Anyone use devices like Nook or Kindle?

[Kdar]

I was thinking to buy one of those, but have few questions.

What do you think is better Device from the several available? (I heard in Nook you can actually browse web?)

Can you load your own e-books into those devices? (without having to always buy from their sites).

[Arex Bawrin]

1.) I think Nook is the best device even though I just ordered the Kindle 3 for Xmas:) (I think price was the biggest factor)
1a.) Kindle 3 actually has a much improved web browser than Kindle 2 (not sure about Nook..someone help me with this?)
2.) You can load your own e-books into both devices BUT only NOOK supports the .epub format. However, with Calibre you can easily convert into this format and many others!

I bought the Kindle 3 (Wi-Fi) only and the ultimate factors in my decision were the price ($139 I believe for Kindle 3 and close to $200 for Nook) and the battery life, which goes for about a month on a single charge with Kindle 3 (Wi-Fi disabled).

Sorry I don't have more info but I'm too lazy to perform a google search. I'm really upset with Amazon though because I ordered this December 19th and I couldn't get it before X-mas even with one day shipping! Goodluck:)

[Kdar]

Kindle is also e-ink, right?
I saw Nook have two versions. One is e-ink and other is LCD, e-ink might be better since it gives bigger battery life. But how is reading experience with e-ink?

How is web-browser in Kindle? Can you quickly switch from book to web-browser and back? Only why I would want to use web-browser is for something like Google Translator, to look up or translate some words.

[Queue29]

Kindle is also e-ink, right?
I saw Nook have two versions. One is e-ink and other is LCD, e-ink might be better since it gives bigger battery life. But how is reading experience with e-ink?

How is web-browser in Kindle? Can you quickly switch from book to web-browser and back? Only why I would want to use web-browser is for something like Google Translator, to look up or translate some words.

The e-ink is 1,000,000 times better for reading than an LCD display. It's like looking at an ordinary book, and is does not strain the eyes at all which is a HUGE deal.

The web browser for kindle is OK, it'll work fine if you need to look something up, but don't buy it for surfing the web.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

I also bought the Kindle 3 or latest generation as they call it. It has a better e-ink display than the Nook does. The Nooks uses the same e-ink display as the Kindle 2.

You might want to watch a couple of review videos on youtube to see what you like. Also compare the features of each one before you decide. You really can't go wrong with either one. I went with the Kindle because it saved me a few dollars.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

1.) I'm really upset with Amazon though because I ordered this December 19th and I couldn't get it before X-mas even with one day shipping! Goodluck:)


So you are upset with Amazon because you waited until the last minute to order? That is too funny. Do you know how many orders they have to try and get out at the last minute? Be mad at yourself :).

[Arex Bawrin]

So you are upset with Amazon because you waited until the last minute to order? That is too funny. Do you know how many orders they have to try and get out at the last minute? Be mad at yourself :).

A lot of websites get plenty of orders around the holidays that can ship before xmas. High expectations FTL.

[LowSky]

My sister has the Nook Color and its not bad on eye strain at all. In fact I don't get eye strain at all from LCD's at all. I never find it a problem. I have used an iPad for book reading too and it seemed fine.

The Kindle's e-ink is pretty nice but I hate the refresh rate of page flipping. you get an odd blackout and then the page writes so it can be disconcerting at first if you are not used to the technology.

Personally I would get the Nook (or Nook Color). Both have access to Barnes and Noble and Google for book finding. While the Kindle can only buy stuff from Amazon.
Its nice to have options.

Plus the Nook runs Android which is a plus for people who favor Linux.


I am waiting for the Notion Ink Adam to be reviewed fully and to be completely available. Sure its more tablet then e-reader, but I don't want something that is only a one trick pony.

[Antarctica32]

I just got a kindle for Xmas like 6 hours ago, and it is amazing.
There is nothing I could possibly want more. I am able to listen to music, browse the web, and most important read books. I have never used a nook so I can not compare, but the kindle delivers. I guaranty that if you buy one you will not be dissatisfied.

The thing I enjoy most about it is the screen. It has a slightly long boot for each page, but only very slightly. My eyes will never get tired like they do with LCDs. I am pretty sure the nook is an awesome product as well, but I know the kindle is awesome!

[sgosnell]

The standard Nook wifi is $149 retail. It has a web browser and mp3/ogg player, and while it has no color, it's great for reading books. You can put your own ebooks on it, as well as any .pdf file. Switching between reading and web browsing is very quick and easy. It's also easy to listen to music while reading or surfing. The web browser isn't as good as Firefox or any other PC browser, but it works. The processor is a little slow, but mostly it's bearable. Reading a huge magazine with lots of graphics takes patience, but books with text go just fine.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

My sister has the Nook Color and its not bad on eye strain at all. In fact I don't get eye strain at all from LCD's at all. I never find it a problem. I have used an iPad for book reading too and it seemed fine.

The Kindle's e-ink is pretty nice but I hate the refresh rate of page flipping. you get an odd blackout and then the page writes so it can be disconcerting at first if you are not used to the technology.

Personally I would get the Nook (or Nook Color). Both have access to Barnes and Noble and Google for book finding. While the Kindle can only buy stuff from Amazon.
Its nice to have options.

Plus the Nook runs Android which is a plus for people who favor Linux.


I am waiting for the Notion Ink Adam to be reviewed fully and to be completely available. Sure its more tablet then e-reader, but I don't want something that is only a one trick pony.



Amazon probably has the largest selection out of all the others put together. There are other sites that sell Kindle format books as well. Just do a google search.

As for the Nook running Android and favoring Linux, guess what? Kindle also uses a custom Linux distro :D.

[Kdar]

Bought Nook and gave it as a gift to one of my family member. She was happy.
I kind of like the way it works.

[aysiu]

My wife has had the Nook (e-Ink version) for almost a year now, and she loves it. She takes it with her everywhere she goes, and she finds the combination of touchscreen (for navigation) and e-Ink (for actual reading) to be perfect. Initially the page refresh rates were quite poor, but Barnes and Noble was good about issuing firmware updates to make them better.

I thought the web browsing experience on the Nook (again, the e-Ink version--not the touchscreen NookColor) was bad until someone gave me a Kindle for Christmas. The Kindle's web browser is almost completely unusable. I also find the keyboard to be useless. And the fact that you have to convert ePubs does not endear me to the device. Really, the only thing I liked about the Kindle is the e-Ink display. It's slightly crisper than my wife's Nook e-Ink display.

I used to think the Kindle had a lot to offer because "everyone" I know has one. After getting the Kindle, though, I don't understand why anyone favors it over the Nook.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

I have not had any issues using the web browser. I find it very usable. I guess to each his own. As for converting files, what if you had a .lit file or a palm file. They are so easy to convert this is a non issue.

But that is why there are different readers available. Some work better than others for each of us. I am glad there is a choice.

[samalex]

About 4 months ago I researched the heck out of Kindle and Nook, playing with both but not being overly impressed by either. I ended up just investing in a DroidX which has both the Kindle and Nook apps, along with Google Books app, for about the same price as the 3G Kindle or Nook.

Honestly I think I made the right choice... My sister brought her new Nook over last night for Christmas dinner, and though it was nice I really found the interface to be clunky. I'll stick with my DroidX for now.

[darrenn]

About 4 months ago I researched the heck out of Kindle and Nook, playing with both but not being overly impressed by either. I ended up just investing in a DroidX which has both the Kindle and Nook apps, along with Google Books app, for about the same price as the 3G Kindle or Nook.

Honestly I think I made the right choice... My sister brought her new Nook over last night for Christmas dinner, and though it was nice I really found the interface to be clunky. I'll stick with my DroidX for now.

Hows many weeks does the battery last on your droid x? I don't even think about the battery when im reading on my kindle.

[PC_load_letter]

My wife has had the Nook (e-Ink version) for almost a year now, and she loves it. She takes it with her everywhere she goes, and she finds the combination of touchscreen (for navigation) and e-Ink (for actual reading) to be perfect. Initially the page refresh rates were quite poor, but Barnes and Noble was good about issuing firmware updates to make them better.

I thought the web browsing experience on the Nook (again, the e-Ink version--not the touchscreen NookColor) was bad until someone gave me a Kindle for Christmas. The Kindle's web browser is almost completely unusable. I also find the keyboard to be useless. And the fact that you have to convert ePubs does not endear me to the device. Really, the only thing I liked about the Kindle is the e-Ink display. It's slightly crisper than my wife's Nook e-Ink display.

I used to think the Kindle had a lot to offer because "everyone" I know has one. After getting the Kindle, though, I don't understand why anyone favors it over the Nook.


My wife decided to get a Kindle 3 for Xmas, we'll have it on Tue. (we ordered last min. w/ free shipping LOL).
The main reason for us to get the Kindle over the Nook was the recent financial troubles w/ B&N as reported a few months ago, e.g. here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/04/barnes-and-noble-for-sale
Call me crazy, but I'd like that whenever I buy a piece of hardware that I'll have support for a few more years to come, without the risk of the company going bankrupt.

[constellanation]

The main reason for us to get the Kindle over the Nook was the recent financial troubles w/ B&N as reported a few months ago, e.g. here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/aug/04/barnes-and-noble-for-sale
Call me crazy, but I'd like that whenever I buy a piece of hardware that I'll have support for a few more years to come, without the risk of the company going bankrupt.


honestly the putting barnes and noble up for sale has nothing to do with bankruptcy at all. It all has to do with the one investor mentioned in the article of having criticism. That investor is attempting to buy up a large chunk of the company so he can do things he did to other companies, i.e. try to cash in on ruining a company. If they were to sell the company (most likely to the very people running the company now) they would have complete control over the company rather to one (or many poor investors) Even though it mentioned a decline of less then 5 percent (still leaving profit in the billions) the companies digital sales, and other recent changes have increased and are the areas that they are focusing...

anyway, kindle is a good product I still like the nook better. and also to someone who said earlier amazon has more books available I believe actually barnes and noble has the larger library.

[Antarctica32]

I g0t a kindle for Xmas yesterday. I love it. I already made a p0st on this thread, but I have another thought to express and if I edit my 0ther post nobody will read it...
anyway, the kindle 3 can read PDFs, and that just makes it amazing right there. Almost any file can be converted to pdf. It can also play MP3s, and costs about the same as an ipod. I notice a few of you have posted that u can only get ebooks for kindle at the amazon website. this is completely untrue! you can get them from several other websites, and amazon's collection is like HUGE. I am pretty sure the n00k is great, but I kn0w the kindle is.

[PC_load_letter]

honestly the putting barnes and noble up for sale has nothing to do with bankruptcy at all. It all has to do with the one investor mentioned in the article of having criticism. That investor is attempting to buy up a large chunk of the company so he can do things he did to other companies, i.e. try to cash in on ruining a company. If they were to sell the company (most likely to the very people running the company now) they would have complete control over the company rather to one (or many poor investors) Even though it mentioned a decline of less then 5 percent (still leaving profit in the billions) the companies digital sales, and other recent changes have increased and are the areas that they are focusing...

anyway, kindle is a good product I still like the nook better. and also to someone who said earlier amazon has more books available I believe actually barnes and noble has the larger library.

Good to know, this means if I get into the e-reader trend, I might get a Nook for the native support of the ePub format. Let's see how I end up liking the Kindle.

[Docaltmed]

The Nook natively supports a variety of file formats, far more than the Kindle does. The Kindle requires that you reformat your epubs and other formats to the Kindle format, which is a modified (and closed) version of Mobipocket format.

The Kindles have also had a notorious screen problem. I've seen several now with the screen failure, and Amazon has been spotty about responding to the problem. If you are out of warranty, it's a crap shoot as to whether they will cover you or not. Google it up for the skinny.

I've been using a Nook for almost a year, and I second everyone's prior comments. Page turning is slower on e-ink, but it is easy on the eyes. The new color Nook is sexy, and you can subscribe to a ton of magazines and newspapers with it. I find reading the color Nook to be just fine.

Though of more recent vintage, I've been hearing good things about the Kobo reader, too. You might want to check that out.

[Spr0k3t]

I did some heavy research on the available e-readers out there and found the best solution for a very avid reader is to make sure the e-ink display is good. I checked out a friends Kindle and the display is very crisp to the point where pixelization is almost unnoticed. I checked out the Nook and the display, while not nearly as good as the Kindle, still held a very crisp easy to read display. From there I started looking at supported formats and found the Nook is more open but the Kindle has the insane battery life. The trade off between the two I figured going on a single charge for almost two weeks was worth it to support a more open system. Between the two, it was very close... but the Nook came out on top for the extra features with the local b&m features (free books at B&N of nearly anything they have on file up to an hour each day). Not to mention, the support for more Android appliances was a huge plus.

I'm sure in late 2011 we'll see some color e-ink readers hit the field... and I'd be willing to bet those will still be cheaper than the likes of the ipad.

[kwacka]

Did my own research and bought a Nook. It runs on Android (as do many others), would have got a Sony reader as second choice.

Main reason was ePub book format. Nook doesn't read Amazon's Kindle formats - unless the Nook has been 'rooted'- but, as been said, Calibre will convert (unless it is digitally restrained).

[Paqman]

Plus the Nook runs Android which is a plus for people who favor Linux.


The Kindle is Linux too. I would imagine most of the e-readers are.

Not that the OS makes the slightest bit of difference anyway.

[jasonshim]

Why would anyone want something like web browsing and mp3 functionalities?

Let me ask, do you really want your books to play songs for you and let you browse the web?

I think if you really want all of these

you'd better give a serious thought on the purpose of getting an e-book reader.

I think something like ipad is much more appropriate rather than an e-book reader.

Distraction is the last thing you want for reading.

[STUMPOFWAR]

I got a Nook for x-mas from family. My wife saw it on sale at Best Buy for $99!!! Can't beat that!

I told her that I wanted the nook because of two main issues:

1) Variety of formats (mostly epub). I know Calibre kicks ***, but there is something to be said for simply dropping a book on to the device

2) I frequent Barnes & Noble and you can read any Barnes and Noble ebook while in their store which is cool.


One problem that I have with both the Nook and the Kindle is folder support. I made the mistake of downloading a ffew big torrents of books (IE 1001 books you should read before you die) and I dumped them onto the Nook without thinking. Navigating to each book minus metadata, tags or folders is a dreary mess and I've heard from other Kindle users that they have the same problem.

Supposedly Nook firmware 1.5 adds "shelves"....I haven't upgraded yet but I'll report ck when I do.

Happy Holidays

Shawn

[ubunterooster]

Plus the Nook runs Android which is a plus for people who favor Linux.Also, there is a Kindle App for Android, so one could stick the Kindle app on the Nook

[Vi3tHoneyX]

Have you played around with both yet? Nothing is better than actually using the e-book readers yourself to find out which you like better. However, it seems like the Kindle has SLIGHTLY better reviews overall on the webs and more people seem to prefer now. I would wait a while though because I heard the best electronics come out in the first quarter of the year. :))

[ubunterooster]

I've tried both but the ability to stick Kindle on a nook makes my choice a lot easier.

I don't see any killer features besides that to choose one over the other

[samalex]

Hows many weeks does the battery last on your droid x? I don't even think about the battery when im reading on my kindle.

My DroidX battery on a full charge lasts for well over 24 hours and even more with Wifi/GPS, etc turned off. This is more than enough time for me.

[Spr0k3t]

Thought I should mention, check out Calibre (http://calibre-ebook.com/) for managing all the e-books you might have.

[IWantFroyo]

WARNING- Personal Opinion Contained
Kindle-
With calibre, it can surpass Nook in formats
It's more comfy to use, I've never liked nook's little along the bottom touch screen.
Faster

Nook-
You don't have to use calibre
Touch screen (albeit awkward)
Replaceable battery

[Rachel_Eliason]

I've had a kindle for about three months now and I absolutely love it. I bought it just before leaving for a month in Thailand. With my reading habits a dedicated ebook reader made more sense than adding a kindle app to a something else. the kindle's wifi worked even in Thailand. The e-ink is easy on the eyes and you get used to reading on it pretty fast. I shut the wifi off when not in use, and get two or three weeks of battery life in actual practice. (you'd probably get a full month if you never used the wifi). I don't use the browser much, or the mp3 player, so I can't comment on that. I also haven't compare it to the nook.

the one thing I don't like about the kindle is this; I have found several really good books since buying it and I can't share them as easily as handing off a paperback. ;)

On the flip side I really like the fact that every book weighs the same on an e-reader. thick sci-fi series and technical manuals are as easy to carry as a romance novel. :p

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

Thank you to the people that posted about Calibre. My daughter bought her children Kindles for Christmas. I heard her telling one of them that each child only had $25 to buy books from Amazon. Well, I installed Calibre from the repos on my computer. Now grandpa can convert Free eBooks for the grandchildren to use on their Kindles.
:)

One thing I noticed, when my daughter asked me to enter the passphrase for my wireless, was that entering special characters on the Kindle was a pain. My passphrase is very long and has several special characters. I finally wrote it down and let my daughter enter it multiple times.

[Lisimelis]

I 'd really like to get my hands on that new ubuntu pad that seems to be on the works!!!!

[Rasa1111]

I was thinking to buy one of those, but have few questions.

What do you think is better Device from the several available? (I heard in Nook you can actually browse web?)

Can you load your own e-books into those devices? (without having to always buy from their sites).

I just got a nook for christmas (original nook).
and it is amazing!!

I really can't believe how amazing it is!

It far exceeds my expectations.

My sister has a kindle,
that she also got for Xmas, but she got it early,
and her and I compared them the other night..

and we are both in agreement..
the nook blows the kindle away! lol
(everyone in the family agreed on that, really)

She wants to return her kindle now to get a nook.

I was actually posting here on the forums the other night from my new nook! lol

You can browse any websites, check your emails, etc.

The page turns are amazingly fast!
The features , especially the new ones in the 1.5 firmware update..
are just perfect!

and yes,
you can load any books from anywhere onto the nook.

It is not chained up like the kindle. lol

You can buy books from anywhere,
and easily transfer them to your nook,
or download any free books, from anywhere..
and stick them right on the nook.

You can also load MP3's and OGG music files onto the nook and listen to them.

It is really an amazing device...
and I am extremely happy I decided on the nook,
rather than one of the many others.

However..
If I had not decided on the nook..
the kindle still would not have been chosen.

You can read for a lifetime on your nook,
without ever having to pay for a single word if you didnt want to/couldnt afford to...
and you could just read free books, from wherever you acquired them.

Nook,
it is a beautiful thing! lol
Could not be happier with it!:KS <3

and I use calibre for all my transferring/converting/editing, etc.

But, you dont need to,

you can simply just drag and drop any files you want into their folders on the nook also.

But I really like calibre for the books.
especially for converting PDF's to ePub format.
nook reads both,
but epub is always better on ereaders i think.

[Docaltmed]

Another fun thing about the Nook is B&N Free Fridays. Every friday, they offer a free book for download.

Usually part of a series. They try to get you hooked on one, then sell you the rest.

I've happily fallen for that a couple of times now.

[Rasa1111]

Posting again....
From my nook this time. Lol

I dont find the touch screen awkward at all,
not even to navigate the web.
Its just new/different...
And find myself liking it more all the time. Lol

Did i mention its not enslaved in chains like a kindle?

I did just talk to my sister again,
And tomorrow i am going to pick her up,
to take her to get a nook to replace her kindle. . :lol:
I giggle everytime i think about her reaction to how she liked my nook soo much more.....
and now she has to tell her bf he was right in regards to getting nook over kindle.

[Jazzy_Jeff]

How are we enslaved in chains on the Kindle? Nook uses DRM just like the Kindle does. There are so many free books every week that we get as well. There are also other sites where we can purchase books, we are not tied to Amazon. I don't think you could go wrong with either one. I will not bash any of the readers out there. I am just glad there is a choice.

Down the road if anything happens and we can't access our books the DRM on any book is easily removed. I think B&N has more of a chance of going out of business than Amazon does.

[drawkcab]

Nook: I hate the touchscreen at the bottom.

Nook Color: I love it and almost bought one, but I'll wait for a similarly priced Android tablet later this year.

Kindle3: I like the device itself quite a bit but it won't support epubs and it doesn't allow me to expand the memory.

Sony PRS 650: A really fine device but no wifi.

I settled on a Pocketbook 620. It's got the same eink screen as the nook, more supported file types than almost any other reader, reflows .pdfs fairly well, allows me to browse by folders (which almost no other readers do) and it allows me to expand the memory like the nook. I am looking forward to a functioning RSS aggregator in subsequent firmware releases. My only regret is that maybe I ought to have waited for the touchscreen model that comes out in a few months.

FWIW I think that, among the more popular devices, the Nook Color and the Sony PRS 650 seem like best devices over all. The K3 3g makes a lot of sense if you travel a lot.

[Kdar]

I compared our Nook with one of my friend's Kindle 3 (he bought it also for Xmas).

The contrast (especially) and disctionary seem to be much better. Thinking if I should return my nook to B&N and buy Kindle instead, especially knowing that I can convert epub to Kindle's format anyways.

[Kdar]

Which Kindle it was (2nd or 3rd)? From my post above the contrast of kindle seemed a bit better and dictionary function seemed better as well.

How are you restricted with Kindle? (about uploading yourown books (from whatever place you got them from).


I just got a nook for christmas (original nook).
and it is amazing!!

I really can't believe how amazing it is!

It far exceeds my expectations.

My sister has a kindle,
that she also got for Xmas, but she got it early,
and her and I compared them the other night..

and we are both in agreement..
the nook blows the kindle away! lol
(everyone in the family agreed on that, really)

[drawkcab]

The Kindle 3 and the Sony PRS 650 both have the pearl e-ink displays which are nicer than the older displays. I'll admit it is a noticable advantage.

[Kdar]

Anyone use books in language besides English on Nook or Kindle? (Russian or Japanese.. etc).

I tried to view a Russian epub book on Nook, the title in the MyDocuments displayed perfectly, however, when I openned the book it self, all I saw is question marks.

This kind of is big disappointment, since I do plan to read russian books.

[Paqman]

The Kindle 3 and the Sony PRS 650 both have the pearl e-ink displays which are nicer than the older displays. I'll admit it is a noticable advantage.

Definitely. Comparing my wife's Kindle 2 to my Kindle 3 you can tell the difference. The old display isn't bad, but the new one has even better contrast and slightly faster page turns.

[Robertjm]

Unless the document has the font embedded, the Nook/NC will only read "western" fonts. That's in their FAQ section.

Robert



Anyone use books in language besides English on Nook or Kindle? (Russian or Japanese.. etc).

I tried to view a Russian epub book on Nook, the title in the MyDocuments displayed perfectly, however, when I openned the book it self, all I saw is question marks.

This kind of is big disappointment, since I do plan to read russian books.

[Robertjm]

In early October I was in the local B/N and talked with the person at the front Nook Counter. He suggested I put my name on the reserve list even if I didn't intend to buy one because that would have them send copies to the store. They would then call me when "my" Nook Color was in stock and if I didn't buy it they would unreserve it three days later.

Hadn't really planned on buying the thing, but after reading some online reviews and then playing with the one they reserved for me I took the plunge and I really love it! At first the glare on the LCD was a problem. It was like using a mirror, especially when outside. However, I got an anti-glare screen protector off eBay and it really cuts down on the glare, and the finger prints which appeared all over it after only a few minutes of reading.

I played around with rooting, but never got it to work so went back to factory reset. With that said, it sounds like B/N is going to issue a major update sometime in January to install Android 2.2 INCLUDING access to the main Android screen and the Android App Store, not just a B/N app store!! As an FYI, people who have successfully rooted have actually installed the Kindle for Android app and so have the best of both worlds now in an eReader without having to convert things from one format to another.

The Kindle was never on my radar as it was B/W and even though there were considerable improvements from the first to the most recent edition, I just didn't like the look of it compared to a tablet.

The Nook Color shortage never materialized so if you walk into your local B/N you'll probably be able to walk out with one immediately. You can get cases and screen savers cheaper on EBAY if can wait, but I plunged on a nice leather case to protect the device immediately.

Robert