Another cheap ereader and probably the second most popular ebook reader in the US—though not worldwide—is the NOOK from Barnes and Noble. Why not worldwide? Because you need a US billing address to buy the NOOK or the NOOK COLOR and you must be in the US when you purchase your ebooks from Barnes & Noble. The NOOK supports many other languages, including Swedish, but you can't buy e-books from B & N for it unless you have a US billing address and are in the US at the time of purchase. Yes, we also said, "HUH?"
Barnes and Noble won't ship the NOOK or NOOK COLOR outside the US, so if you live outside the US and don't have a US address to send the NOOK to and that will then mail the NOOK to you wherever you live, head on over to the Amazon KINDLE or the Sony PRS. To repeat, the NOOK is not for people who live outside the US.
If you live in the US, read on.
NOOK versions
The Barnes and Noble NOOK comes in two cheap ereader versions: the NOOK with e-ink (non-color) and the NOOK COLOR with an LCD screen. NOOK comes with built-in WiFi and, for $50 more, 3G.
What's the difference between WiFi and 3G—and what are they?
WiFi works on a wireless Internet signal, so you need a high-speed Internet connection and a wireless router. You're probably wireless when you use your laptop at home or at the local coffee shop. To use WiFi, you need to be near a WiFi signal, be that at home or the coffee shop or at work or anywhere else.
If you want to download a book and you're not near a WiFi signal, you can use NOOK with 3G. Most of us have computers around us most of the time, so using WiFi to buy e-books is not a problem—as long as you have WiFi. Call your Internet provider if you're uncertain. If you live or work near what are called hotspots—areas where you get free WiFi—you don't even have to be near home to access the Barnes and Noble ebookstore. If you live, work, or play near hotspots, you probably don't need 3G. Hotspots on the map. That said, globetrotters or those who plan to visit an area with no Internet could find that the NOOK's 3G is a super solution.
3G works off cell phone signals (you needn't own a cell phone), making it possible to buy ebooks without being near a computer or a WiFi signal. Pretty much anywhere in civilization, you'll be able to access the Barnes and Noble ebookstore when you use the NOOK with 3G.
NOOK vs KINDLE
After reading our KINDLE ereader review and finishing this NOOK ereader review, you'll be wondering about the biggest differences between NOOK vs KINDLE. Keep these things in mind: NOOK is only for the US; KINDLE has a better e-ink screen; NOOK COLOR has an LCD screen; KINDLE uses Amazon's format and so you have access to more books.
Can I read library e-books on a NOOK?
If you want to download a book and you're not near a WiFi signal, you can use NOOK with 3G. Most of us have computers around us most of the time, so using WiFi to buy e-books is not a problem—as long as you have WiFi. Call your Internet provider if you're uncertain. If you live or work near what are called hotspots—areas where you get free WiFi—you don't even have to be near home to access the Barnes and Noble ebookstore. If you live, work, or play near hotspots, you probably don't need 3G. Hotspots on the map. That said, globetrotters or those who plan to visit an area with no Internet could find that the NOOK's 3G is a super solution.
3G works off cell phone signals (you needn't own a cell phone), making it possible to buy ebooks without being near a computer or a WiFi signal. Pretty much anywhere in civilization, you'll be able to access the Barnes and Noble ebookstore when you use the NOOK with 3G.
NOOK vs KINDLE
After reading our KINDLE ereader review and finishing this NOOK ereader review, you'll be wondering about the biggest differences between NOOK vs KINDLE. Keep these things in mind: NOOK is only for the US; KINDLE has a better e-ink screen; NOOK COLOR has an LCD screen; KINDLE uses Amazon's format and so you have access to more books.
Can I read library e-books on a NOOK?
Yes, the NOOK line of cheap ereaders can read the encrypted format used for most library books. If you're a big library book reader and plan to use your ebook reader mainly to read library ebooks (and you live in the US), the NOOK might be a good choice for you.
Do I have to buy e-books only from Barnes and Noble?
No, you don't have to buy e-books only from B & N. The NOOK ereaders read ebooks in the most widely used e-book format, ePub. They read other formats as well, but if you plan to buy your ebooks from a bookstore other than B & N, be sure the format is ePub or you'll have to convert the e-book by using the free conversion software CALIBRE.Do I have to buy e-books only from Barnes and Noble?
NOOK does not support non-Western languages* but apart from that, you can buy ebooks from just about anywhere in the world and read them without a problem with the exception of ebooks from Amazon. Remember that Amazon uses its own format. Should you buy an ebook from Amazon, you'll need to run it through the free conversion software, CALIBRE.
A NOOK caveat: You can buy your e-books for NOOK only in the US. If you're a traveler, either load up before you take off, or look into the Amazon KINDLE or the Sony PRS.
*If you'd like a nice ereader that with a user interface in 23 different languages and that reads at least that many, the Bookeen CYBOOK is something to consider.
So let's take a look at the two different NOOKs and see what they have to offer.
The Barnes & Noble NOOK with e-ink: it's $149 for WiFi alone and $199 for WiFi + 3G
The NOOK WiFi weighs in at 11.6 oz (328 grams), while the NOOK WiFi + 3G is 12.1 oz (343 grams). At 7.7" tall, 4.9" across, and 0.5" thick, it's about the same size and weight as a paperback book yet noticeably heavier than the KINDLE e-readers. This is important for those who read for long stretches of time. NOOK comes with 2 GB of memory—enough for about 1500 books (half of what the Amazon KINDLE holds) but can be expanded with a memory card up to 16 GB. That's one cheap ereader!
Some e-readers gauge their battery life in page turns, as you only use the battery when turning the page. Others, like the NOOK, give you days of reading. It really depends on how many pages you turn per day, but they don't give their estimate. Barnes & Noble claim the e-ink NOOK's battery life is only about 10 days; far less than the KINDLE's. Still, if you don't mind recharging your e-reader, 10 days is a fair time between charges.
Of the two e-ink NOOK's, we recommend the NOOK WiFi + 3G for adults who read mainly e-books and black-and-white periodicals. It costs $50 more than the WiFi-only version, but the 3G is free and it's an added convenience. Even when you factor in the extra $50 for the NOOK WiFi + 3G, it's still one of the cheapest ebooks of good quality out there.
E-readers and insomnia
Seems e-ink readers don't lead to insomnia the way the LCD screens can. For those of you who read before bed to help you grow drowsy, the e-ink NOOK or KINDLE would be the best choice.
The Barnes & Noble NOOK COLOR for $249
The Barnes and Noble NOOK COLOR is a good choice for children who enjoy picture books and for adults who read color periodicals. As it does not use e-ink, the screen will have glare, so reading in bright light will be a problem. In fact, reading outdoors can be difficult. If you've noticed that your cell phone screen fades out when you're outdoors, then you have an idea of what happens to the NOOK COLOR's LCD screen outdoors.
The NOOK COLOR featurs a 7" color touchscreen, which means easy navigation but fingerprints on the screen. It has built-in WiFi and you can surf the web but it does not offer 3G. If you don't have WiFi at home or at the office or if you don't live very close to a B & N store, you're sunk. In such a situation, we recommend the Sony PRS. We prefer the PRS to the NOOK anyway as we're not in the US and we like to travel.
The NOOK COLOR has 8GB of storage but you can buy a memory card and expand it up to 32 GB. The NOOK COLOR battery life is nothing to make you jump and shout; if you turn the wireless off, you still get only a maximum of eight hours. This is not for the avid reader. It's a really cheap ereader with a color screen.
Can I borrow ebooks from others with a NOOK COLOR?
For your family and friends, the NOOK COLOR has a very nice borrow-loan feature. You can pull up a friend's library, find an e-book you'd like to read, and borrow it. It's instantly returned to your friend 14 days later. Using a NOOK app, you can even borrow your friend's book and read it on a device other than your NOOK COLOR. Borrowing and loaning: now that is a nice feature! Another NOOK caveat: As much as we love this function, do be careful who you allow to borrow from your library; we're heard rumors that they can make purchases on your account. Also, you can lend only certain books, the books must be purchased from B & N, and you can lend them only once. To us, NOOK's borrowing feature is no deal breaker; in fact, with its restrictions and risks, we find NOOK's borrowing feature just meh.
Other handy NOOK features
One nifty e-ink NOOK feature is the 3.5" color touch screen at the bottom of the device. This makes navigation as easy as turning a page. (See photo below.)
Barnes and Noble boast over 2 million titles—but when it comes to popular and current titles, you'll find fewer e-books at B & N than at Amazon. B & N e-books often cost more than they do at Amazon, as well. But take heart; the free software CALIBRE will convert Amazon books to the format read by the B & N NOOK.
So yes, NOOK is one of the cheapest ereaders of good quality on the market. The US market, that is. The US non-travelers market, to be exact.
So yes, NOOK is one of the cheapest ereaders of good quality on the market. The US market, that is. The US non-travelers market, to be exact.
The Barnes & Noble NOOK's handy touch-screen navigation
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