Backlit is great for reading in bed at night. But I prefer the e-ink for all other times. I'm looking forward to getting an e-ink reader with the glow backlight like the new Nook.
If only there was a soft and comfortable harness that I could drape over my knees upon which to prop my iPad, I'd be very happy with the 9.5 in tablet. I've got a design in my head but no spare cycles at the moment...I'll keep looking on Etsy since I'm sure I'm not the first person with this idea.
It's not actually a backlight, though. It's front-lit by LEDs under the bezel and a diffraction grating that spreads the light.