Kindle vs Nook--need opinions!

[disneymomoftwins]

It is for a 14 year old boy. Please tell me your pros and cons.

Thanks!!

 

[DVCLiz]

At this point, I think it is mostly a matter of which company you want to do business with - Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Both companies now have comparable products, with a few slight exceptions. In other words, one might have a feature that appeals to you that the other doesn't have (for example, being able to go into a B&N and ask a person for help is a feature some people like that makes them choose a Nook, while others like the text to speech option that allows some books to be read out loud to you, so they choose a Kindle, etc.)

Personally, I chose Amazon. I've had Kindle products since June of 2008 - in fact, my new Kindle Fire is registered as DVCLiz's 11th Kindle!!! I've been so pleased with their product line and their amazing customer service.

If I were choosing a Kindle for a 14 year old boy and the budget allowed, I'd go with the new Kindle Fire. It's a tablet as well as an ereader and he can play games, surf the web, download movies, etc. It's an all purpose machine.

If you just want a "traditional" ereader, I'd choose the new Kindle Touch. Kids like touchscreen products and the new Touch is a very cool piece of technology. I'd get the wifi only adfree version for a 14 year old boy. The Touch, a nice cover and an Amazon gift card would make a wonderful gift.

 

[MellyMouse]

Personally, I went Kindle because they had one with a keyboard--and I hate touch screens! That's probably not an issue with a 14 year old boy, though. I just know when I played with the Nook in the store, my fingers wouldn't hit the right buttons on the screen without getting the neighboring buttons instead.

(I'm also the one who can't make motion-detected hand dryers turn on, so maybe it's a personal issue...)

I've had my Kindle for a week and love it much more than I expected.

 

[jedijill]

Definitely play with them. I tried both the kindle and the Nook and ended up picking the Nook 1 1/2 years ago. I haven't played with the new ones but I'm still in love with my Nook after all this time.

Jill in CO

 

[scra]

Definitely try before you buy if you can (or have him try before he buys). I went with the Kindle for several reasons:

- All three versions of the Nook have a touch screen. I don't mind touch screen for a smart phone or tablet, but for a book I really do prefer the more mechanical way Kindle operates because it helps me forget about the device and immerse myself in my reading
- Only the basic Nook operates with e-ink - all the others have backlit color displays, which is a big negative for me as I like to read outdoors and staring at a backlit screen too long bothers my eyes
- I am a student and it was very important to me that I be able to read PDFs and other personal documents on my e-reader, a function that Nook didn't offer when I got my Kindle (but Nook does offer now)

But his needs or interests might be different. I know lots of people who own and adore Nooks, and if you want something that's halfway between a tablet and an e-reader, a Nook Color seems to be the way to go for a lot of people.

 

[squirrel]

I just went to an information meeting at my library about e-readers. The librarian said the person that you are buying it for should choose the e-reader. There are so many brands available and they all have different features. Some people will want e-ink and others don't care if it doesn't have it. Some have expandable memory with the micro SD cards, others don't. Some of the e-readers are going more towards a tablet and can be use for more than just reading books.

What will he be using it for? Up here the Kindle's don't work with our library e-books. So they would be off my list as that is a feature that is important to me. Will he want to check e-mail? Look up things on the internet? Magazines?

It would be so handy to have a questionaire to fill out and then all the one's that do what you want pop up at the end.

 

[rentayenta]

Definitely play with them. I tried both the kindle and the Nook and ended up picking the Nook 1 1/2 years ago. I haven't played with the new ones but I'm still in love with my Nook after all this time.

Jill in CO

We chose the Nook for DD13 today. DH did a ton of research and thinks that will be the best option for her.

 

[blessedby3]

I bought the Kindle keyboard for DD for Christmas. I think she will love it

 

[PhillyMc]

We went with the Kindle since can link it with the local libarys. After reading tons of books on computer and backlit screens the e-ink is so much better. So much less stress on my eyes and the kids too. We have found more free books through Amazon to bad have to convert books to mobi format for the extra e-books but love the PDF reading.

 

[StephMK]

I bought the Nook Color for DS9 after looking at both of them. I knew he'd want to play games, watch youtube, & read. Our library offers e-books for Kindle or Nook so it was a non-issue and he won't read outside anyway. The gc from Target w/purchase was the deciding point because it put it closer to my budget.

The Nook is getting the capability to play netflix & hulu too so I thought DS might use that. I already have a Kindle & touch so we'll be covered if he wants something he can't get on the Nook.

 

[buzz5985]

I have had a kindle for awhile. I gave my sister a Nook for her birthday a couple of years ago since she is a big B&N fan. I just received the Kindle Fire for Christmas - her DS 13 wanted to see the Fire since he either wanted that or and iPod Touch. I showed him the Fire and he was sold.

I work nights, when I get home I like to read in bed. With my old Kindle I needed a light, which caused glare on the screen. With the Fire, since it's back lit - I don't need the light. Works great for me and doesn't wake DH up. I will admit to waking him up while I played fruit ninja!!!

Janis

 

[TomD]

I got my DD 12 a nook tablet. The main reason is I like being able to add all her ebooks we have already and not have to buy them again

 

[disneymomoftwins]

He will mainly use it to read books and magazines. We only have dial up internet service where we live so he cant use the internet option at home.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I have a Kindle Fire, and my sister has a Nook Color. I notice that my Fire is faster. At the price point, you can't go wrong.

However, since you only have dial up at home, I'm not sure that a wi-fi device is going to be the best purchase. All of these tablets have wi-fi. You could get a MiFi device that he could use, but that will run you about $50-100 just for that.

I think maybe a 3G Kindle would be best, due to your Internet situation.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Since you do not have wifi you will probably want to go with a Kindle; The Nooks do not come with 3G anymore.

The only current Kindle models that come with 3G are the Kindle Touch, Kindle3 (Kindle Keyboard) and the KindleDX. These are all eink devices (the Fire only comes in wifi) and magazines are not going to look very good in eink.

However, if he doesn't mind side loading all of his content, he can get a wifi model and download all the content to the computer and put it on the device with the USB cord. This is not as convenient but it would work.

 

[HLAuburn]

Is it possible to find any good deals on the Kindle Fire? Everywhere I have looked has them for $199, but I was wondering if they ever go on sale or stores offer some special deals on them.

 

[sp0ngem0nkey]

don't know about the kindle but for me my nook color is just ok. it is touch screen which I can never get a fingerprint anywhere I go so for me it takes a while to press a button. It is thin and heavier than a book and so slick I have to hold it just right for it not to fall out of my hands.

 

[DVCLiz]

Is it possible to find any good deals on the Kindle Fire? Everywhere I have looked has them for $199, but I was wondering if they ever go on sale or stores offer some special deals on them.

Since the Fire is brand new and was only released two weeks ago, I don't think there will be any deals on it unless a particular store decides to undersell them for the holiday. I doubt that, though, as they are selling so well.