Question of the Day: Digital Textbooks

Portable electronic reading devices and ultra-compact computers like the Kindle and the iPad would alleviate the physical strain of 30-pound backpacks and allow access to a larger library of digital books at a lower cost than their physical counterparts.

On the other hand, the devices cost more upfront and are prone to damage, theft, and misuse.

Some schools have already begun the transition from physical to digital textbooks--do you think this is the wave of the future? What are the pros and cons?