You may have heard that e-book readers are the it gadget of the year. Yet choosing the right e-book reader is more difficult than choosing a brand of shampoo or an ice cream flavor. Seems like every week there’s the hot new e-book reader being foisted upon the reading public. At last count, there are at least 12 brands of e-book readers either currently available or nearly close to release. So, how do you know which one is right for you? Comparing the two most popular e-book readers, we break it down for you here. Happy reading!

KINDLE 2	VERSUS	SONY READER
$359 @ Amazon.com	PRICE	$349 @ SonyStyle.com
8″ x 5.3″ x .36″	DIMENSIONS	6.7″ x 5.1″ x .4″
Basic white	COLOR	Basic black
6″ screen, thumbstick cursor. B&W, 16-level gray scale (more levels equals clearer picture)	SCREEN	6″ touch screen. B&W screen, 8-level gray scale (half the resolution of the Kindle 2)
Built-in wireless connects to Internet anywhere there is a signal. Books download in minutes (or less) once purchased from Amazon’s Kindle store. You can also subscribe to some magazines, newspapers, and blogs.	DOWNLOADS	No Internet connectivity. Books are purchased from Sony eBook Store (Window users only) and transferred in minutes (or less) by connecting the Reader to your computer.
Holds more than 1,500 books. Memory is not upgradable.	MEMORY	Holds about 350 books. Extra memory can be purchased.
Free iPhone app provides access to your library on an iPod or iPhone. Some books can be read aloud with text-to-speech function.	ADDITIONAL FEATURES	Unlike the Kindle 2, the Reader has built-in LED lights along the sides of the screen that provide illumination for convenient night reading.
Visit amazon.com/kindle	READY TO BUY?	Visit sonystyle.com