The purpose of e-book readers is to read e-books. But there are so many other ways to do that now. You can read them on mobile phones and on PCs, for example. (Even many Kindle owners these days read most of their books on their iPhones. Amazon gives away free applications for both phones and PCs.) You can borrow e-book readers now from the library. Your loved one may not have an e-book reader, but they have a world of access to e-books.

When you buy someone a Kindle, you're committing that person (assuming they use it) to a specific and, in the case of Amazon.com, proprietary format for future book sales. That's really a decision each person should decide for themselves. It's like choosing a wireless carrier, or a college, for someone.