Which features are most important will vary from person to person, but I can answer this question for myself. I have just chosen a Sony T1 as my Christmas present.
I purchased a T1 for my wife for our anniversary a few months ago. I have been able to use it from time to time. I've been using my phone for my daily reading during my commute. The OLED screen set to white text on black is pretty easy on the eyes and good in anything but direct sun. However, for longer reading, E-ink is a must for me.
I chose the T1 because Sony Canada is offering a great deal (
http://store.sony.ca/webapp/wcs/stor...52921666485877 ) on refurbished T1s at $79 with a one-year warranty plus a standard Sony cover (not the best, but free).
There were several features not found on the T2 and not always found on other readers:
- Audio player: I have audiobooks and a little music from time to time never hurts
- Dictionaries: Sony dropped German, Italian, and Dutch dictionaries from the T2. I used English, Spanish, Italian, French, and German dictionaries useful when reading Joseph Conrad, for example.
- Public library integration. Apparently it works pretty well for our library.
- microSD card slot: Yes, there's plenty of room in there already, but I like my options.
- EPUB: No thank you, Amazon. Yes, I've got Calibre, but I shouldn't need to use it.
- WiFi: For getting books from the library, mostly. Serious browsing is done on computer or phone.
A light is not a big deal for me. If I really need to read in the dark, I'll bust out the phone. Maybe in a few years, when the technology is a bit better developed, less sensitive to scratches and such.
As for things like games, no need.