A Pew Internet & American Life study has found that eBook reader ownership in the United States has doubled between November 2010 and May 2011 from 6 to 12 percent--a number I find astonishing, considering I had pretty much left the device for dead.

I have to admit, I was among those who had relegated the eBook reader to the dust bin of technology history, a victim of the popularity of the iPad and other tablets, but it appears I was wrong. People still like these devices and are buying them in large numbers.

What's making this more interesting, however, is that the lines between the eBook reader and tablet are becoming blurred. Although there are still stand-alone readers, these devices increasingly have more tablet-like functionality. The Nook Color even runs Android and rumors grow stronger that Amazon is working on a Kindle tablet-eBook reader hybrid running Android.

So it begs the question: When does a device stop being an eBook reader and start being a tablet that runs eBook reader software? It's confusing and it makes counting in this way much more difficult.

Pew attempts to differentiate between the two describing the tablet as having more interactive web functions. It also claims tablet sales have not grown as fast in the same time period in spite of the fact that many new tablets were introduced and that the iPad continues to sell extremely well.

Whatever you think of these numbers, one take-away is clear and that's that the eReader continues to thrive in spite of the tablet. It seems there is still a market for people who really only want to read books and nothing more.

For more information:
- see the Pew article

Related Articles: 
Barnes and Noble introduces paperback-sized Nook 
Kindle update includes real page numbers 
Kindle introduces lending 
Asus joins the eBook reader fray