Portable eBook Readers

The Barnes and Noble Nook is the first Android-powered e-book reader and features a 6-inch E-ink screen and a color touch screen that allows you to navigate your ebook library and it can also turn into a virtual keyboard for searches.

While compiling this Barnes and Noble Nook review, I was at times impressed and other times frustrated with this new ebook reader. True, it has many neat features and much to like, like the massive book selection, personalization, the color screen, and the aesthetics of the reader. But there are also a lot of issues with the usability and software bugs that have left a lot of buyers quite annoyed.

There have already been several firmware updates which have fixed some issues but it amazes me that Barnes and Noble could come out with a slightly flawed ebook reader, especially this late in the game.

Understandably, Barnes and Noble have a huge offline presence and so they probably didn’t feel the need to introduce a portable ebook reader, until now. So, it wasn’t like they had to rush into the market as they are already several years behind Amazon, Sony, and the rest.

Features of the Barnes and Noble Nook

Dual Screens and Dual Purpose. Like the majority of today’s ebook readers, the Barnes and Noble Nook uses an E-Ink display that produces no glare or backlight, has adjustable text size, and so you can read comfortably for hours.

Unlike all the others though, the Nook has an additional 3.5 inch color touchscreen LCD display below the E-Ink display. The display is dual purpose; use your finger to swipe through titles and tap to open your next book (your library is displayed via full-color book covers.) You can also use the Nook’s virtual keyboard to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Try before you buy. You can download a free sample of any ebook that Barnes and Noble sell to discover new authors or check out the latest novels for free. When you find something you like, it’s easy to buy and download the titles you want in seconds with the Wi-Fi and free wireless from Barnes & Noble via the AT&T 3G network.

Huge choice of ebooks. The Nook has a choice of over 1 million titles to buy plus 500,000 free titles, not only the classics but also some contemporary titles as well. Most of the ebooks are almost $10 but you can find many that are under $5 too. For some reason, not all the free ebooks are listed under the correct tab; you have to search around to find them all.

Share eBooks with friends or family. Many eBooks can be lent for up to 14 days at a time. You just choose the eBook that you want to share and send it to your friend’s Nook or to any PC, Mac, iPhone, or iPod touch that has a free Barnes and Noble eReader software downloaded on it. The BlackBerry and other smartphones will be available for ebook sharing in early 2010. Unfortunately, many publishing houses are against this idea and will not support it, so you may be limited.

Personalize your Nook. You can personalize and protect your Nook with over 30 different protective covers in various colors and materials. You can also customize the look of your Nook with colorful device backs and frames.

Some of the Problems That Have Been Reported

Slow page turns – The page turns were a lot slower than any other ebook reader available but with the firmware updates this issue has improved. Some people have reported that the longer that you are reading on the device, the page turns begin to slow down again. I am sure that future firmware updates will resolve this issue once and for all; it is just a pity that Barnes and Noble are using their customers as beta testers instead of waiting to introduce a fully functional and bug free device.

Short battery life – The battery drains after just 3 or 4 days compared to 12 to14 days for a Kindle and even longer for the Sony. This is true even if you turn the Wireless off and you dim the LCD display. I suppose that is the price of having a dual display. According to Barnes and Noble the battery life is up to ten days with the wireless off.

The color LCD screen – The touch screen is relatively easy to use most of the time but some have reported a lag in the response of the command that makes people want to keep touching the display believing that the input was not accepted. The keyboard buttons are a bit small and sometimes hard to hit, but it is generally responsive.

Frequent crashes – Some, but not all users have reported that the device frequently freezes and needs to be rebooted. Every so often the Nook has trouble loading and formatting an ebook but if you wait a while it will fix itself.

Bookmarks – The Nook can not jump to a specific page number which is something that needs addressing. You can jump to specific chapters and sometimes sections of a chapter. An original issue was also that the ability to save where you left off in a book was flawed and only worked occasionally. Again, with the updated firmware this has been fixed.

Slow power up and formatting – The Nook does take a while to power up probably due to the color LCD screen. Formatting books also takes a while but only when switching to a new book.

Advantages of the Nook

The Nook is a good looking device and aesthetically pleasing. The lower color LCD screen is an issue of personal taste; some love it and others think it is useless eye candy that is a considerable power drain.

The user-replaceable battery is an important feature that the Amazon Kindle lacks. But considering the battery drain and the need to re-charge more frequently, you will probably need this feature. At least you can have a spare battery to hand and not have to send it off to be changed for you like the Kindle.

The Nook supports SD memory cards for extra storage and the ability to organize your files. This is a major feature that the Kindle doesn’t have

Other advantages are the ability to lend a book which unfortunately is more limited than Barnes and Noble are willing to admit. This is because many publishers are fighting to have this feature disabled and so might not be available on many books. Also, you can lend a book to only one person for 14 days at a time. The many personalization options are important to some people; choice of covers, device backs, frames, and personalized sceensavers with photos.

Specifications

Dimensions and Weight

• Height: 7.7 inches, Width: 4.9 inches, Depth: 0.5 inches
• Weight: 12.1 ounces (343 grams)

Wireless

• Free wireless from Barnes & Noble via AT&T, the nation’s fastest 3G network

• Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g)

• Free Wi-Fi in all Barnes & Noble stores

Expandable Storage

• 2GB (approximately 1500 eBooks)

• Expandable microSD slot

Audio

• MP3 player

• Built-in mono speaker

• Universal 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack

Connectors

• Micro USB connector

• Expandable microSD spot

Battery

• Installed Rechargable battery

• Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter

• Charging time: 3.5 hours from wall outlet

Supported File Types

• EPUB (Non or Adobe DRM)

• PDB (Non DRM)

• PDF

• Graphics: JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP

• Audio: MP3

Summary of the Nook

Although the Nook was released with several problems and bugs it is obvious that Barnes and Noble are taking these concerns seriously by releasing several firmware updates. I really don’t understand why they didn’t wait a month or two more to release a fully functional and bug free device, but the future for the Nook will be bright I am sure.

There is a lot to like with the Nook and there are some features that people like and others don’t. For example, the color LCD screen is just an annoying distraction and battery drain for some. The personalization options will appeal to many and the rubber backing is a lot more comfortable to hold than the metal backing of the Kindle.

The Barnes and Noble NOOK ebook reader is a welcome addition to the current options of portable ebook readers and will take some market share away from the Kindle and the Sony readers. Competition is good for the consumer as competitors will develop unique features and cut prices to stay in the game.

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