The Sword and Laser discussion
The new color nook
date
newest »
newest »
I agree with you 100%. Its a crippled android tablet that has color magazines and books as its only exclusive. In 6-12 months the market will have plenty of android tablets available and if they have app store access will end up being a much more versatile device.
B&N should have launched a Nook 2 with better battery life an improved UI and more storage and held off on color.
I read that B&N realizes the need for e-ink and will continue to develop on that platform. I have read blog headlines saying that B&N is ditching e-ink, but I don't think that is the case at all.http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/26/techn...
I see this color Nook as a color document reader (think magazines and documents with pictures) and not as a dedicated novel reader, due to the battery life. I don't think this is a bad option, considering it's half the price of the iPad, and will have most of the functionality I want in a device like that. The thing that will make or break this device for me is its ability to handle pdf documents well. It's cheaper than the Velocity Micro Cruz, so I'm all for it.
When I consider the closest alternative, the Galaxy Tab, I see a device that has the Nook app, so it should be able to handle the Nook content, in color, but then also is a full service tablet as well, with all that extra functionality for better browsing, video, gaming, etc. And, as a standard Android device, it should be able to handle pdf through an app, even if not in the Nook app. Yes, it is $150 more, but the value-add seems more than worth it.
I think for that price, I'd rather have an iPad that I can read books on. At least that way I can play some games on it and have some more functions than just for reading. The iPad might be a tad more, but a couple of extra paycheck savings and it's fancy pants time.
Angry Birds, anyone? :)
You're right, but right now it's the price that is keeping me from those devices, and it's nice to see a cheaper one on the market. I want an iPad precisely for the features that the Nook color is advertising. I'm not going to watch movies or play games on it, as I have other better means for that. I really just want a good color document reader as cheap as possible. $250 is still a lot of books and magazines, however.
It's definitely not for me, but this is probably a good move for them because it'll look nice in their stores as a Nook alternative. Any kind of tablet gets a lot more appealing when you can hold it in your hands, and B&N has a great environment to present it in.
I'm glad to see the NOOKcolor use a full touch screen, but disappointed that they went with a backlit LCD. I stare at a backlit LCD throughout my workday. Transitioning to the eInk display in the evening as I enjoy a book is a relief. A dual mode eInk / LCD display would have been really interesting, but who knows what the price on such a device would be.B&N needed a channel other than the PC to deliver their new NOOKkids content, which includes interactive story books. I imagine that drove the decision for a bright, colorful display.
I am very excited to see the NOOKdeveloper program. The SDK will be for the NOOKcolor only to begin, but will later allow deployment to the original NOOK. I'm eager to port YAGRAC to the platform, and I have some ideas for some very interesting Goodreads integrations that might be possible on this device.
I believe this is completely the wrong device if you want to read novels. I own both the Nook and 3rd Generation Kindle. I am intrigued by the possibilities for magazine subscriptions, comics, newspapers, and children's books. And then only if you had no desire to be part of the Apple/iTunes universe. I could see it as a device that sits in the living room for this type of content. I am interested to see how "open" B&N will make this device for 3rd party apps without having to jailbreak it.What would have made this device extremely attractive to me is if they could have offered it at a subsidized price, bundled with a subscription service to a core group of magazines/newspapers subscriptions.
Given all of the other more robust options available and the 8 hour battery life - I'm afraid I'll be passing on this.
Regards, Jim
One thing that is missing in the discussion of the Color Nook vs. the Galaxy Tab is that the price differential between the two can be more than the initial buying price. The Tab requires a two-year data service contract for the lower subsidized price. The nook may indeed be a crippled android device, but it doesn't require the financial obligation of using a data provider like the more robust tablet devices do.
I love my 3g nook to death, although the Tablet gets rid of the persistent cracking page forward button. Mine has been replaced twice so far.Also, they have finally promised a "Whisper Sync" capability that just begs for a 3g option. Unless they come up with some sort of Ad-Hoc syncing for the various platforms I wil wait for a 3g tablet of some sort. I can live with the reduced battery life and the screen sounds interesting. The only question is if the backlight can be turned off/ how low it can go. Reading in bed is a problem for anyh non-backlit device, but my iPod Touch and DroidX are way too bright, even with the brightness turned all the way down. Maybe someone will come up with an edgelit tablet to fix this.
Of course, Netflix would make this a killer device. I already watch netflixon a small iPod Touch screen, this would be a really cheap way to get Netflix when they launch on Android.
I think what will hurt the Nook Color is the plethora of similarly priced or less expensive android tablets that are going to be hitting the market. If the choice is between pay $250 for the app crippled Nook color or a similar amount for a table that has App store access I think the choice is obvious.
It seems there are even some android tablets on the way that will noticeably cheaper than the Nook Color according to this article http://phandroid.com/2010/10/28/99-wa....
I'm with Post #3 who said that the other features should have taken center stage over color. The battery life difference here UN-sold me on the Nook. As an android fanboy, I'm also concerned about the dedicated SDK. That seems like a step backwards. Actual fragmentation?
I'm moving forward with my Kindle order.
It's a touch color tablet that has a web browser, some apps, and an 8 hour battery life for under $250.And the majority of you are disappointed ?
As Rodney Dangerfield said
"I told a cab driver to take me where the action was, and he took me to MY house!"
(No laughter)
(Nervously adjusts tie) "Oh, tough crowd, tough crowd..."
@Stan - Check out the Augen 7" Android tablet available from Kmart for $179 and compare the specs to the NOOKcolor. This is an Android 2.1 device you can go pickup now that is $70 cheaper and would still run the Nook android app. Walgreens has a $100 7" Android tablet (Maylong M-150) as well. These products both offer a touch color screen and apps for much less than the NOOKcolor, and there are many more on the way. In order to set itself apart, the NOOKcolor has to do something truly unique with these features to justify the price.
Stan, I start by comparing it to both markets. In comparison to the Nook and Kindle, as an e-reader, my feeling is that giving up e-ink (and thus getting a worse reading experience) and battery life, would require a lot more compensation than a browser and a few apps, especially if I am paying more.
In comparison to a full-service tablet like the Galaxy Tab, the price difference for the wifi version is more than made up for by the huge amount of additional features (ie, 100,000 apps).
So, either way, this product sort of falls in between giving up too many of the benefits of either without enough to compensate for it.
Patrick wrote: "I'm with Post #3 who said that the other features should have taken center stage over color. The battery life difference here UN-sold me on the Nook. As an android fanboy, I'm also concerned abo..."
Get an iPad, you know it makes sense. :)
The color nook demo is in b&n right now. It's more responsive, but maybe less easy on the eyes.
I heard the color Nook is going to get Froyo & Android apps next January.
Thoughts?