Business Week posted an article yesterday regarding the soon-to-be released larger version of the Kindle Reader:

Kindle may start getting a warmer reception in colleges come May 6, when Amazon (AMZN) launches what is expected to be a larger version of its Kindle e-book reader that is more suited to academic publishers. Six universities including Case Western, Pace, and Princeton are partnering with Amazon and major publishers to supply students with the new device in the fall, The Wall Street Journal reports.

In my opinion, this is a win/win proposition for Amazon and for parents of students heading off to college. College textbooks can cost thousands of dollars per semester, depending on the subject and level of advanced courses. If you purchase a Kindle reader for $400, even if the ebook is 25% less than the hard copy version, that’s a huge savings. Not to mention the convenience of eliminating the need to carry all those heavy books around and alleviating back problems caused by a heavy backpack.

College textbooks were always highly overpriced in my estimation. Even if you were able to find a used version, there was no guarantee that it would contain the revision material that was updated on a regular basis. And many times bookstores would not purchase textbooks back if the course was no longer being offered or utilizing that particular textbook.

There are so many “hidden” college costs that can add up. This cost saving can help parents and students on a tight budget and also offer a great alternative to hoards of books that you have no idea what to do with after graduation. If you’re a parent and you have a teen heading off to college in the fall, keep tabs on this developing news.

What do you think about this technological offering? Would you purchase a Kindle for your student?