Part lecture, part sales pitch, Barnes & Noble CEO Stephen Riggio addressed the American Magazine Conference today, admitting that while e-Books are finally "here to stay," the experience of reading a "real" book is going nowhere.

"If a book was invented today, it would be considered the perfect technology," Riggio said. "It's easy to use, doesn't require batteries and lasts a lifetime."

The next most-bought item by people who buy bestsellers is a magazine, Riggio said, adding that customers, on average, spend over an hour at Barnes and Noble. "That's powerful — magazines need to do a better job" of capturing these idling consumers.

FishbowlNY will be blogging live this week from the American Magazine Conference — the annual pow-wow of high-powered magazine executives — at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix. Check back often for our extended coverage.

FishbowlNY's AMC 2006 Coverage: