Barnes and Noble Nook Review

Editor Rating:

Consumer Rating:

The Barnes & Noble Nook, voted “best of the best” at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, utilizes LendMe^TM technology that allows readers to share books with friends. What an interesting concept!

PROS

The Nook features a crisp E-Ink screen that displays text as if being read off of an actual printed page (instead of a screen), both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity options and a “browse before you buy” 1 hour window (in a 24 hour period) that allows users to look through an entire book, before making an actual purchase.

CONS

Although not considered major problems, by most users, two negative aspects of the Nook include a somewhat difficult to use keyboard and a split touch screen that is sometimes a bit confusing to get used to. In addition, books can only be downloaded by users living in the United States.

Design

The Nook weighs approximately 12 ounces and measures 4.9 inches by 7.7 inches. It has a 6 inch diagonal screen, interchangeable back panels and features personalized screen savers, a stereo headphone jack with built-in mono speaker.

It comes complete in the box with the re-chargeable battery, QuickStart guide, power adapter and mini USB cable and is covered by a standard one-year warranty with a rapid replacement policy. An extended warranty is also available.

There are numerous optional accessories available for the Nook. They include covers, frames, totes, car charging kits, Lyra lights, earphones various microSD cards, and matte screen film kits.

Content

There are over one million titles available, for the Nook, at the Barnes & Noble eBookstore. This includes books, magazines and newspapers. A wide variety of free downloads are available, as well. Since the device supports the EPUB format, users can easily download free books in the public domain from Google books and other reputable resources.

Memory/Battery Life

The storage capacity of the Nook is virtually limitless, due to the fact that it can accommodate up to 16 GB microSD card that must be purchased separately. Storage capabilities integrated into the device itself is 2 GB, which typically holds approximately 1,500 books.

The battery is both removable and replaceable, a major advantage over many other popular ereaders. The average battery life (with the Wi-Fi turned off) between charges is in the 10 day range. It takes approximately 3.5hours for the battery to fully recharge.

Additional Features

Additional features include syncing across numerous devices. For example, readers can stop reading at a certain point, using their Nook then start reading right where they left off using their iPhone or other compatible device.

Another unique feature is free Wi-Fi at all Barnes & Noble stores and AT&T hotspots. Those who choose to shop at Barnes & Noble with their Nook in hand are also privy to special sales and offers, which are not extended to the general public.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Nook has many impressive features that may one day be responsible for pushing the ebook reader into the top spot, currently held by the Amazon Kindle. It is easy to use quite affordable, as well.