The Bottom Line
The Barnes and Noble Nook eReader is my second favorite eReader. It's very similar to the Amazon.com Kindle and is a solid choice for any business traveler. Like the Kindle, it has a 6 inch E Ink screen which makes it both very portable and easy-to-read. Online bookstore selection is similar, but the Nook supports more additional file formats and may be appropriate for business people that need the flexibility to access different document formats
Pros
- Includes WiFi connection as well as 3G wireless cellular connection
- Expandable storage capacity with external memory cards (in addition to 1,500 books internally)
- Touchscreen or virtual keyboard panel at bottom for navigation, selection, and notes
- Synchronization with eReader software on iPhone or Blackberry
- Support for open ebook formats
Cons
- Still just slightly slower than the Kindle on page turns
- No international support for 3G connection yet
Description
- Updated Nook now includes Sudoku and chess games
- WiFi and 3G connectivity
- Barnes and Noble allows Nook users to read up to 1 hour per day of ebooks in their store.
- Beta versions of a shopping and Web browser
- 12.1 ounces, roughly same size as Amazon Kindle
- 6-inch E Ink display
- Expandable storage. 2 GB internal storage (1,500 books), microSD slot for expansion
- MP3 player built in
- Personalized screen saver
Guide Review - Review of Barnes and Noble Nook eReader
The Nook from Barnes and Noble is a slick little eReader. It's small, well-designed, and has some nifty features. It's also a few years behind the Kindle from a product maturity perspective, but Barnes and Noble seems to be getting on the their game pretty fast. U.S.-oriented business travelers will find the Nook from Barnes and Noble an a compelling eReader option, especially if they value size, openness, broad selection and the WiFi. Another alternative for business travelers is the Sony Reader Daily Edition.
Although the Nook duplicates much of the functionality of the second generation Amazon Kindle, it's also different in a few important ways. First, unlike the Kindle, it supports Wifi. That allows you to access the Internet, the store, or connect to the bookstore whenever you're near a WiFi spot, which, these days is just about everywhere. Of course, the integrated 3G wireless connection is still the most seamless way to connect (as on the Kindle), but having a second connectivity option (WiFi) will be an advantage over the long term.
Nook's WiFi support is also important for business travelers that travel outside the United States, since the Nook doesn't currently support international 3G connectivity (unlike the Kindle). So, if you're traveling with your Nook, you either need to load it up before you travel with all your reading materials, or make the effort to find a WiFi spot and download updates while you're traveling, which probably isn't a big deal these days, though is one extra step compared to the Kindle.
Another difference with the Nook is the separate touchscreen portion of the display at the bottom of the unit. They Kindle has a physical keyboard in the same area, the Nook as a virtual / touchscreen keyboard that also doubles as a menu. Both are reasonable solutions to navigating and selection, though both are a little different.
Barnes and Noble is also differentiating the Nook by leveraging something that Amazon doesn't have—a mess of stores around the country (and world). With the latest update, Nook users are now allowed to read eBooks (even ones for sale) for up to an hour each day while in a Barnes and Noble store. If you live near a Barnes and Noble store, and want to spent an hour each day there, this is a super option and a great way to save a significant amount of money on books. Or course, I'd probably just spend that money on lattes instead.
The Nook, from Barnes and Noble is clearly one of the leading eReaders. Although the first version was WAY too slow, recent automatic updates have made the Nook a truly competitive product to the Kindle, and Barnes and Noble's recent upgrades have added new benefits (like reading for free for one hour and WiFi access in stores) that clearly differentiate the Nook from the Kindle. The Nook also supports more file formats, something that hopefully the Kindle will be forced to do eventually.
Personally, I'd still pick the Kindle for my eReader, but the Nook is a VERY close second.
