Nook Color?

[gracie1]

Hi everyone,

So last night my mom tells me for christmas this year she thinks that she would like a nook or kindle. I have no idea about either of them, and have been researching the boards, etc. As with many items, some prefer the nook and some prefer the kindle.

I saw that there is a nook color that looks nice! Can anyone give me any reviews?

Where do you buy the books from?? I saw that Barnes and Noble made the nook, but since their going out of business does that mean anything with the Nook?
Can you buy gift cards for the nook to buy books? Where can you get them?

 

[RitaE]

Barnes and Noble isn't going out of business - that's Borders.
Yes, you can buy Barnes and Noble Gift cards. There are several places to buy books for all the devices.

If you're shopping for Christmas you might want to hold off a month or two to make your decision. Tech rumors are that Amazon will be announcing a new tablet and two new kindle devices in August, with delivery starting in October.

 

[gracie1]

Thanks! I thought Barnes and Noble were going out of business completely. I guess it's just the store around me that is closing.

Just out of curiosity, if Barnes and Noble were to go out of business you would still be able to use the nook, right?

I'm not worried about the newest and greatest version. I know my mom said she wanted one and she knows absolutely nothing about them.

 

[justbishop]

Thanks! I thought Barnes and Noble were going out of business completely. I guess it's just the store around me that is closing.

Just out of curiosity, if Barnes and Noble were to go out of business you would still be able to use the nook, right?

I'm not worried about the newest and greatest version. I know my mom said she wanted one and she knows absolutely nothing about them.

I believe that the Nook readers will do epub files, which a lot of libraries now offer for lending to ereaders, so yes, if B&N were to go out of business (which I honestly do not see happening), you would still be able to read lots of books on it.

That said, I just recently bought a used 2nd gen Kindle on eBay and LOVE it. But I do Swagbucks for amazon gift cards, so that was the deciding factor for me (with Kindle, I can buy ebooks with my SB earnings, making them free )

 

[RitaE]

Thanks! I thought Barnes and Noble were going out of business completely. I guess it's just the store around me that is closing.

Just out of curiosity, if Barnes and Noble were to go out of business you would still be able to use the nook, right?

I'm not worried about the newest and greatest version. I know my mom said she wanted one and she knows absolutely nothing about them.

Well - Barnes really had two revenue streams going at the moment. Their traditional bricks and mortar stores are struggling. However, their internet sales and eBook business is doing very well. If they were to "go out of business" I have to imagine that somebody would probably buy out their "nook" business and keep it operational.

I really don't see that happening anytime soon but if it did, yes you'd still be able to buy books from other stores and read them on the nook. You'd also be able to utilize Overdrive downloads.

 

[gracie1]

Thank you guys for all your help! I like the fact that the nook has color. Does the kindle have color also?? I know my mom wants to be able to play games on it and their always best if in color

 

[justbishop]

Thank you guys for all your help! I like the fact that the nook has color. Does the kindle have color also?? I know my mom wants to be able to play games on it and their always best if in color

No, all Kindles (at this point, anyway) use e-ink and are not backlit, which is less taxing on the eyes for long term reading. From what I understand, the Nook Color is backlit, like an iPad or other computer screen.

FWIW, I have an iPad as well, and would never wish to read a book on it, even though I do have the Kindle app and can access my Kindle purchased books from there. If she is a big reader, I would actually steer you away from the Nook Color and to one of the versions (Nook or Kindle or whatever) that use e-ink instead. It won't be color, but it will also be much easier on the eyes for real reading.

 

[RitaE]

The upcoming Kindle tablet will have color and it will be a full-fledged Android tablet. Amazon has already started an App store where they give away a free App every day. It will also almost certainly work in conjunction with their new Cloud Service.

The nook color can be rooted into a full Android tablet, it's kind of techy to do that. If you do that then you can shop from the Android Marketplace. If you keep it stock (like you bought it), you can only put on the limited number of apps that Barnes offers right now.

You might want to check out what both offer.

Amazon App store
http://www.amazon.com/mobile-apps/b/ref=topnav_storetab_mas?ie=UTF8&node=2350149011

Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/nookcolor-apps/379002750/

 

[gracie1]

No, all Kindles (at this point, anyway) use e-ink and are not backlit, which is less taxing on the eyes for long term reading. From what I understand, the Nook Color is backlit, like an iPad or other computer screen.

FWIW, I have an iPad as well, and would never wish to read a book on it, even though I do have the Kindle app and can access my Kindle purchased books from there. If she is a big reader, I would actually steer you away from the Nook Color and to one of the versions (Nook or Kindle or whatever) that use e-ink instead. It won't be color, but it will also be much easier on the eyes for real reading.

Thank you. This has really helped. She is not a huge reader, I think she wants it more for games. I know she will get some books on it, but not like I would.
Since it has wifi, I take it you can growse the internet? Can you also do email?

 

[justbishop]

Thank you. This has really helped. She is not a huge reader, I think she wants it more for games. I know she will get some books on it, but not like I would.
Since it has wifi, I take it you can growse the internet? Can you also do email?

The B&N site says that yes, you can browse the web and do email type stuff from the Nook Color, but IMO, if Amazon is coming out with an Android based competitor, I'd wait and opt for that. The Nook site said nothing about what operating system the Nook Color uses, and I'm wary of proprietary stuff like that. Android is a widely used OS, and is open source to boot, which means that loads of people (and the general public) are free to develop apps and tweaks for it, whereas a proprietary OS is going to have a ton less people working to make it better, KWIM?

 

[gracie1]

Thanks everyone for the info. Maybe I will hold off and wait on the kindle and then compare. Personally, I would prefer the ipad. Because I know she is going to play more games than read anything on it! But atleast the kindle is smaller than than the ipad (and less expensive!!)

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

The B&N site says that yes, you can browse the web and do email type stuff from the Nook Color, but IMO, if Amazon is coming out with an Android based competitor, I'd wait and opt for that. The Nook site said nothing about what operating system the Nook Color uses, and I'm wary of proprietary stuff like that. Android is a widely used OS, and is open source to boot, which means that loads of people (and the general public) are free to develop apps and tweaks for it, whereas a proprietary OS is going to have a ton less people working to make it better, KWIM?

The Nook Color is an Android based OS.

 

[gracie1]

The Nook Color is an Android based OS.

Do you have the nook color? Do you like it?

 

[justbishop]

Thanks everyone for the info. Maybe I will hold off and wait on the kindle and then compare. Personally, I would prefer the ipad. Because I know she is going to play more games than read anything on it! But atleast the kindle is smaller than than the ipad (and less expensive!!)

I wouldn't discount the multitude of 7" Android based tablets on the market, if a smaller version of the iPad would be ideal. Just make sure you go for one that says it has a "multi touch" (or capacitive) touchscreen. Stay away from anything that contains the word "resistive".

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ywords=7+tablet,+android,+multi+touch&x=0&y=0

The Nook Color is an Android based OS.

Good to know, thanks

 

[gracie1]

I wouldn't discount the multitude of 7" Android based tablets on the market, if a smaller version of the iPad would be ideal. Just make sure you go for one that says it has a "multi touch" (or capacitive) touchscreen. Stay away from anything that contains the word "resistive".

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...ywords=7+tablet,+android,+multi+touch&x=0&y=0



Good to know, thanks

Thanks! I see that the nook is multi touch!

 

[RitaE]

I have a nook color and it is Android based.
However Barnes and Noble locks it to their system only. The only apps you'd be able to run are the ones that I linked to on the Barnes website. You have to root it to get full Android Functionality. It isn't hard to root it, but you do have to have some tech skills. It does browse the web and do email just fine.

I run mine in a dual boot. I have an Android OS on a micro sd card. When I put the card in and turn the nook on it comes up as an Android tablet. When I take the card out, I get a regular nook color.

Do I like it? yes. It is an awesome little device for the price although I run in almost primarily off my SD card and not as a nook color. It has all the typical failings of a tablet though - poor battery life, hard to see outside etc etc.

There's been no word yet on what price the Amazon tablet will be or even the size. Since you are looking at this for a Christmas present I'd wait too. There's also a chance that with more competition in the market prices will come down.

 

[sharonmickey]

I've been considering a Kindle or Nook also. DD just sent me an article from Cnet. They recommend waiting until at least September to see what the new Kindle is like. (As PP has suggested) http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105...k-vs-ipad-which-e-book-reader-should-you-buy/