I have now been using the Kindle Fire for about a month. I thought I’d weigh with my impressions thus far. This isn’t intended to be a thorough, technical review. It is simply my view as a publishing professional and e-reader enthusiast.

I have been a fan of the Kindle since Amazon introduced it in 2007. I have bought every iteration since then and have been pleased with the evolution of the device. The simplicity, battery life, and integrated buying experience have been delightful.

When I read anything, I mark it up. Margin notes, circles, and, most of all, highlights. In fact, I buy highlighters by the box. Or at least I did, until I started reading so much on my Kindle.

Now I use the Highlighter feature of the Kindle to mark passages. I also occasionally use the Notes feature to record my thoughts about a passage. (This is actually pretty cumbersome on the Kindle itself. I usually only do this if I am reading on my Mac. Then I can use my keyboard.)

Because I am the CEO of a book publishing company, I am regularly asked how I see the future of digital publishing. As Yogi Berra said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”

I don’t know exactly how things will shake out long-term, but I believe we will see the following six trends in 2011:

When Apple launched the iPad last spring, most everyone assumed it would kill the Kindle. After all, the iPad had a multi-touch screen, a crisp, color display, the ability to view books, photos, and movies, and run thousands of applications.

For Amazon, this seemed like the classic David vs. Goliath scenario—the single-purpose, underpowered Kindle against, the multi-purpose, powerful iPad.

Almost a month ago, I video-taped the unboxing of my new Amazon Kindle 3 and posted it here on my blog. I shared my initial impressions. However, after using it for almost a month, I wanted to share my thoughts here in a little more depth.

I should start by saying a few words about the iPad. I have pretty much set it aside. Why? Two reasons.

Because I am in the publishing industry, and because I have written extensively on the topic of digital publishing, I get asked several times a week, what e-reader I recommend. Frankly, I’m probably not the best person to ask. I experiment with all kinds of technology and am very fickle. I am always trying something new.

So, rather than simply offer an opinion, I spent Saturday morning creating a spreadsheet that compared the four major e-reader brands, representing a total of ten models. I included the Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, Sony Reader, and the Apple iPad. (You can download the actual spreadsheet here or the PDF.)

Yesterday, I received my Kindle 3. It was all I could do to keep from opening the box. However, I wanted to share the “unboxing experience” with you, so I waited until I got home so Gail, my wife, could video tape the whole thing. (I did the same thing with Kindle 2.)

This is now the third Kindle I have bought. You’d think Amazon would send these free (hint, hint) to major publishers, but they don’t. The good news is that my Kindle library migrates effortlessly from device to device. In fact, I can even read my Kindle books on my iPhone, my iPad, and my Mac.

Make no mistake about it: I am an Apple fan. I own several Mac laptops, iPhones, and iPods. I even bought an AppleTV—and love it. When the iPad was announced, I watched Steve Jobs’ announcement and the online Guided Tours. I ordered one the first day I could do so. I purchased the 64GB WiFi (non-3G) version.

I bought the Kindle 1. Then earlier this year I bought the Kindle 2. I was enthusiastic about both devices. But after nearly two years of using them on a regular basis, I have to admit, I still prefer bound books.

Microsoft recently released a jaw-dropping video based on some of the their current research projects. These technologies will dramatically change your world and mine. The video is less than two minutes long and will give you a clear vision for what awaits us within the next ten years.

As Jonathan Crossfield explains, “These ideas are not science fiction but are just around the corner. It shows how far things will change in just a few short years and the ramifications for consumer behaviour are massive.”