It is an ebook reader. We didn't do anything for Christmas or birthdays last year, so we got this to share. It is the Sony reader, and it will come in so handy for time spent sitting around the cab stands. I got tired of carrying big, heavy books, so I have not been getting my reading in. DH keeps the laptop with him most of the time, so I will probably get most of the use out of it. I love to read!