have a dedicated reader or an extra suitcase full of books to carry around.

And that should be an easy choice.