I ordered my Nook from Barnes and Noble as soon as I was able to and I expect to be one of the first to get my hands on it. In fact I ordered two and one of them will be a birthday gift. But hours since the launch, more information are available and I've had time to think things through.
Do I still want to keep it?
Well, Nook is Barnes and Noble's first ereader and a worthy challenger to the Kindle. As far as design goes, Kindle 2 has a lot to worry about. But feature for feature, I'd say it's almost even. Here are some key features with some analysis:
- Runs Android and another Nook in the future may run Windows Mobile. Seeing how BandN has crippled Android's features, why bother even with WM if they're going to do the same thing. And readers aren't going to see the underlying OS so who cares if it's Android or WM that Nook is running on?
- Two LCD screens with one being E-Ink. Nothing special about the reading screen. The touch screen is where the user makes Nook come alive. But given BandN's the artificial limitations placed on what could have been a great reader running Android, the second smaller color LCD screen seem somewhat of a waste. For similar sized readers, Sony Daily Edition Reader is 7" versus 6" for the Nook and Kindle 2.
- Runs on ATT's 3G and Wi-Fi access. Okay, fine. Kindle 2 runs on Sprint's network. But the Kindle has limited Web browsing. Limited but still, there is access outside of the bookstore. In this, it works just as the Sony Daily Edition Reader's 3G access: only to access the bookstore. BN rep reportedly said that browsing via E-Ink sucks. Fine, still, for limited access, who cares. Sony DE Reader also uses ATT's 3G network. As folks recall, it's the same network the iPhone runs on. As much as I hate to say it, perhaps, it's a good thing for iPhone, Nook, and Sony users that 3G access by readers are limited.
- More on Wi-Fi access. Doesn't work the way I initially thought. Wi-Fi is for in store use only. That means it only works if you bring your Nook to a Barnes and Noble store. Might open up later. It better open up later thought for what I don't know since there is simply no Web browsing available. Perhaps it is only useful in situations where ATT wireless access isn't possible to connect to BN's ebook store.
- Interestingly, what makes me want to keep this is the fact that BN might open things up a bit after it hasa few Nooks in the wild. More like if more than a few of us potential or soon-to-be Nook owners petition BN for it.
- LendMe. This is where BN shines, not necessarily Nook. This allows a Nook owner or BN customer to share an ebook for up to 2 weeks with another BN reader whether they are using Nook or a mobile device like the iPhone. As far as I can tell, no one else can make this claim. Brilliant.
- Potential for touch. Sony's Reader has tough but Nook runs Android so the hope is that BN will allow the Nook to be more than just a reader. It has the potential to shine as a part-time tablet. Come on, guys. At least let us access some search and wiki features.
- Memory expansion. Brilliant. Can't claim this on the iPhone or Kindle.
- In store material. Okay. Nothing Amazon can do here. BN wins this one without a fight. Still, we'll have to see what BN means once Nooks are out in the wild.
- PDF support. Kindle supports it but Nook offers direct load. No word on zooming or ability to read PDF with standard letter size.
- ePUB support. Kindle doesn't support the format but Sony Reader supports Word Doc.
- Thicker than the Kindle. The Nook is at 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.50 inches (196.2 x 126 x 12.8 mm) and weighs in at 11.2 (317 grams) while the Kindle comes in at 8 x 5.3 x 0.36 inches (203.2 x 134.6 x 9.1 mm) and 10.2 oz (289 grams).
- Replaceable battery. Very good decision. Maybe this is why the Nook is thicker.
Here is Barnes and Noble's take on the Nook versus Kindle 2.
According to BN (though no surprise), Nook seems to come out ahead. And you gotta admit, its two panel screen is quite a good change from the standard one screen readers like Kindle and Sony's eReader.
There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the Nook and the answers may make or break the Nook as I'm sure a lot of mobile readers are on the sideline since they know BN was coming out with their own readers. Once the scores are tallied, folks will either embrace the Nook or go with the Kindle or neither and stick with a regular book or access ebooks via a mobile device like the iPhone, which in itself isn't a bad reading device.
I'm excited about the Nook and the dynamics it brings to the ereader market and the mobile market in general. Make no mistake about it. The ebook market is barely out of the literary womb and it has years of maturing to do but it will grow to be a big market.
More on the Nook:
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