The device itself is definitely slicker (read: less ugly) than its predecessor; 0.36-inches thick, minimal design, curved lines. You could almost call it beautiful, if it weren't so damn big compared to most other electronic portable devices nowadays. But, there's a reason for it: it's not just another e-book reader; it's supposed to be the new book: at least Amazon's Jeff Bezos wants us to believe that.
Another cool feature is text-to-speech; now, Kindle can read every document it contains to you aloud. For people with severe eyesight problems, it's a wonderful thing that this technology is finally permeating the mainstream on a device such as the Kindle.
And yes, Stephen King was there, reading an excerpt from a brand new short story which will be exclusive to the Kindle.
Unfortunately, the "wow factor" is absent. Amazon hasn't learned much from Apple; if you've got a new generation of a product that's supposed to turn an entire industry on its head, you need to offer something really special. Amazon simply hasn't done that here. The new design and the features are nice enough, but it's still the same old Kindle; the pricing (new