Thanks for the replies!
So I was able to find a silver 505 instore before i left to the States... I know I said 'text quality' was one of my primary concerns.. ignore that statement!
I picked it up, used it for a night, then
hacked Sony to:
Change the font to Caecilia
Enable right control pad to change pages
Enable a clock
It was definitely much better after the hack... I loved having 3 ways to flip pages, loved having the clock, and the font was an improvement
I used it during my 7 hours of flying and the first few nights in the hotel...
Then I tried the nook, and figured I'd buy it and offload it here in Canada if I didn't like it...
I used it in it's default mode for a few nights in the hotel, and then the rest of the trip back...
Once i got home, I
soft rooted the nook to:
Change button positions
Enable Trook to download books from Calibre, read online rss feeds
Nook Pros:
-Nook has a nicer default font (although I could hack the Sony to achieve the same effect) (basically a bold font that has slightly more perceived contrast)
-Nook comes with a clock by default and a nicer organizational reading layout including book title, time, page, graphical bar representation of position in book
-Nook has Wifi and can be soft rooted for extra functionality
-Nook has a nice colour touch screen
-Nook has fun backgrounds and screensavers - and you can make your own
-Comes with wall adapter for charging via micro usb port
-I *think* Nook changes pages forward on epub a bit faster, back a bit slower
-New firmware still being developed
-Nicer hacks
Nook Cons:
-Very bad battery life - It lasts me 1 or 2 books
-Thicker, heavier than Sony
-Cover costs extra
-**Can't go directly to a page**
-Doesn't support lrf (I like LRF on the sony - even though it's been discontinued)
-Need to pop the back to insert a microsd card
-Uses Micro USB cord (the only component I have that does)
-cheaper feel
Sony 505 Pros:
-Thinner, better feel (aluminum)
-Even with leather cover on, thinner, smaller and lighter than Nook
-Uses more standard components (regular (mini) usb, SD Card or Memory Stick)
-Easy to insert SD Card
-Excellent battery life
-Can navigate anywhere in a book by manually typing a page number, or by holding down the page forward/back buttons to skip multiple pages
-Looks sexier - not a 'big chunk of white plastic'
Sony Cons:
-No wifi
-Needs to be hacked for most pleasant experience (clock)
-no fun gimmicks - no backgrounds/screensavers
-Very expensive and complex battery replacement
-Wall adapter costs extra
Overall:
Text quality can't be used for a comparison - too similar.
I'm a sucker... The gimmicks of the nook won me over... I'll put up with the bad battery life, the clunkier/cheaper feel, and the inability to directly navigate to a page in order to customize it with my own pictures, read RSS feeds, and use Trook.
If I was a basic international user, I'd take the Sony - just because it's smaller, more elegant, comes with a leather cover, and is easier to use/understand.
I really don't want to get rid of the sony - but it just doesn't have the 'fun' factor of the nook. I really like the Nook's backgrounds and screensavers
It's also completely discontinued.
I'm keeping the Nook - but it's a really tough choice.. I might keep the 505 as well....