When all you want to do is curl up with a good book, you may think about the way the pages look, feel and smell. But users of e-book readers likely think about reading very differently.

Makers of e-book readers are bringing sleek new designs and a wide range of innovative features to the table. With features like E-Ink technology, used in the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and the Astak Mentor, readers can access paper-like displays that make it feel as if you're reading from an actual book. 

And all three of those popular models boast the ability to adjust text size to meet your eyes’ needs, making reading easier for tired eyes.

Andrew Herdener, an Amazon.com spokesman, said Amazon (AMZN) is "working with thousands of publishers to make their books available on Kindle.” Amazon also allows authors to upload their books to be sold on the Kindle using their Digital Text Platform.

Astak is getting ready to introduce three new e-book readers. The company's Mentor line will be available in three sizes: 5 inches, 6 inches and 9.7 inches. The Sony Reader and the Amazon Kindle both have 6-inch displays.

The lightweight Sony Reader is designed for travelers, said Lolita Reyes of Sony. It is an “open-format device,” Reyes said, which means it allows many file formats to be downloaded to the reader itself, including Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF documents, BBeB Book, and plain text.

In addition, the Kindle, Mentor and Reader all support MP3 file formats, allowing users to play music. Some e-book readers can even play audio books.

University presses are taking the leap toward making electronic books available for students.

“We’re putting both academic and trade books into the Kindle program," said Priscilla Treadwell, of  Princeton University Press. But textbooks will have to wait. 

E-book genre options appear to be growing. Currently, the three most common genres read by those with the Sony Reader are “mystery, thriller and romance,” according to Reyes. 

Consumers can find thousands of titles at the eBook Store from Sony, the Kindle Store from Amazon, and various other sources supported by their e-book reader. Students can even find reference books for their classes, lessening the amount of books they carry to school each day.

“There will be multiple versions of the Kindle in the future, but we have not announced specific plans or timing. Our vision for Kindle is to make every book, ever published, in any language, all available in less than 60 seconds,” Amazon's Herdener said.

The Kindle sold out within hours of its launch in November 2007, and just became available again to purchasers in April 2008. The newest model of the Sony Reader, the PRS-505, was launched in October 2007. According to Astak.com, the release dates for the Mentor model range from late August to October 2008, depending on the size of the displays.

So where is the digital book reader market heading?

 “I think now it’s taking off,” Treadwell said.