Long post, but thorough!
A while back, I participated in a focus group comparing E-Readers.
I have owned every iteration of the Sony, and currently have the PRS-650 and PRS-350. I have never owned a Kindle K3, but I compared it pretty thoroughly in the group.
Size/Ergonomics
The
Sony's win on this count, hand's down (or
up, see below!). They are incredibly light, even though mostly made of metal. And if you consider the PRS-350, it's like holding a feather.
Actually, these are so light, that the covers (Sony basic leather) add a substantial amount of weight. Of course, that's "substantial" in relative terms; you easily notice it. My wife actually hates reading with the cover on for this very reason!
I would not
necessarily call the Kindle heavy. If I were to pick it up on its own, I'd be happy. But when doing a side-by-side, I
want to call it heavy!
I read one-handed, and always have. Annoying with paper books, since you need two hands to turn pages. With the PRS-*50, I use my thumb on the page button, and am one-handed all the way. I could not figure out how to manage this
comfortably with the Kindle. A little too much reach for me... and I'm very flexible!
Plus, the weight makes a difference too. Fatigue sets in much earlier on the Kindle than the Sony; again, particularly the PRS-350!
Speed
A
tie with a caveat.
From main interface to random book page, the K3 jumps around pretty quickly. On the Sony side, a large book gives that thrice-damned spinning-arrow way too often. And in reading
Fellowship of the Ring ePUB, my PRS-350 has spun three times just on a page turn!
However, in terms of page-to-page turning between the K3 and PRS-650 (more fair comparison than the PRS-350), I didn't notice any difference. This is what you do far more often than anything else, so that's why I consider speed a wash.
Screen.
The
Kindle screen is better. Not a knock-down-drag-out-blow-your-socks-off better. A TAD better. You probably would never notice unless you had the two side-by-side and were really looking for it, but the difference
is there.
Okay, now I know what you are thinking:
they're the same screen! Nope!
The Sony uses a slightly glossier screen. Sort of like the difference between the new generation of laptop screens, coming in either glossy (the Sony) or matte (the Kindle)... not nearly as dramatic as laptops by any means, but that's the difference I see.
The Kindle is "duller" in terms of external reflections, so it's easier to read. You don't see reflections off paper, do you? That's one reason I preferred the Kindle.
Now before I go on, something bears repeating:
the difference is very, very slight. If you didn't hold them side-by-side, you wouldn't notice. You may not even if you
do have them next to each other. But I was pretty thorough, and everyone else I asked said they could see it too. Again,
very slight, but still there.
I also like the Kindle because the font creates greater contrast between the letters and the background. Again, we aren't talking night-and-day here, but it's still a definite advantage. Each iteration of the e-Ink screen has been an improvement; the background becomes a little less "greyish," the "ink" becomes a little darker (aka contrast ratio improves). However, it's been small increments, and the resolution remains unchanged. So anything --
anything -- you can do in software to help... well it shows. And that's why Amazon's font really makes a difference. You can
tell it's easier on the eyes. And, personally, I also like the font's style.
If it purely came down to the screen/font, I would certainly pick the Kindle over the Sony. As I said, it's a
tad better. But at this point the game, e-Ink is about subtleties, and when you take the Kindle's more "matte" display together with their awesome font, it's the winner.
Kindle or Reader?
You can't go wrong with either!
I think the Sony's industrial design is sublime, a work of art. But Amazon's reading experience (software) is a bit better. But, remember, if you weren't looking at them side-by-side, and
paying attention you probably wouldn't even notice (with the exception of the font).
So it's still a tough call, or my fall back: can't go wrong with either.
-Pie