Concerning reviews, I have found those at The eBook Reader (
http://www.the-ebook-reader.com/) to be very useful. The site's owner reviews ereaders as such and compares them to each other, rather than treating them as less-entertaining gadgets. The reviews are well-written and thorough, and often include videos plus lists of specs.
ETA: The site doesn't yet have detailed hands-on reviews of either the new Kobo or Nook, but notes that such reviews will be posted when the devices become available. For now, previews of the readers are shown, including specs and the manufacturers' short videos.