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I was pondering this question today when I was reading the announcements of the Amazon Kindle for International Sales. Which of these would make a better reader?

Pricing: Kindle 1 vs. T91 0

The Kindle is at least $240 cheaper than the Asus Eee PC T91 series, so on price alone, the Asus T91 would lose, except…

Power: Kindle 1 vs. T91 1

The Asus Eee PC T91 is, in fact, a TABLET PC! Yes, it’s a fully fledged PC that can run software, browse, send email, read books, and a whole bunch of things that an ordinary PC could do. Even more, you are not tied to one reader or one e-book store, esp. if you buy PC software for reading ebooks, or install the Kindle for PC. So, in short, you avoid serious customer lock-in.

Features: Kindle 1 vs. T91 2

The Kindle is totally grayscale, while the T91 offers a touchscreen interface with tablet functionality, and even note taking features.

Size: Kindle 2 vs. T91 2

The T91 offers much in a small space, but the Kindle can easily slip into your bag or purse, without additional cables, power points, etc., unless you are going on a longer journey. The batteries will keep you reading for quite a while, certainly more than the T91 can ever do.

Dedicated: Kindle 3 vs. T91 2

The Amazon Kindle is in fact a dedicated machine, with simpler and more robust features. So it is designed to fulfill one function well. Unlike the Asus Eee PC T91 which is a flexible, and therefore, perhaps less reliable machine. So it boots faster, closes down quicker, and gets to the main function faster than any PC ever could.

Of course, in a perfect world, one would have both. At a combined price of less than $800, this is actually feasible. And avoids one of the pitfalls of an all-in-one type machine. You don’t have to rely one machine for EVERYTHING. Always a plus, in my book.

What would you buy? The Asus Eee PC T91 or the Amazon 6" Kindle or both or neither?