Unless you have some very specific needs, I can’t really see how the Kindle could outclass the iPad as an e-book reader, especially if you compare like sizes–the iPad vs. the 9.7“ Kindle.

Now, that’s all subjective, and depends on what you prefer and what you can stand. Some people will prefer the Kindle no matter what because the e-ink screen is less a strain on their eyes. Others will very much prefer a backlit display (my father sent his Kindle back because he couldn’t read in bed with the lights off).

I decided to make an impromptu chart to compare the two. Advantages are colored in orange. Note that I did not give either machine an advantage for the screen type (depending on visual preferences), WiFi vs. 3G (Amazon’s 3G connectivity is free), keyboard type (some people will always prefer a physical keyboard), or even the USB / VGA comparison (despite the video out, the iPad requires adaptors which many dislike).

The Kindle DX has an advantage with slightly higher resolution and pixels per inch (ppi) screen density, a slightly lighter body, and far superior battery life. If e-ink and long battery life are critical for you, then the Kindle wins hands-down–with all cylinders firing, it gets more than 4 days of continuous use; with the 3G used only sporadically and when used even at heavy reading rates, the Kindle can last weeks on a single charge. Some also claim that weight is an issue when you’re holding that device up for hours on end, and a 5-ounce difference is a difference some will balk at.

The iPad, meanwhile, is not limited to being an ebook reader, but if only used for that, it could still hold its own. For the same price as the Kindle DX, you get full color, a backlit screen, and four times the storage in a smaller form factor. But in addition, you get… well… a computer. You get to run apps, read email, play games, and most anything else a computer can do. You can run an office suite, watch movies and TV shows, all that and more–virtually no limits within the allowances of the hardware.

So the question becomes, what are you looking for? Just an ebook reader geared toward general ebook reading preferences? Or an all-in-one device with loads of potential? Comparing the two is a bit jarring because they are different beasts, but like comparing the iPhone and the Zune, they both cover the same territory, and then one goes a lot further, for about the same price. And we all know how stunning a success the Zune has been.