NOOK COMPETITOR TO KINDLE 3 WIFI?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › NOOK COMPETITOR TO KINDLE 3 WIFI?

GerryAttrick

56 posts

Master Geek

#84187 26-May-2011 09:43

I read that Barnes & Noble will shortly introduce a new Nook Wifi with E-ink screen and capable of running Android for $US139.

It seems to me that this would be the way to go rather than Kindle3 wireless as I could download Kindle for Android ( I already have Kindle for PC at home) and then I could access both Amazon and Barnes and Noble books.

I'd prefer 3G AND Wifi so hopefully they will follow up with a Wifi/3G version too.

Then again maybe one Amazons new Android tablets will have an e-ink screen to compete with the new Nook?

Am I missing something here or would this make the new Nook a better option?

nickb800

2715 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#474281 26-May-2011 10:27

In theory it should be better, but lets remember that android is suited to colour touchscreens, and for that price I would expect a b&w non-touchscreen device. This would make navigating around menus fairly difficult.

The devil is in the implementation, I'd wait and see. The Kindle is an amazing device already.

shermanp

355 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#474289 26-May-2011 10:50

The new nook will be a touch screen device, using the same technology as the current SONY readers (PRS-x50).

Also, another alternative might just be the new touch Kobo reader that was just announced--also using the same touch tech.

As someone who owns a SONY PRS-650, I can say that the touch tech is very nice to use. It has some limitations compared to capacitive touch (no multi-touch for eg), but it also has some advantages (it doesn't require bare skin contact/special stylus to work). It also doesn't need the pressure of a resistive touch screen.

GerryAttrick

56 posts

Master Geek

#474315 26-May-2011 11:38

nickb800: In theory it should be better, but lets remember that android is suited to colour touchscreens, and for that price I would expect a b&w non-touchscreen device. This would make navigating around menus fairly difficult.

The devil is in the implementation, I'd wait and see. The Kindle is an amazing device already.

It seems to be - I was about to place an order for the 3G/WiFi version but it appeared to me that the Nook would be easier to be able to read ebooks from B & N as well as Amazon whereas the Kindle seems to need a bit more work to achieve the same result.

I suspect that one of the new Android tablets from Amazon will have an e-inks display if only to compete with the Nook.

I'd still prefer 3G as well as WiFi to cover both bases.

mattRSK

822 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#474512 26-May-2011 18:08

Hey just a thought. I can get any book on kindle but nook is far more locked down.

blakamin

4431 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#474513 26-May-2011 18:14

Android isnt tho. What is stopping an owner using Laputa or others?

darkness

59 posts

Master Geek

#485750 25-Jun-2011 13:39

I think the OP was talking about this Nook, the simple touch

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp?PID=35699&cds2Pid=35611

I'm considering getting one. I know GZ recommends the Kindle, I just like the fact the new nook doesn't have a keyboard, as to me it's only going to be used as an e-reader so probably doesn't need one.

My only concern is it's so new, i don't think anyone in nz has one yet. So I can't test it out like a can with the Kindle.

GerryAttrick

56 posts

Master Geek

#485784 25-Jun-2011 15:20

Not much good for anyone outside the USA

"5. Can I buy and use a NOOK if I reside outside the United States?

No. Barnes & Noble's agreements with publishers require users to have a billing address in the United States. Books and periodicals may only be purchased from within the United States. For details, please see Appendix B of the NOOK User Guide."

Unlike the Kindle where you CAN buy books (although not all authors) outside of the USA you actually need to have a USA BILLING address and not just a residential address. Other than that it does seem to read quite well in the reviews. Loss of MP3 player, Web browser (it is there apparently if you know how) neither of which my current paperbacks have, it actually seems better than the Kindle.I have a Kindle and if I could easily get books in NZ I definitely consider this alongside a Kindle.

To my mind the plus is that, being an Android device, it should be possible to download Amazon Books in the same way that you can get Kindle for PC (once someone writes the Kindle for Android app) or using one of the already available converters.

Now lets see what Amazon come up with in their rumored new readers due later this year

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

darkness

59 posts

Master Geek

#485938 26-Jun-2011 01:36

i guess that is a good point. But in saying that there are plenty of other places to get epubs from. And with calibre it's not hard to convert.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#485969 26-Jun-2011 09:29

Unless you want it to be a tablet (hey, new idea, buy a tablet), eBook readers are great because they are eBook readers, nothing else. So I'd stick with the Kindle.

GerryAttrick: I'd still prefer 3G as well as WiFi to cover both bases.

Here's the thing... Unless you want 3G for browsing and other stuff (as above, buy a tablet), the Kindle 3G is a great option - it's free mobile data for your eBook needs. You don't need to get a SIM from a local telco, and it works everywhere.

The reason I insisted in the tablet option is that you will see that eink technology is not as fast as LCD, OLED and the experience is probably not going to be ideal for other stuff than reading books...

GerryAttrick

56 posts

Master Geek

#485972 26-Jun-2011 09:46

I decided I wanted 3G and WiFi because we don't have access to wireless at the beach where I read most of my books. I have to say that I can't care less about browsing on the Kindle as I bought it for the book feature. I don't have too many paperbacks that can browse the web :-)

I like the idea of being able to quickly download a book as the whim takes me and thought the BN Nook would be worth a look mainly because it did have the web access, was Android (therefore had potential for other apps as needed but still had the e-ink screen which is what I wanted mainly for the reading.

I never use the keyboard (so far anyway) so I'd be happy to see that gone for a bit more screen real estate or smaller size. My wife has downloaded a couple of books to the Kindle and she seems to like it so we will probably get another e-reader later this year. I'll wait and see what the next Amazon offering is before I make a final purchase but I have to say that B&N is not high on my list simply because of the issues with getting books in NZ

lchiu7

6470 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#485981 26-Jun-2011 10:51

GerryAttrick: Not much good for anyone outside the USA

"5. Can I buy and use a NOOK if I reside outside the United States?

No. Barnes & Noble's agreements with publishers require users to have a billing address in the United States. Books and periodicals may only be purchased from within the United States. For details, please see Appendix B of the NOOK User Guide."..

That's not entirely true. I have a B&N account and while I put in a US billing address the credit card against my account is a local one.

The restriction to US purchasers only comes into effect when you buy a book. It uses geofencing to ensure you are in the US when you make the purchase. I suppose with a good proxy server or VPN you could get around that but all I do is ask my brother in the US to logon to my account and purchase the book. Once purchased then I can download and read it on Nook for PC or for Android. I am guessing if I had the Nook reader (which currently runs Android and I have seen hacked to run 2.3) it would work there also.

The one thing I like about B&N books is that the DRM is relatively easy to bypass. And I don't mean illegally stealing content. There are free apps out there (I won't post links) that allow you to remove the DRM from a B&N ebook. The trick is you need to know the 16 digit credit card number that was used to purchase the book. Assuming you are the purchaser you have that information are not motivated to share that knowledge or indeed share the content and it's unlikely you could find 16 digit credit numbers circulating on the web that you could use.

But once the DRM is removed you can use something like Calibre to convert to say mobi format and read on a Kindle. It's somewhat harder to take a Kindle book and read on another device apart from one that runs the Kindle software and is linked to the Amazon account.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

miguelwrang

121 posts

Master Geek

#486008 26-Jun-2011 12:08

I've always wondered why someone doesn't come out with a standard android tablet with an e-ink screen.

With the nook you have to find someone willing to ship it to you, get around region restrictions just to use the shop and then root it to install the kindle app. I don't think multi-store/format flexibility is worth that hassle when the amazon store already has a huge selection, and you can use calibre to convert everything anyway.

lchiu7:

The one thing I like about B&N books is that the DRM is relatively easy to bypass. And I don't mean illegally stealing content. There are free apps out there (I won't post links) that allow you to remove the DRM from a B&N ebook. The trick is you need to know the 16 digit credit card number that was used to purchase the book. Assuming you are the purchaser you have that information are not motivated to share that knowledge or indeed share the content and it's unlikely you could find 16 digit credit numbers circulating on the web that you could use.

But once the DRM is removed you can use something like Calibre to convert to say mobi format and read on a Kindle. It's somewhat harder to take a Kindle book and read on another device apart from one that runs the Kindle software and is linked to the Amazon account.

Its just as easy to bypass drm on the kindle. There are calibre plugins and on the mac, a script thats as simple as drap and drop.

lchiu7

6470 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#486060 26-Jun-2011 14:18

Its just as easy to bypass drm on the kindle. There are calibre plugins and on the mac, a script thats as simple as drap and drop.

Didn't know that. Useful information I guess in the longer run.

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.