Kindle Electronic Reader vs Nook?

[OakLeaf]

My dad has a Sony e-reader that he loves. He uses it almost exclusively for out-of-print public domain books and manuscripts that he gets from Google and other sources, mostly as .pdfs.

I got one just like it for Christmas, and although I'm working my way through a stack of print books before I buy any e-books, I have to say I'm very disappointed that there's no option for backlighting. I need the same bright light to read my e-reader as I do for a print book. No reading on subways, buses, my living room at night, many hotels, etc., without carrying a book light too.

[7rider]

Kindle just came in the mail today.
I got to play with my SIL's when we were up at her place around Christmas. I kind of didn't want the Kindle, primarily I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of thinking she influenced my decision (she is quite confident that she ALWAYS makes the right choice, and anything SHE has is the finest available! ).
But...it was pretty easy to pick up and use with minimal effort. I figure, if I can figure it out...it's got to be idiot proof. Free downloads (sort of....I found out there's a charge to upload your own PDFs and reports to it. pfffft. They didn't mention THAT in their slick video advertisements!). I've started Sense and Sensibility tonight (free!) and have a bunch of others on my wish list. I've got some long flights and time in airports in my near future, so this should be a welcome diversion.

[KnottedYet]

I was angsting over the Nook vs. the Kindle. I love the idea of the touch-screen on the Nook, and being able to import and store and OWN your downloads. But I liked the open wifi and low-level internet functions (and calendar) available on the Kindle.

Then the iSlate started looming on the horizon, causing further hyperventilation and consternation; though the estimated $500 price was a huge drawback.

What's a disorganized book nerd to do?

Buy an iPod Touch, download "FreeBooks" for $2. The ereader format for Free Books is very nice and you have access to 24,000 out-of-copyright classics. (which are the very books I wanted to read) In the apps store there are several different ereaders (Kindle, Readle, etc) so I could expand if I need to. The iPod is mostly needed (or so I rationalize...) as a PDA. I have the NPR and NYT free apps on it already, those will load every morning while I eat breakfast and then I can read on the bus.

I love paper books. The feel, the smell, the whole gestalt. But I also really love having the complete works of Shakespeare (or whoever actually wrote them), Twain, and Frost with me on the bus. Oh, and Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks and the Constitution of the United States. (when's the last time we all read THAT?)

I think I found the happy medium I needed between eReader and PDA. Someone will come up with something better in the next year or two, and I'll be in the front row drooling and slobbering, you can bet on it!

[Irulan]

My dad has a Sony e-reader that he loves. He uses it almost exclusively for out-of-print public domain books and manuscripts that he gets from Google and other sources, mostly as .pdfs.

I got one just like it for Christmas, and although I'm working my way through a stack of print books before I buy any e-books, I have to say I'm very disappointed that there's no option for backlighting. I need the same bright light to read my e-reader as I do for a print book. No reading on subways, buses, my living room at night, many hotels, etc., without carrying a book light too.

how does this one handle pdf files?