Kindle Kills Signed Copies?

In Part Deux of my electronic book blogging, I'm here to ask:
What will happen to author signed copies in the electronic book world?

Flash forward to Kindle World:
You are attending an author reading from the new bestselling author J.K. Wilson (you haven't heard of her, but she's going to be big. REALLY BIG...). The room is packed. You look at each other excitedly as the reading concludes. You arrange yourselves in a kindergarten-ingrained straight line to meet the author. You wipe your sweaty hands on your pants as the line approaches the author. You make nervous small talk with the person in front of you. You're next. FINALLY! You get to meet your favorite author. You approach, smiling cautiously, and extend your Kindle only to have her...slap an autographed Post-It note on the screen?


Think about it, people.
Kindle World.
There will be no substitute.

Are we killing books?

Remember a time without cell phones in every hand? A time when only joggers wore music headphones? Remember when you left work, that's where email stayed? Or, better yet, you didn't have email at work or home?

Remember?

It was called 1987.

In all seriousness, I recently had a discussion on Twitter that has left me disturbed. A fellow Tweeter gave a raving review about her new Kindle and how she probably wouldn't buy another "real" book again. EVER.

Of course, as a book seller, this left me quite disturbed. But as a book lover, it bugged me even more.

I haven't seen a Kindle. I haven't held one in my hands, so I can't really discuss the product itself. I can, however, discuss the theory of electronic books. I mean, as the way of the world now, doesn't it just seem so, I don't know...impersonal? Won't you miss the feel of an actual book in your hands? And the smell? What about the smell of books? (You book lovers know exactly what I'm talking about.) What about turning real tangible pages and the ability to place your bookmark in just the right spot? I don't foresee a cold electronic object fulfilling that need for books for me.

Look, I love technology as much as the next guy. I've been known to yell at my husband for not turning on his IM so that we can message when he is in his upstairs office and I'm working in my downstairs office. However, I just don't see myself ever choosing the ability to read a book off my telephone over holding a real book. At this point, it's just not that appealing. Reading a book is more than just the words for me. There's some connection that you get with a book, an author, when you hold the book. I've never, ever felt that way when holding an electronic device.

But that's just me.

Wonder what ever happened to all those 8-track tapes anyway?!?