To all you new Nook & Kindle users:

[DVCLiz]

Could someone clarify something for me? I thought I understood that the Nook's 3G was only enabled to download books, NOT to be a browser - and that that was a difference between Nook and Kindle. Would some Nook users clear that up for me? Can you go online anywhere using your Nook 3G like I can with my Kindle 3G? For example, can you visit the DISBoards from your Nook while you are sitting in the carpool line at your child's school? Just wanting to understand...

 

[bicker]

(And just to keep things on a level playing-field: Kindle does not guarantee that your ability to do that, forever, Liz. That feature is "Experimental" and might be discontinued as soon as so many people start using it that it becomes too much of a drain on resources.)

 

[SaraJayne]

Could someone clarify something for me? I thought I understood that the Nook's 3G was only enabled to download books, NOT to be a browser - and that that was a difference between Nook and Kindle. Would some Nook users clear that up for me? Can you go online anywhere using your Nook 3G like I can with my Kindle 3G? For example, can you visit the DISBoards from your Nook while you are sitting in the carpool line at your child's school? Just wanting to understand...

Yes, the nook 3G has a browser and it can be used anywhere.

 

[bicker]

(And to fill in the gaps, I just checked and the browser on the Nook is also "Experimental" and can be discontinued as soon as it becomes too much of a drain on resources.)

 

[DVCLiz]

Yes, the nook 3G has a browser and it can be used anywhere.

Thanks, SaraJayne. I misunderstood that feature on the Nook.

Both companies will stop offering that if it becomes too expensive. I think that is why they have made them purposely a little slow and clunky. It's not anyone's optimal browser experience, but it will do in a pinch. Both companies are banking on the fact that it is a neat bell and whistle, but not anyone's only internet access.

Amazon will not drop that feature as long as B&N continues it, Bicker. They'd rather take the $$ loss than go backward with dropping a feature a competitor intends to keep.

 

[bicker]

I suspect that there is a big change coming, sometime in the next 4-6 years, at which time all manner of Internet access changes will be implemented, probably including a switch from unlimited to metered service. Actually, that change will actually be "good" from the standpoint of the browsers in the Kindle and the Nook - once the service usage is metered, there will be much less chance that it will be a drain on resources, because it will likely more than pay for itself.

 

[SaraJayne]

Thanks, SaraJayne. I misunderstood that feature on the Nook.

Both companies will stop offering that if it becomes too expensive. I think that is why they have made them purposely a little slow and clunky. It's not anyone's optimal browser experience, but it will do in a pinch. Both companies are banking on the fact that it is a neat bell and whistle, but not anyone's only internet access.

Amazon will not drop that feature as long as B&N continues it, Bicker. They'd rather take the $$ loss than go backward with dropping a feature a competitor intends to keep.

I agree...using the browser on the nook is PAINFUL and difficult to figure out, so I don't...but the option is there if I ever decide to.

 

[golfgal]

The Nook Color is Wi-Fi only, probably for this reason-the pictures/etc. would take up too much bandwidth. I am sure there are rare occasions I would like a 3G on my Nook but I have a 3G phone and can always use that. I do most of my book "buying" on the computer. I have a backlog of about 50 books already and adding more each week so I can't imagine being without a book to read and needing 3G now.

 

[Lynn CC]

I was thinking of getting one of these for Christmas for both DH and I but after flying back from an International flight in October I changed my mind and decided to lug around my books instead. The lady sitting next to me across the isle had a kindle of some sort that was very annoying almost like a flashlight in my eyes every time she moved. I don't know if any of you are familiar with flying internationally, but they shut the shades, dim all the cabin lights so that it's almost dark, this is after everyone is fed. I can't stand that they do this because I never want to sleep when they want you to anyways but that is another story. Getting back to the Kindle, it was so bright and annoying (it was a 33 hour flight home),I didn't say anything but I did end up cupping my hand over my eye to block her light so I could read my book without flashing lights coming my direction. Guess I'm getting cranky in my old age, I am super sensitive to light and get ocular migraines and something like that will definitely trigger one. I hope to never have that happen again, but they are becoming very popular! They should make them with side-pull-ups so when people are in situations like that it won't disturb other people.

 

[RitaE]

@Lynn

If the device she was using was very bright it wasn't a Kindle or other eInk Device. eInk screens don't emit light - you have to shine a booklight down onto them to read them in the dark.

It would have been something with a backlit screen like one of the Android Tablets. Some of those are semi-dedicated readers, like the Nook Color, and some are just regular Tablets with Apps installed that let you read books.

As for the original OP. I'm personally not real fond of the nook. That touchscreen on those things HATES me. The new Sony's are nice but overpriced. My favorite to read from is still the Kindle 3 although I do have my eye on the new Pocketbook 602.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I have a kindle. I love it. There are so many freebies! You cannot get library books on it and while that is a bummer, I would not choose another e-reader.

I want to get a light for reading at night, it needs very little light though and so far I have gotten by without one.

I didn't want a touch screen, I didn't want a more expensive ereader and I love amazon anyway so while it was a gift that was chosen for me, my hubby knows me well enough to get the kindle . It was a total surprise for christmas this year.

 

[fraggle551]

I have owned both and IMO the Kindle is far better than the Nook. In fact I gave up on my Nook and gave it to a friend because I could not stand the horrible user interface.

The only thing the Nook has going for it is the epub library function. Now that I have figured out how to get library books onto my Kindle I will probably never touch a Nook again.

On the other hand I know nothing about the Nook Color since I have no desire to read on a backlit LCD screen. You might want to go to a Best Buy if you have one nearby. They have all of them and you can play around and see which one works for you.

How do you do this? I would love to know!

 

[2girlsmom]

Not sure who posted about the lend me feature on the Kindle, and they may be right about how it works, but on the Nook, you can only lend to one person at a time, but I have personally used the Lend Me to lend out a book to my sister first and then to my friend when it came back to me.

 

[phamton]

(can't believe no one followed "the rule!")

One question not answered yet...While I'm not sure about the Kindle, you can adjust the text size on a Nook.

I got the standard wi-fi (non-color) version of Nook for Christmas. I can't adjust the font. I've looked everywhere for the font size adjustment and it is not there. When I am reading the book it only gives me these options: Find, Go to, Bookmarks, and Highlights and Notes.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

How do you do this? I would love to know!

You have to strip the DRM and then convert the book in Calibre. If you Google it there are instructions all over the internet. I'm far from computer savvy but I was able to figure it out easily.


Takes a little time at first to download the programs and scripts needed but once you have it all the conversion only takes a couple of minutes.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Thanks! I just preordered it! I got my Kindle for Christmas and I think I'm going to like it a lot.

One thing I haven't been able to do and I don't know if it's possible or not, is if there's any way to look up a synopsis of the books I've downloaded on the Kindle. I've downloaded 12 books so far, but I can't remember just from looking at the title what they're about.

I can always go to Amazon and look them up but was wondering if there was a way to do it on the Kindle if I don't have my laptop with me.

Yes you can do this but the wireless has to be turned on.

Instead of clicking on a book to open it press the "right" button on your control, this will bring up a menu for that book that has an option to go to "book description." This pulls up the Kindle store page for the book which has a description on it.

Just be careful not to press the buy button while doing this. Don't want to buy the book twice

 

[Buckalew11]

I got the standard wi-fi (non-color) version of Nook for Christmas. I can't adjust the font. I've looked everywhere for the font size adjustment and it is not there. When I am reading the book it only gives me these options: Find, Go to, Bookmarks, and Highlights and Notes.

phamton, you have the same Nook as I do and I can change the font size. Do you have a place to look up words? If not, I'd take it back because that font size is important. Now, I can't chane the font for the Daily or shoping but I can in my books...

 

[golfgal]

I got the standard wi-fi (non-color) version of Nook for Christmas. I can't adjust the font. I've looked everywhere for the font size adjustment and it is not there. When I am reading the book it only gives me these options: Find, Go to, Bookmarks, and Highlights and Notes.

What pops up when you select the menu button? It sounds like you are selecting the in-text stuff vs the menu button. There should be a "settings" button that looks like a wheel and the size adjustment is there.

 

[phamton]

phamton, you have the same Nook as I do and I can change the font size. Do you have a place to look up words? If not, I'd take it back because that font size is important. Now, I can't chane the font for the Daily or shoping but I can in my books...

What pops up when you select the menu button? It sounds like you are selecting the in-text stuff vs the menu button. There should be a "settings" button that looks like a wheel and the size adjustment is there.

Duh... Thanks guys. After I read both of your posts, I looked around for the Word Look Up and discovered that the bottom menu can also scroll down where I found: Look Up Word, Preferences, and Open Audio Player. Once I found "Preferences", I opened that and could change the font size. I can't believe, that I didn't realize that the menu scrolled down. I thought I only had 4 options when reading. Thanks so much.

 

[acejka]

I was thinking of getting one of these for Christmas for both DH and I but after flying back from an International flight in October I changed my mind and decided to lug around my books instead. The lady sitting next to me across the isle had a kindle of some sort that was very annoying almost like a flashlight in my eyes every time she moved. I don't know if any of you are familiar with flying internationally, but they shut the shades, dim all the cabin lights so that it's almost dark, this is after everyone is fed. I can't stand that they do this because I never want to sleep when they want you to anyways but that is another story. Getting back to the Kindle, it was so bright and annoying (it was a 33 hour flight home),I didn't say anything but I did end up cupping my hand over my eye to block her light so I could read my book without flashing lights coming my direction. Guess I'm getting cranky in my old age, I am super sensitive to light and get ocular migraines and something like that will definitely trigger one. I hope to never have that happen again, but they are becoming very popular! They should make them with side-pull-ups so when people are in situations like that it won't disturb other people.

You might want to consider carrying a small eye mask in your carryon if lights bother you that much. I don't see these things going away anytime soon, only becoming more popular, and I can't imagine having a migraine on a 33 hour flight!