College textbooks go digital for Kindle

Instead of giving away iPods, wouldn't it be great if schools handed out Kindles? This idea could not be far from becoming a reality, especially now that Princeton has joined Yale, Oxford, and University of California in creating textbooks for the Kindle.

An article in The Christian Science Monitor says Princeton University Press will begin publishing e-textbooks for the Kindle this fall, and is expected to roll out hundreds of other titles through Kindle's online store. Princeton is even launching an electronic copy of Robert Shiller's economics book, "The Subprime Solution," for Kindle before students can buy hard copies in stores.

The price of the Kindle has dropped from $399 to $359, which is still a little pricey for the average student. It can hold up to 200 titles, connects to the Internet, and only weighs 10.3 ounces (read our review here). Personally, I would still buy it if it meant getting rid of a heavy backpack and cheaper prices on books too.

Those looking for a cheaper e-Book reader alternative should check out Sony Style. CNet says Sony's trendier device will be able to read electronic books using the .epub format most book publishers use, and it only retails for $300. What do you say to that Amazon?

Anyway, let's hope we see a Kindle price drop again because this would be a great gift for any college student.