[maverick777]

Kindle newbie here. It's taken me a long time to take the plunge and get an eReader. I've been weighing my options since last summer. Originally, I wanted the Nook. There are some very nice features on it that the Kindle lacks. However, I ended up choosing the Kindle for the following reasons:

1. Battery life. The Kindle 3 is the champ in this department. There's no debate here. The Nook is very respectable, but 1 week versus 3 to 4 weeks is a big difference no matter how you look at it.
2. E-ink Pearl. It's definitely noticeable that the screen on the Kindle has better contrast and slightly sharper text.
3. Free 3g even in other countries. This means I can access the news wherever I go. And if I'm in a pinch while I'm traveling internationally, I can even search for directions or get information online. (this was really a feature I hadn't thought about until I got the Kindle)
4. Size. Neither devices are really "big" by any means, but the Kindle is noticeably smaller.
5. Kindle + lighted cover. This turned out to be a biggie. This combination is just the perfect travel companion. The size of this combo feels like a real book. Not too heavy and not bulky or big. Plus never having to carry/pack batteries around for the built-in light is very nice.

In the end, the lack of ePub support is more than manageable. If I need to use ePub for any reason, Calibre can quickly convert it to mobi. Not being able to checkout books from the library is a bit of a downer, but not enough to regret my choice.

The lack of expandable memory is a little unfortunate, but 4gb (3gb useable) is plenty for books. I would like more space for more music, but it's really just a nice to have feature. Moreso because the Kindle uses a pretty decent Wolfson dac. But my phone (Galaxy S) gets me by since I have it on me at all times.

Not having a replaceable battery is also kind of a downer, but Amazon's replacement time is very fast from the people I know that have had to ship their device back. They send you a new Kindle first anyways, so the down time is minimal.

As for the Nook color or any other tablet device, I ruled them out for 3 reasons.
1. Outdoor use. Forget about it. Using a Tablet in the sun is just not usable. Even in the shade, it's passable but it's not even a comparison when you look at any eInk device in the same condition. There's also the distraction of glare from the glass.

2. Battery life. As good of a battery life as the iPad 2 has, it's still too short for me. I'd have to recharge every 2 or 3 days. Some will argue that it's not an issue, but 2 or 3 days vs 3-4 weeks per charge is a huge difference no matter how you look at it. The Nook Color is worse than the iPad in this department.

3. Fingerprints. As if glare wasn't enough of an issue, fingerprints are very distracting. Sure I could wipe them off, but I'd have to do it almost every time.

For me, the Kindle is the winner. I can't say it's the clear winner overall since both the Nook and Nook Color have their advantages, but for what I use it for, it's the champ. For now.