E-ink is the screen technology made by two companies.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Ink My Sony reader has the same screen as the Kindle. When comparing e-ink screens, there are newer versions of the screen that make it crisper, brighter, and have more contrast.
There are plenty of other readers out there that work really well and are similar price. This site has more info on them than anywhere I have seen. Reviews, specs, comparisons, etc...
http://www.mobileread.com/