Why the Nook may be better than the Kindle
Look out, Kindle, you have a new challenger to be the number one eReader in America. You are going to have to step up your marketing game because the Nook does everything you do and more in a better package.
Nook looks a lot like Amazon’s white plastic e-book reader, only instead of the chiclet-keyboard there is a color multi-touch screen, to be used as a keyboard or to browse books, cover-flow style. The machine runs Google’s Android OS and it will have wireless capability from AT&T.
The Nook has the regular black-and-white E Ink display and a 3.5-inch color touchscreen. The latter allows users to browse books. The Nook also comes with built-in WiFi, 2GB of internal storage, MP3 player and supports open formats such as EPUB. Nook users have features such as bookmarks, and the ability to share books with friends for up to a fortnight through other e-readers, smartphones or computers.
The Display:
As mentioned, it has dual-screen display. A color LCD touchscreen below the electronic paper display is good for navigation. This significantly reduces the pain of navigating across different books. You can easily flick through the titles and select with a touch. to add tot he beauty, it features high resolution 6 inch E Ink® display. The readability of Text is simply superb. If you have ever tried Kindle2, you will find readability and smoothness of text much better here.
The navigation buttons on left and right are easily accessible when you are holding it with 2 hands. With Kindle, because of keyboard, I never liked to move my finger across the device to reach a specific navigation button. Buttons are placed just right in Nook. However, absence of keyboard didn’t feel like a big deal. The onscreen keyboard serves the purpose well.
Nook looks a lot like Amazon’s white plastic e-book reader, only instead of the chiclet-keyboard there is a color multi-touch screen, to be used as a keyboard or to browse books, cover-flow style. The machine runs Google’s Android OS and it will have wireless capability from AT&T.
The Nook has the regular black-and-white E Ink display and a 3.5-inch color touchscreen. The latter allows users to browse books. The Nook also comes with built-in WiFi, 2GB of internal storage, MP3 player and supports open formats such as EPUB. Nook users have features such as bookmarks, and the ability to share books with friends for up to a fortnight through other e-readers, smartphones or computers.
The Display:
As mentioned, it has dual-screen display. A color LCD touchscreen below the electronic paper display is good for navigation. This significantly reduces the pain of navigating across different books. You can easily flick through the titles and select with a touch. to add tot he beauty, it features high resolution 6 inch E Ink® display. The readability of Text is simply superb. If you have ever tried Kindle2, you will find readability and smoothness of text much better here.
The navigation buttons on left and right are easily accessible when you are holding it with 2 hands. With Kindle, because of keyboard, I never liked to move my finger across the device to reach a specific navigation button. Buttons are placed just right in Nook. However, absence of keyboard didn’t feel like a big deal. The onscreen keyboard serves the purpose well.
Android OS: The Nook is the first e-book reader to run Android, Google’s operating system written for mobile devices. Android has become a favorite of mobile phone manufacturers such as Motorola and HTC because it’s open source and can be easily customized. It also gives users access to applications through the Android market.
Barnes & Noble hasn’t announced anything about putting out a software developers’ kit for the Nook. But it hasn’t ruled out the idea either. “We do think, just because of the excitement and all the development around Android, that, in the future, putting out an SDK would be exciting for us and for our users,” says Barnes & Noble president William Lynch.
continued after the videos:
Barnes & Noble hasn’t announced anything about putting out a software developers’ kit for the Nook. But it hasn’t ruled out the idea either. “We do think, just because of the excitement and all the development around Android, that, in the future, putting out an SDK would be exciting for us and for our users,” says Barnes & Noble president William Lynch.
continued after the videos:
One of the best things about hardcovers or paperbacks is that you can give them to family and friends. E-readers, so far, haven’t offered that to consumers. Instead, devices such as Kindle have locked down books and made it impossible for users to lend books that they have bought.
Nook tries to change that with its LendMe feature. Nook users can loan books to friends for two weeks and those e-books can be accessed through PCs or smartphones such as the BlackBerry and the iPhone to edit.
Barnes & Noble's introduction to the eBook Reader world is such a success that they cannot keep up with demand, buyers often have to wait weeks for their orders. But the Nook is not your only option if you want to purchase eBooks from B & N, deals with iRex & Plastic Logic have been signed to allow readers to buy wi-fi titles & enjoy them on 10.1" and 11" screens starting in 2010.
B & N is also enticing book lovers to bring their Nooks into their shopping center stores to take advantage of book samples, special deals and sale prices which they cannot find while outside a Barnes & Noble store. Looks like they have thought of almost everything to keep their customers happy.
Is the Nook the best eReader available, far ahead of Sony & Amazon's offering? Maybe, but if you want a fantastic eReader under $300 US, that looks sweet and does not disappoint, then the Nook may be right for you.
Barnes & Noble Nook Page
All eReaders
Nook tries to change that with its LendMe feature. Nook users can loan books to friends for two weeks and those e-books can be accessed through PCs or smartphones such as the BlackBerry and the iPhone to edit.
Barnes & Noble's introduction to the eBook Reader world is such a success that they cannot keep up with demand, buyers often have to wait weeks for their orders. But the Nook is not your only option if you want to purchase eBooks from B & N, deals with iRex & Plastic Logic have been signed to allow readers to buy wi-fi titles & enjoy them on 10.1" and 11" screens starting in 2010.
B & N is also enticing book lovers to bring their Nooks into their shopping center stores to take advantage of book samples, special deals and sale prices which they cannot find while outside a Barnes & Noble store. Looks like they have thought of almost everything to keep their customers happy.
Is the Nook the best eReader available, far ahead of Sony & Amazon's offering? Maybe, but if you want a fantastic eReader under $300 US, that looks sweet and does not disappoint, then the Nook may be right for you.
Barnes & Noble Nook Page
All eReaders
