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I have a Kindle and for me the pros were:
Dictionary lookup and search - It's nice to be able to look words up in a dictionary. I used to just get them from context if I wasn't 100% sure but it's a richer experience for me to really look at the word. I also like being able to search for words in my books. Not only is it great for books, I have many of my recipes on the Kindle. It helps when I'm shopping to be able to find all the recipes I have with a given ingredient. Wikipedia & Web search are also fun. It's nice to get a quick answer without breaking the rhythm of my reading.
Content availability and price - Amazon has a lot of books. They're usually a bit less. When I first bought the Kindle, they were A LOT less.
Wireless delivery - I didn't think all that much of it when I was making my decision. How hard is it to transfer a file via USB? Not hard. Now that I have it, I realize how amazingly convenient it is, especially in conjunction with one of my other favorite features:
Free sample chapters - When I hear of something I may like, I just go to Amazon, on my computer or from the device, and have it send me the first chapter free. If I like it, I click the link at the end of the chapter and get the whole book sent to me instantly. I don't even have to put down my cup of tea. Sweet! I no longer buy books ahead of time unless I'll be traveling out of the country (no Whispernet outside the US). I used to buy books and not like them enough to finish them or just not end up reading them. The fancy for them would pass. This saves me lots of money. DH also loves it when he's commuting on the train. He doesn't have to plan ahead to have another book in case he finishes his current one. It's easy to always have a book. This lets you have the book you want right now, not the one you thought you wanted a week ago.
And, believe it or not:
Ergonomics - I actually find it more comfortable than the Sony. The big page turn buttons are easy to press by accident if you're handing it around or holding it up in front of a camera trying to do a video review. When reading, I find they make the page turns so seamless regardless of which hand it's in. I do think it's highly personal, though. The buttons are right where DH likes to hold his books. He's used to them now but he doesn't like them as much as I do.
Sony has some compelling features. Adding epub and DRMed PDF support made them way more attractive IMO. I do like the looks of it better, too. The Kindle just had the features that mattered more to me.
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