Barnes & Noble Color Nook

[Psi*]

I bought one on Monday. The first time in decades that I have made a "major" purchase without sleeping on it for a week. Well, it is only $250 US.

The quick review... it is something of a crossover between notebooks, netbooks, and smart (Windows) phones.

It is fundamentally an ebook reader so it has all of that capability. It also has built in wifi tho. I'm sure that the original intent is to buy/download books from BnN ... probably the last thing that I interested in! There is already plenty of information on the net in that regard I would guess.

What captured my interest is the ease in accessing the net and most any web site. In connecting to one of my PCs, I could easily drag &drop numerous .pdf files over. There is a ~$20 app that allows for veiwing Microsoft Word & Power Point files. I have not been able to test this lut just yet as the app demands access to memory expansion ... a micro-SD card. That will be here later in the week so more on that then.

The charging cable is unique in that it will not charge my Samsung smart phone, but the Nook can be charged by the cell phone's cable.

When connecting the Nook to a PC it appears as a drive. No special drivers needed. This allows deleting & moving files between the devices.

I was hoping for some kind of PC remote access, but nothing that I can figure out as yet. Not even gotomypc.com although I read yesterday that is in the works. Hopefully sooner than later.

 

[Psi*]

Getting used to user interfa e is quite quirky. All of this being entered via the Nook so it is definitely not too dificult. Some things are intuitive others require some patience & time.

For instance multiple windows can be opened but they are all full screen. Confusing at 1st, but learning the tricks allows for quick switching between windows, apps, or open text ciles very quickly.

Reportedly it has a 6 to 10 battery life so for the traveler that does not need to pull out the bulk of a notebook/netbook this thing is good. Large-ish coat pockets or even cargo pants pockets is all you need.

I'll give it an 7 out of 10 for form & function. This might move to an 8 if remote access to PCs becomes available. If editing of MS Word or Power Point can be accomplished ... then a little higher.

More later

 

[Psi*]

Hacked Nook

Follow this link

I think I will do this .. in my spare time

a little more

 

[Rob Williams]

I need to look into this more... if it's available in Canada.

I've been pondering getting a Kindle for a while, though the Nook offers a lot more functionality. Though, I am not sure I even <em>want</em> it. I kind of want a straight eBook reader that doesn't have a typical Web browser, because I hate to have that nagging feeling of distractions. If I know I can just put the book away for a second to go check something out, I will, and then end up wasting hours on things instead of reading the book!

The thing I do like about the Web access is the fact that you could easily go and look up some reference if need be. That's a lot better than reading something and then having to go to a PC to load up Wikipedia or something.

How is the screen? Easy to look at for a couple of hours? Have you gotten more used to the control since you first picked it up?

 

[Psi*]

I got the nook as I was interested in inexpensive and convenient web access as well as having access to the tons of emags & pdfs I like to refer to ... once in a blue moon. I like the screen & easily spend a few hours in front of. Battery life is quite good.

As far as distractions, well if you do not have wifi access then you are not connected. I will be traveling with this thing so I don't expect constant web access & that is fine with me. With all of the desktops I have, my web access is only in bursts anyway.

Mind you, I never bothered going thru any tutorial which come on board. There is an icon in the upper right that gives access to other windows, add windows, & bookmarks. Now that I know about it, that is quite convenient.

I have discovered that compatibility with the online emags is random. These are the kind of emags that you don't download, but just click on to access & literally flip the pages. Some work perfectly as on a desktop/laptop and others just do not load. In those cases I dowload the .pdf. And pdf files are mostly preferrable anyway for traveling and the uncertainty of web access.

You remind me that I have not tried creating any file as yet not viewing Power Points ... THAT I must do this weekend ... more about that later.

 

[marfig]

An eBook reader is the only think I'm interested in that isn't a desktop, a laptop, or a cellphone. I simply didn't adhere to the tablet craze and much less to the smart phones. And as for online access, that I reserve to my PC devices. The first thing I do when I buy a cellphone is to remove the online access configuration (also because I don't want to turn it on by accident). I spend enough time online already everyday, thank you.

So the eBook reader is something that I do want indeed, and naturally tablets would be a luxury for this purpose. However I never actually ever looked into it with any detail, so I don't even know basic things like:

- Will I be able to upload to the Nook all the pdf files I've been buying over the years and those related to my work? Or is this thing locked to B&B content somehow?

- Is this type of device something you can comfortably hold on a 1 hour commute train trip? Or will I find myself getting tired of holding it?

 

[Psi*]

I could spend a few hours in front of the NookColor screen. I believe with WiFi & & full bright, the battery is expected to last 6 hours. No WiFi & back off brightness maybe 10. Which ever, you are not dongled to a charger every chance you get. And, getting to those adjustments is pretty easy.

pdf files ... just so I would know something about what i speak .. I just copied 94 pdf files totaling 1.56 GB, from a USB drive via a desktop, to the added 8 GB miniSDHC in the Nook in <3 minutes. No speed record, but no big deal either.

You flip thru pdf file pages by sliding a finger up (or down) the side of the page. The page flipping seems to keep pace with as fast as you can flip with a page indicator at least, but it takes a moment for the page to appear. The length of that moment does vary tho & might be annoying to some ... just so you know. It seems there are some pdf that the pages have to be flipped sideways tho ... not sure why.

Virtually any kind of page, web pdf, or online emag, that when the Nook is turned sideways the page can be made to fill the screen width for a nice text size. Actually there is a pretty good range in the case that full width is not needed. Scrolling up thru the page is effortless as you read.

I suppose that it is heavier than a paper back .. but lighter than a hard backed book? Not really sure about that. I got a leather case with a flip over cover at B&N. I would say that it adds to the feel or grip of holding it for any period. Even with the case it would still fit into a winter coat pocket, rain coat, over coat ... or what ever your persuasion. Probably even cargo pants pockets. Definitely not skinny ass jean pockets.

In the end, if I were anyone with the slightest interest in a Nook, you *must* visit a B&N store. The store I stumbled into had them lined up across the front on desks there to be played with. Plan on an hour at least as the minutes will flip by for any geek with an interest in this thing.

I get my gmail thru it. In portrait mode the "buttons" are a little small. You can 2 finger increase the area easily enough although I prefer to go landscape which puts things at nearly the right size for my fingers ... still must make an accurate "aim". Attachments to gmail goes into storage with a down arrow sort of indicator ... touching that brings up the attachment.