The Death of E-Readers

 Long live the table, right?  A device that can do so much more than an e-reader, makes one wonder why the e-reader, or specifically how, the e-reader can continue to exist.  With ipad, an army of android based tablets, and their ilk it appears as if the narrow niche e-readers inhabit is endangered.  After all you can download kindle or nook for your tablet, thereby turning your tablet into a fully functioning e-reader.
 
So where does that leave the e-reader as a device?  Sure it is less expensive, and having a dedicated device for a well-defined and narrow set of related functions is helpful, and easier to use. 
I expect the e-reader as a device will disappear and be just added functionality on a tablet, or your phone, or a desktop/laptop.  I also expect that e-reading will become reading.  We do not say I hardback-read (h-reading) vs, paperback-reading (p-reading), after all it is just reading. 
Though maybe in this age of continual partial attention reading will be replaced by text scanning….