Barnes and Noble Nook
Overview
The Barnes and Noble Nook was officially unveiled on October 20th, and was expected to be in stores by December. But the first wave of Nooks sold out well before December, so now they are on backorder and are expected to ship in February for all new orders taken on the Barnes and Noble Nook website.
The Nook is a one of a kind creation; it is the first ebook reader on the market to employ both a traditional 6-inch E Ink screen along with an LCD touchscreen for navigation. It sells for $259 and offers some desirable features, such as free wireless and support for encrypted EPUB and PDF ebooks using Adobe Digital Editions.
Free 3G Wireless
The Nook comes with free wireless service from AT&T's 3G network, and connects to Barnes and Noble's online ebook store for wireless downloads. In addition, B&N offers Wi-Fi at their retail stores so consumers can browse through ebooks from their Nook.
There are no fees, contracts, or wireless service charges; all that is included.
Unlike the Kindle, the Nook doesn't have a web browser for surfing the web, though B&N claim a browser is a possibility in the future if enough people identify it as something they want in a reader. But for now the device's primary purpose is for reading.
Content Selection
The Barnes and Noble Nook boasts a library of over 1 million books, although at least two-thirds of them are free public domain ebooks from Google.
Like Amazon, users can download free samples of each ebook before purchasing, and most new releases and bestsellers cost $9.99, although preliminary searches show that Amazon has lower prices on many general titles. Prices change frequently though, and B&N have been dropping their prices since the Nook was announced, so it's a good idea to check.
You can compare current prices of your favorite types of books by opening these links in new tabs and running a few searches: Kindle eBooks
In additions to ebooks, there are a few newspaper and magazine subscriptions available for the Nook, with more being added each week, claims B&N.
Some notable newspaper and magazine titles include: The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The New Yorker, The Scientist, Foreign Affairs, and Guideposts.
LCD Touchscreen Navigation
The color LCD section is 3.5-inches wide and utilizes the same technology as the iPhone. This allows for touchscreen navigation through menus, annotating, highlighting, and typing in searches and notes with an on-screen keyboard function. Also, the LCD turns off while reading to conserve power.
Supported Formats
Like Sony, Barnes and Noble has announced that they are transitioning their entire library of ebooks to EPUB format. The Nook also supports PDF and PDB (Palm) formats and works with Adobe Digital Editions, granting access to local libraries' digital collections through use with OverDrive.
For image files it supports JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP—and you can create personal screensavers.
In addition, the Barnes and Noble Nook has a headphone jack, built-in speakers, and supports MP3 files and audiobooks, but it doesn't have text-to-speech.
Platforms and Lending
One thing that sets B&N apart from everyone else is that they offer a borrowing feature with the Nook that allows people to lend purchased ebooks to friends owning a device (computer, phone, iPod, Nook) with B&N's software installed.
A borrowed book lasts for 14 days and can only be on one device at a time, meaning you can't lend it multiple times at once. And it's important to note that you don't have access to the book while it is loaned to someone else, and you can't re-loan it after you get it back.
A synchronizing feature brings all your content together on all your devices that are set up with B&N's software, so that notes, annotations, and the last page read appear on whichever device you use.
ZDNet's Nook Video Review
Designer Covers, Frames, and Accessories
If you explore B&N's website you'll find that they're going all out with designer Nook covers, some of which, by kate spade, cost as much as $125.
B&N also have a wide selection of other covers and neoprene sleeves in different styles and colors that start at $20.
Something different, instead of skins, they offer frames and backs to customize look and feel. The frames come in different colors and varieties, and some are made out of polyurethane and others silicone (shown left). The Nook's back panel is replaceable with several different colors.
Also optional for the Barnes and Noble Nook are reading lights, protective screen film, a book light cover, and other accessories.
Out of the box the Barnes and Noble Nook comes with a 2.0 mini-USB cable, AC adapter, rechargeable battery, and quick start guide.
Barnes and Noble Nook Feature List
- 6-inch E Ink Screen.
- 16 levels of grayscale.
- Adjustable text sizes.
- Native PDF support.
- 3.5-inch color LCD touchscreen.
- Free wireless via AT&T's 3G network.
- Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and free Wi-Fi at Barnes and Noble retail stores (no browser, though).
- 2 GB internal storage (1500 ebooks).
- Micro SD expansion slot up to 16 GB (17,500 ebooks).
- Built-in Merriam-Webster’s New Oxford Collegiate Dictionary.
- Sync between devices.
- Lend purchased ebooks between friends on any B&N compatible device.
- Android operating system.
- Battery life: 10 days with wireless turned off.
- User replaceable battery.
- Built-in speakers and headphone jack.
- Dimensions: 7.7" tall x 4.9" wide x 0.5" thick.
- Weight: 11.2 ounces (317 grams).
Other Wireless eBook Readers
