The e-book reader market is starting to take off and may soon go the way of music: instead of having closets full of books, we may soon carry our entire libraries around with us on slim portable readers. While there are still many hiccups along the way, the industry is definitely on the up-tick. So if you're in the market and looking for the best money can buy, here's a look at some of the best e-book readers around.

Before we begin though, here's a small introduction of the tech terms you need to know:

e-Ink
In order to understand the technology behind modern e-book readers, one must understand e-Ink, a kind of "electronic paper" manufactured by the E Ink Corporation, set up in 1997.

Every transparent micro-capsule on the surface of the e-reader can be either black or white; there is no colour. The pigments are changed by applying an electric charge. Once a particular change has happened, no further electricity is required to maintain it, it only consumes energy when you change pages.

e-Ink is the basis of most e-book readers. Most readers have no backlights and are readable in sunlight and artificial light but not in the dark just like real books. The e-Ink results in lower battery strain, lower eye strain, no limitations on viewing angles and better visibility in daylight.