While I loved my Kindle Keyboard as a reading device, I always thought the keyboard itself awkward and fairly useless. As I only ever used it to create collections....I didnt use the Kindle for anything but reading...it didnt matter much to me.
OTOH, when I got it, I already had touch devices and 'tried' navigating it a few times by touch!
As an e-reader tho, it's a fine device and I only upgraded to the Paperwhilte because I use a light to read in almost all conditions and wanted the new light. And I'm spoiled.