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When the original Kindle released, I didn’t bite. I decided to wait until version 3. That wait ended this past week. My new Kindle 3 arrived on Thursday. It was worth the wait.

To catch some of you up to speed, the Kindle is a wireless reading device. It holds books like an iPod holds music. And, just like an iPod, it does a lot more.

At some point in the future, I may share a more comprehensive review of the Kindle. But, for now, let me give my first impressions of the new device.

• The size and shape lives up to the hype. It’s very sleek. I can’t believe that this device stores 3,500 books.

• Although the functionality is relatively intuitive, I’m still finding myself referring back to the user’s guide to learn how to use some of the features.

• You can read more than books. You can also subscribe to newspapers, magazines and blogs. I’m testing a free trial version of USA Today. The newspaper is waiting for me on the Kindle when I wake up in the morning. That’s pretty amazing.

• The wireless functionality is free after you make the initial purchase. And, true to Amazon’s promise, my first book downloaded in less than a minute.

• The fact that it’s wireless means I can also access the Web. The Kindle becomes a relatively good way to keep up with blogs when I’m on the go.

• I also wish there was a clock in the top header where the wireless and battery icons are located. I like getting lost in a book, but I also need to know how long I’ve been reading at times.

• My favorite part of using the Kindle may be the ease of adding highlights and notes to what I’m reading and I can share them with other Kindle users or with my friends on Facebook or Twitter. It’s going to make blogging a lot easier, because I can download all my notes to my computer for editing and inclusion into blog posts.

After I purchased my first iPod it was only a matter of months before I stopped buying CDs. I can easily see how having the Kindle will likely mean I’ll only purchase and read electronic versions of books going forward. Books are cheaper that way. And, honestly, it’s a lot easier for me to have several books available on my Kindle than trying to carry books around in my book bag when I travel.

Just in case you’re curious, Kamelot?s Poetry For The Poisoned was the first album I downloaded to my iPod. And Sun Tzu’s Art Of War was the first book I downloaded to my Kindle 3.

Any other Kindle owners out there? What do you have to add to this initial review?