Database Develop

[Q] So, how long will we have root?

I'm considering buying a Nook Color, but I have a few concerns.
1. Is the root software-patchable? I've been living in the iPhone Jailbreaking scene lately, and none of the terms (bootrom, userland, etc.) seem to apply here, so I'm having a hard time figuring out if we'll end up unrooted.
2. If B&N does patch the root, can we still load applications? I'm very confused about the correlation between root access and sideloading. Are they one in the same at this point?
3. Again, assuming B&N patches the root, will it be rooted again? I don't want to be stuck with a device that can't run 3rd party applications.
Thanks

root will be reverted with an update, whether or not the update will still allow the current root method to work is up in the air they would have to change how the system sets boot priority which may not be as feasible as one would think depending on the way they plan for updates to work and such (but i havnt looked into this)
root is the only way to sideload apps so when an update comes you'll loose the ability to sideload whether or not your apps that are installed is debatable most of the time an update doesn't wipe the data partition but since this isn't an android phone and data is strictly stored in the data partition who knows
when/if root is fixed it would happen again most likely i don't know of any android device that wasn't re-rooted after an update especially if the smart folks that got root in the first place can find a way to flash roms that arnt singed by B&N

I'm pretty sure that we can just disable automatic updates first and there are already successes at installing stock froyo for example.
/mr

A better question is "When will the new hardware revision that locks down the current root method come?"
Buy a dart set and a calendar.

I think pokey9000 mentioned that the unit will always boot off of SD card if installed and bootable, before the units ROM - This means you will always have some method of fixing any issue. Don't quote me, but I think he also said only thing B&N can really do is make it annoying... (something along the lines).
-CC

EugeneKay said:
A better question is "When will the new hardware revision that locks down the current root method come?"
Buy a dart set and a calendar.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, what "new" hardware that locks down the current root? That I am aware of this was only an issue with the Original Nook and does not apply to the Nook Color...
-CC

mrintegrity said:
I'm pretty sure that we can just disable automatic updates first and there are already successes at installing stock froyo for example.
/mr
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the moment nobody knows how OTA's are applied and which system application is responsible for them. So currently we cannot disable automatic updates... I've been playing around with the data partition for quite some time now to figure it out from various database files, and it seems like the device manager application does the updating as FOTA (firmware over the air) entries exist in that app's DB.
There is a setting that is currently at "auto" and I changed it to "manual". Whether this actually has any effect on a possible future upgrade remains to be seen though.

clockcycle said:
Sorry, what "new" hardware that locks down the current root? That I am aware of this was only an issue with the Original Nook and does not apply to the Nook Color...
-CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The inevitable hardware revision change that will not boot from the SD by default, or introduces some sort of checksum requiring a signed image in order to boot from the SD.

Question is, does B&N really care that much whether or not we have root access ? I wonder what the total percentage of sold NC's are "rooted". It might not even be worth it for them to hassle with.

stwallman said:
Question is, does B&N really care that much whether or not we have root access ? I wonder what the total percentage of sold NC's are "rooted". It might not even be worth it for them to hassle with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And it seems like B&N is pretty chill about it anyways. They have the SD card boot before ROM for Christ's sake haha

heads up: i got word the update is coming very soon. fixes some wifi issues and who knows what else.

cabbieBot said:
heads up: i got word the update is coming very soon. fixes some wifi issues and who knows what else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who'd you hear that from? Or is it don't ask don't tell?

As a Series 2 Tivo user I can speak of this "enhancement."
Series 2 DVRs produced after a certain date used a new EPROM, which had a factory default on it so that if the power went out everything in the linux OS, which was not in the original kernel was wiped clean!
And of course this EPROM was soldered to the motherboard. There was a side industry of a few very good solderers who you could ship your Tivo unit to and they would remove the EPROM, install a socket and then there were modified EPROMS out there which allowed you to install things like telnet, ftp, etc.
Personally, I never tried it, but knew some who did.
later,
Robert
-----------------------------------------
clockcycle said:
Sorry, what "new" hardware that locks down the current root? That I am aware of this was only an issue with the Original Nook and does not apply to the Nook Color...
-CC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Robertjm said:
As a Series 2 Tivo user I can speak of this "enhancement."
Series 2 DVRs produced after a certain date used a new EPROM, which had a factory default on it so that if the power went out everything in the linux OS, which was not in the original kernel was wiped clean!
And of course this EPROM was soldered to the motherboard. There was a side industry of a few very good solderers who you could ship your Tivo unit to and they would remove the EPROM, install a socket and then there were modified EPROMS out there which allowed you to install things like telnet, ftp, etc.
Personally, I never tried it, but knew some who did.
later,
Robert
-----------------------------------------
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a lot of extra work, testing, etc. to implement something like this for a $ 250 eReader. Can't see B&N going to all that hassle. As long as they are at least breaking even on the NC (which I'm sure they are), they probably don't care that much about nooters.

It's a business decision, really.
1) If they think they're losing money because of the root, then they'll try to shut it down. The hardware isn't losing them money I think, it just doesn't make any money, so people who buy it only to root and never buy from B&N probably aren't costing them any money. It's just that if no one buys books and magazines from, B&N, they'll get worried.
2) Or, B&N might not care. The more people using the Nookcolor, the more word gets around, the more people use the NC, maybe some of them will even buy content from B&N.
Or they might a take a middle path and try to lock it down, but then not worry too much about people rooting it again.

I don't think B&N is to concerned as they release the source code for the device.

Ypocaramel said:
It's a business decision, really.
1) If they think they're losing money because of the root, then they'll try to shut it down. The hardware isn't losing them money I think, it just doesn't make any money, so people who buy it only to root and never buy from B&N probably aren't costing them any money. It's just that if no one buys books and magazines from, B&N, they'll get worried.
2) Or, B&N might not care. The more people using the Nookcolor, the more word gets around, the more people use the NC, maybe some of them will even buy content from B&N.
Or they might a take a middle path and try to lock it down, but then not worry too much about people rooting it again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would say it is almost null.
Even if we load kindle, there isnt much from kindle which I cant get from B&N. Even if the free books are more common there, google books (which even noted nook in the ad's...) had many of the same free books as kindle, and B&N has many classics for free themself. Also kindle app cant beat out the actual E-Reader functions that the nook has (atleast in my opinion)
Its clear that a lot of the root concept matches their plans. With the appstore coming its clear that they wanted to make the nook more than an E-Reader... Also with that no matter how poor next to the root many will just complain for a nook version over risking it to hack. If anything it will be buzz and is easy marketing for them.

I think there is one more reason that B&N will leave rooting alone. Even if rooters never buy a book from B&N, the volume of units sold tends to keep the cost down. For B&N, this is just a window of opportunity until more solid, Google-supported Android tablets become ubiquitous. Volume sold will be key for B&N remaining in the market for single purpose eReaders against Amazon. Moreover, if B&N has any aspirations of staying in the tablet market, the rooters are key early adopters.
If I were them, I would quietly support the rooter community. Any improvements they choose to adopt can be freely taken back by them with Open Source. One senior level engineer tracking the community will find ample opportunity to recover stuff to improve B&N's product. That could really help B&N to compete.

If they leave it alone it might actually GAIN them some sales from people like me(and other hackers) that wanted a tablet but didn't want to drop $600 or be stuck with a contract. When I found out the NC could be rooted and apps could be loaded and I bought one the same day. It's just an added bonus that this is also a nice e-reader as I was looking for one of those as well. I got both things I wanted for $249. Maybe they made it easy to root because they WANTED the word to get out that its pretty easy to root(which makes it like a tablet) to boost sales for people like us

Withfeeling said:
I think there is one more reason that B&N will leave rooting alone. Even if rooters never buy a book from B&N, the volume of units sold tends to keep the cost down. For B&N, this is just a window of opportunity until more solid, Google-supported Android tablets become ubiquitous. Volume sold will be key for B&N remaining in the market for single purpose eReaders against Amazon. Moreover, if B&N has any aspirations of staying in the tablet market, the rooters are key early adopters.
If I were them, I would quietly support the rooter community. Any improvements they choose to adopt can be freely taken back by them with Open Source. One senior level engineer tracking the community will find ample opportunity to recover stuff to improve B&N's product. That could really help B&N to compete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont mean to sound like an ass, but we would be trend setters =P not early adopters

Nook Color getting 2.2 & Market update in January

From Engadget:
You had to know the hacking community was going to have a field day with the Nook Color -- a $249 Android Tablet hiding behind with a thin e-reader coating. Indeed it didn't take long to get rooted nor for Android 2.2 to get installed on there, but that particular hack comes with an interesting potential side-effect: small-scale thermonuclear explosions. Enabling FroYo requires disabling the device's battery monitoring process, the very one that would be responsible for shutting down the device before the cells start overheating and, ultimately, going critical. Yeah it's unlikely, but it could happen. Meanwhile, another hack has enabled the Android Market, but those instructions begin with a very daunting warning: "Very smart people have failed at this. If the following instructions confuse you, you might want to wait until an easier method has been developed."
And, thankfully, there is a much easier way coming, with Barnes & Noble confirming that Android 2.2 will be officially coming to the Nook Color in January. Yes, Android 2.3 is what's happening, but this is still an exciting upgrade as it will finally also allow access to a traditional Android home screen and even enable the Android Market. In other words, it should work just like an Android tablet, Kindle app and all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And here I was thinking I would return my NC to B&N tomorrow. What to do what to do..

Assuming the report is accurate, I guess B&N really is embracing Android. A happy surprise. If you read the original link, then it says it'll also have the 2.2 launcher, switchable between B&N and stock Android.

Hopefully there is a leak soon I am an impatient person

great great great news. Wow, i might have to pick up a spare. going to get very interesting come January. Also hoping for a nice leak soon

This means I will be buying a Nook Color as soon as this is available in January. It will do everything I want a tablet to do right now.

I still can't get it to run smoothly. My EVO scrolls home screens and web pages much smoother than my NC. Even with SetCPU set to performance, it's just a tad slow. I wonder how it would run with 2.2 on it, sucking more power.

I've debated the two avenues that BN can take with this with friends. Either lock it down like Apple and try to stay ahead of the hacker community and force people to use their products or open it up and cater to all and potentially lose a little profit from forced content purchasing. I personally think the later will actually spur more content sales as the positive reaction to how they are handling all this will spur more device sales and ultimately more content.
I don't think they are loss leading this device, even if it's a very small profit margin. Most people I know buying it are older and they don't care at all about android. They are buying BN books and content and using it like BN planned. I'm assuming here, but it's probably a small percentage of users rooting it and clamoring for full functionality. BN, seemingly to me, are open to this and catering to that smaller percentage. In doing so, they are creating so much more positive hype for their machine leading to probably a WHOLE lot more device sales and publicity overall which will probably get them even more content sales.
The few things I wanted with the device have been unlocked. I'm as happy as can be with it now. If this is true, most likely they are going to implement those changes officially in some form down the road. Better for everybody.
This seems to be win win for everybody. Hopefully when they officially update their software, they take into account many of the elements that have been unlocked and why people are unlocking those functions.

I think that the day they release 2.2 with a vanilla launcher option we should all buy a book or 2 from the b&n ebook store to show our appreciation.

I think this is important to note:
" I was told that Nook users may not have access to the full market."
(This is a quote from the SmartPhoneMag.com article referenced by Engadget).
I don't believe it will have the standard market on it - it will still be B&N's proprietary market.

I hope they enable my location.

stwallman said:
I think this is important to note:
" I was told that Nook users may not have access to the full market."
(This is a quote from the SmartPhoneMag.com article referenced by Engadget).
I don't believe it will have the standard market on it - it will still be B&N's proprietary market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure about that. I think it will be a non-copy protected market, or no paid apps. Unless they make users do the normal Android setup wizard, you don't tie your Nook to a particular account.
We'll just have to see though, as we can speculate anything (and often do!)
thecalip said:
I hope they enable my location.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How would they do that? Off a WiFi location? No GPS, and no cell function kind of limits the feature.

For Pete's sake B&N! Just give us 2.2 with a home switcher to your B&N home Screen and FULL Market Access, gmail app, etc....
Enough already with this proprietary garbage!
Capt Picard: "Number One.. Make it so!"

HeroHTC said:
For Pete's sake B&N! Just give us 2.2 with a home switcher to your B&N home Screen and FULL Market Access, gmail app, etc....
Enough already with this proprietary garbage!
Capt Picard: "Number One.. Make it so!"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure it's Google limiting market access, not B&N. According to Android's use, you can't have the Market (or any other Google apps) installed without 3G access, which the Nook doesn't have. The other companies who have skirted this requirement have gotten into trouble over it.

Marketing 101: How do you win the Tablet wars, market it first as a $250 ereader/tablet, then 2 months later release the update that turns it into a full Tablet/ereader right after CES which this year is all about Tablets all costing twice as much tied to carriers.

Bunch of BS! Google gives a crapload of stuff for free and they cover this tiny little 3g thing. I don't get it... the more users out there the more downloads and the more revenue for Google. Granted with the 3G access they can somehow figure out who did what, but there isn't a single person here who's used the market to download only free stuff.

devis said:
but there isn't a single person here who's used the market to download only free stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure about that?
I can say for one I have never paid for an app.
Never pirated one either.
There are plenty of free things out there...I have no need for anything paid.
To say nobody downloads only free stuff is just plain wrong.
Not to say I won't ever buy something, but haven't needed to yet.
I think I am going to wait and see with this market thing. Full market...I will buy for sure. Something else...will think about it after root for the new version is out.

danbutter said:
Sure about that?
I can say for one I have never paid for an app.
Never pirated one either.
There are plenty of free things out there...I have no need for anything paid.
To say nobody downloads only free stuff is just plain wrong.
Not to say I won't ever buy something, but haven't needed to yet.
I think I am going to wait and see with this market thing. Full market...I will buy for sure. Something else...will think about it after root for the new version is out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as they said in "Life of Brian" - there's always one

I spoke today with a Barnes & Noble representative who showed me the forthcoming update on his company Nook which is slated for this January. The 2.2 Android update is a game changer and literally turns the e-reader into a near full Android tablet device.
The 2.2 update, or overhaul if you prefer, will give you access to a retooled Android Market, the typical Android home screen and even has pinch zooming with the browser. The Android Market app was still under development and was not on the device to see. I was told that Nook users may not have access to the full market. The Nook I looked at had apps loaded via the SD card slot and seemed to run fine. The device will still give you access to all of your Nook material via the current interface that will be swicthable for the user.
The update addresses performance and battery life concerns according to the rep I spoke to. The update on his Nook was still in beta so it lacked some polish but seemed to work smoother than the stock device. The graphics performance still seemed sluggish even with 2.2 when scrolling through magazines and web pages.
The best news is that Nook Color owners will be able to use their new Nooks as a full tablet device that rivals any other Android tablet currently in the consumer arena. Even iPad users may turn envious at the smaller form factor and $249 purchase price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nook Color Getting Android 2.2 Treatment in January

Sirchuk said:
I still can't get it to run smoothly. My EVO scrolls home screens and web pages much smoother than my NC. Even with SetCPU set to performance, it's just a tad slow. I wonder how it would run with 2.2 on it, sucking more power.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2.2 doesn't suck more power. Its actually more power efficient and at the same time faster. Froyo has JIT amongst other things that gave it a significant performance boost over Eclair.
stwallman said:
I think this is important to note:
" I was told that Nook users may not have access to the full market."
(This is a quote from the SmartPhoneMag.com article referenced by Engadget).
I don't believe it will have the standard market on it - it will still be B&N's proprietary market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who cares. We already have a full market with the hacks available based on Droid X. But Vanilla 2.2 with a kernel source changes the game.

bluetooth
If the rumors are true about bluetooth hardware being there, then Google could open the full market to us Nookers. All they would have to do is enable pairing between the nook and a cellphone via bluetooth, and now you have 3G.

Barnes and noble tracking what we're doing?

So after registering the nook, then rooting it....can Barnes see what we're doing?
Or is all what they of us is what we registered in the beginning?

domwin said:
So after registering the nook, then rooting it....can Barnes see what we're doing?
Or is all what they of us is what we registered in the beginning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think so.... Good thing NC doesn't have front camera. Or they will be watching us rooting their devices.
It would be against our privacy if B&N was doing this.

But it wouldn't necessarily be illegal.
The most straightforward thing to do is for some users to monitor their WiFi firewalls for unexpected communication with B&N (or anywhere else).
Of course that doesn't help if tracking information is stored and later transmitted to B&N during user-initiated actions (buying books and apps, updates, etc.).
This is not paranoia at all -- we've gone through this again and again with every computing platform since dial-up modems were prevalent.

They know what is going on. Heck, most of the BN staff I met at two stores over here have rooted. NCs. All that BN can do is ban rooted devices from their service. IMHO, so what? I can install a BN app as I installed a Kindle app to read my Kindle books (gave away my Kindle when I got this NC.
However, it might not be wise on their part as I do buy books and subscribe to magazines on my NC.
Rooted Nook Color

Magazines are the best part. I havent read a paper one in months.
Sent from my DROID2 using XDA App

I bought a Nook Color and had it for about 10 days and then returned it. I had no intention of owning it, I was merely curious to root it. In that time I rooted it and restored ir to stock four or five times. I returned the Nook Color with the stock firmware to B&N without a hitch. If they are aware of the rooting nook color subculture, from my experience I don't think they care.

domwin said:
So after registering the nook, then rooting it....can Barnes see what we're doing?
Or is all what they of us is what we registered in the beginning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What B & N needs to do is hurry up with this software upgrade so we can enhance our NC experience!!! If they do this, then more and more people will buy the famed eBook reader/Hacked Tablet!!!

cicero77 said:
I bought a Nook Color and had it for about 10 days and then returned it. I had no intention of owning it, I was merely curious to root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strange hobby you have.

There is no reason that B&N would put out this type of device, with this good of screen, and these specs if they didn't know people would root it. It's android after all, it's not like rooting an android device is new!
They know what's going on and I even think they are doing it on purpose to get their devices sold. Heck, I'd have never bought it for just strictly an ereader! Although the 2.2 update seems like it may make more people want it for non-root reasons. (and yes, I use it a lot to read now, ironically.)

[Q] New Nook owner questions

I searched the forums for this, but I never found any straightforward (or in plain and simple English) answers that helped me. I don't know how to root or how to mod my devices or even some of the terminology. I also know that some of you might laugh at me for my lack of knowledge, but I get that anyway for how I walk sometimes (I have MS) LOL.
I just bought a New Nook Color today (yay for me!). I have a Samsung Epic 4g. I used an app called Application backup that gets all of the APK files into a zip file on the SD card. I have a 16gb SD card. I transferred my info from my 16 GB card to another 16 GB card via my computer. I put the 2nd SD card into my Nook and the Nook did not recognize any of the Apps from my phone. I figured that since they are both running Froyo, that it would work. What did I do wrong?
Also, I figured that since I upgraded the Nook to B&N's new Froyo, that I would be able to get onto the Android Market, not just B&N's somewhat crappy App store. How can I access the Market from my new Nook Color?
Also, can I run Google Voice and make calls from my new Nook? Just wondering, it's not necessary, but I would like to at least text message from it, if possible. Also, can I really get that Playon app and play Netflix and Hulu content as well? That would be amazing!
Thank you in advance for taking the time to help this big ol' dummy!

There's plenty of easy to follow guides about how to root, flash custom ROMs, etc all over this part of the forum, just gotta go looking. You'll need root to watch the Netflix app on your NC, same with getting the market.

There's an easier way to install the apps on your NC. Just download the Appbrain app on both NC and your phone, then you can see the list of apps on your phone and install them on your NC as well.
I've got a rooted NC with phiremod installed, so I can't tell you how to access the market on any unrooted device. Hope someone else can help you with that.

holgalee said:
There's an easier way to install the apps on your NC. Just download the Appbrain app on both NC and your phone, then you can see the list of apps on your phone and install them on your NC as well.
I've got a rooted NC with phiremod installed, so I can't tell you how to access the market on any unrooted device. Hope someone else can help you with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A completely stock NC can't access the marketplace.
OP, look for the "manual nooter" thread, probably in the Dev subforum. Nootering is the closest to stock you can be and use the non-B&N marketplace.

so i just got a gtab and was playing around with it. got a custom mod on there(vegan 5.1.1, love it) and my mom saw me saying "is that an ipad?". told her no, showed her some of the features and she suggested we get something like that for my grandma. without knowing really much about the nook color at all i do know this would probably be a better option for her than an ipad or gtablet.
just wondering if there are stable enough roms out there where i could do everything at once when i buy it and kind of show her how to navigate websites, email, watch videos, etc(pretty much basic computing, shes old lol) over a weekend when shes here(she lives 6 hours away and coming to visit next week)? because once she leaves i won't be able to update or help her troubleshoot it till like Christmas.

nuttybardude said:
so i just got a gtab and was playing around with it. got a custom mod on there(vegan 5.1.1, love it) and my mom saw me saying "is that an ipad?". told her no, showed her some of the features and she suggested we get something like that for my grandma. without knowing really much about the nook color at all i do know this would probably be a better option for her than an ipad or gtablet.
just wondering if there are stable enough roms out there where i could do everything at once when i buy it and kind of show her how to navigate websites, email, watch videos, etc(pretty much basic computing, shes old lol) over a weekend when shes here(she lives 6 hours away and coming to visit next week)? because once she leaves i won't be able to update or help her troubleshoot it till like Christmas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This might be better in its own thread if you want more replies, but I can tell you my own experience with customized tech devies as gifts to people who aren't tech savvy and can't or have no interest in learning. Never works out well, for me.
If your grandma likes to keep up with and learn about the latest gear, or if she's interested in starting, a rooted or moded NC would be good. But if she's not, you need a device you can set up for her once and have it run without need for updates or maintenance for a long period of time. Something she can just use. In that case the extra expense is worth it.
Also, a screen larger than the NC's would probably be easier for her, depending on her sight.

Nora D said:
Also, a screen larger than the NC's would probably be easier for her, depending on her sight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a very good point. I thought about getting a tablet for my dad, and the same considerations occurred to me. If your grandmother is using it primarily to read books, then the small screen isn't as much of an issue, since the fonts can be sized up in the reader app without much detrimental effect. But scaling up a large font in the web browser will likely make the web browsing experience painful, since many websites are so tightly formatted. "Zoom in and pan around" is a horrible way to use the web... Also, the smaller the screen is, the finer the motor control necessary to operate the touch screen controls, which may be another issue for an older person.
I came to the conclusion that a 7-inch tablet just isn't going to be very useful for an elderly person, and the Nook has enough little quirks when used as a tablet that it would likely be a frustrating experience for a non-techie person.

I really would not recommend CM7 NC or even rooted stock NC for an elderly person or technologically illiterate person for a couple of reasons:
1. The default UI is nowhere near as non-techy-user-friendly as iOS (I'm OS-agnostic, hate proprietary software, but hey, it's true) and there's no locking down of features (admin mode vs limited user, etc) to prevent someone accidentally damaging the install or removing something they shouldn't. Maybe you could find a heavily modded theme to be friendlier.
2. The screen is, at 7", perfect for me as a reader but my (elderly) mother complained about the small screen size (needing much bigger fonts). You can fix that somewhat by (obviously) using bigger fonts in CM7 and also by editing the lcd density, but the latter can cause issues with some apps. It's not exactly difficult to fudge fingering through the menus and opening apps by accident, or just mistyping because of the smaller keyboard.
I told my mother, who was liking my (CM7) Nook despite complaining about eye strain and fingering issues, that she was probably better off spending $100 more on the upcoming 9.7" Amazon tablet this fall if she could wait. While it's probably going to be as locked down as the iPad to begin with, I won't have to worry about bugs in nightlies (or even stables, e.g., no deep sleep in pre-.32 releases) or whether or not she'll accidentally break some app etc. While it sucks to be limited to 1 ereader store (technically), if Amazon allows generic ereader apps like Bluefire or Aldiko she could still have access to epubs from competing stores if she needed it. If it ends up being rootable to allow 3rd-party apps and Google Android Market then it's a win-win with a polished, user-friendly modded android OS from Amazon.
I'm not bashing the Nook or CM7 - I love mine and I love being able to tweak and experiment with it, but it's not something that a non-techy would be able to tread fearlessly in -- look how many threads here are posted with people being lost about doing a basic SD CM7 install or following one of the step-by-step rooting guides.

Responding to the grandma tangent, I think everyone is underestimating the appeal of the stock Nook Color for people who don't know what they're doing. There are plenty of non-tech-savvy people over at mobileread (well, tech savvy enough to post on a forum, but otherwise...) who are thrilled with their stock NCs. Three-million-plus of these things have sold, and most of those people are not rooting them or putting on custom ROMs.
Someone familiar with Android devices who goes into it expecting an Android device might find it limiting, but for someone with no clue, the fact that it only does a few things is a pro, not a con.
Skunkeye said:
But scaling up a large font in the web browser will likely make the web browsing experience painful, since many websites are so tightly formatted. "Zoom in and pan around" is a horrible way to use the web...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't remember just how the NC stock browser works, but most Android browsers are smarter than that. Often a double-tap on a column of text will get it centered at a manageable size, and if not you can zoom to the desired text size and double-tap again to reflow it just like a book. Whenever I come to an article of more than a few paragraphs on my PC, I stop and pick up the NC for a more comfortable reading experience (or send the link to the NC for later, depending on what I'm doing).

I don't think anyone is underestimating the stock Nook Color for what it is. But the original question was about "stable ROMs" and the comparison of the Nook vs. a full Android tablet or iPad. I'd have no problem giving almost anyone a Nook Color if it was left as an unrooted, stock device (because tech support would then be B&N's problem!), with the understanding that it was going to be used as intended: as an excellent e-reader that happens to do a little bit of internet stuff sort of passably well.
But if you're talking about putting Cyanogen or something on the thing and sending it to grandma's house six hours away and hoping for everything to go smoothly (which was, I think, nuttybardudes's intent), I think that's very likely to end up in frustration for everyone involved.

Agreed. I'm saying he's overthinking it--just buying a NC and handing it to her (well, maybe helping her register it) may be his best option. .

Nook VS Asus Honeycomb Tablet

I currently have an ASUS Transformer Tablet running Honeycomb 3.2. My wife is interested in the Nook for reading, magazines, etc.
I think there is a Nook app for android as well. Can anyone help me decide if it's worth it to buy her the Nook, or not?
What does the nook have or not have that a full honeycomb tablet has?
What does the Nook app for android have/not have that the Nook may have?
Pro's/Con's for each way?
Not looking to Root the nook either to put full android on it, unless its easy and pretty much harmless.
Thanks for the help all!

p.s., how to i add my signature? i cant find it anywhere!

I have had both (returned the tf101 due to a hw bug - not a fault of the transformers design, just a normal qa bug). The current nooo application now has everything. Even magazines, which I remember being absent when I triedthe nook android app a while ago.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

pros: $250.00 cons: $350.00
to edit your signature, just go into private messages

dandunn98 said:
I currently have an ASUS Transformer Tablet running Honeycomb 3.2. My wife is interested in the Nook for reading, magazines, etc.
I think there is a Nook app for android as well. Can anyone help me decide if it's worth it to buy her the Nook, or not?
What does the nook have or not have that a full honeycomb tablet has?
What does the Nook app for android have/not have that the Nook may have?
Pro's/Con's for each way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The stock nook reader can do the children's books (lots of animation and "read to me"), the Android app can't. Otherwise, for grownups, they're pretty much equivalent.
The Nook doesn't have a phone, cell network, camera, microphone, video out, or bluetooth with reasonable range. These are some of the reasons that the price is so good.
When you run CM7, it does have host-mode USB (albeit a little hacky at the moment).
Not looking to Root the nook either to put full android on it, unless its easy and pretty much harmless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Booting CM7 off the SD is absolutely harmless, and very easy the third or fourth time you do it...

If the goal is to end up with a device that is good for reading books the Nook Color is a great solution. You might want to root it, very easy, and leave it running the stock OS. That will open up the NC to running apps and getting to the standard Market, but leaves the unit with the reader centric interface. I have mine this way and prefer that to a generic Android experience such as CM7. I usually prefer the bigger screen of the Transformer to the NC for general tasks like web browsing.

so what in lieu of the missing hardware (camera, gps, etc), what software limitations is on the stock nook color? Can you install apps from android market?

dandunn98 said:
p.s., how to i add my signature? i cant find it anywhere!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
couldn't find the signature under private messages

dandunn98 said:
so what in lieu of the missing hardware (camera, gps, etc), what software limitations is on the stock nook color? Can you install apps from android market?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock is crap IMO. Its only good if your just going to be reading books. Cm7 makes this thing the best tablet for your money. It is crazy easy to install and you get the full android tablet experience for less than half the price of the big boys. Yes it is missing a camera and GPS but why would you ever need that on a tablet?
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

And there is no market access on stock unless you root it.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

I have both and each has its place in my tablet world. I like the portability of the Nook and its gorgeous screen. The Transformer screen is equally impressive looking. Would highly recommend CM7 for Nook as others have suggested. When I need to use an app like Google Goggles, or other apps that use camera/video capabilities, the Transformer is the obvious choice and is quite capable. I have not yet had success with USB camera or headset with Nook but still have hope thanks to the devs continuing work. I have used GPS with both (using bluetooth GPS on the Nook). I use the Transformer as my "cell phone" now with my 3G mifi device (using the GrooVeIP app). I believe your household would enjoy having both.

With the nook app you have access to a lot less magazines because of liscense agreements. On the stock nook you have access to all magazine subscriptions like GQ and Vanity Fair.
Sent from my NookColor using XDA Premium App

soo much good info so far. i'll have to investigate this CM7. don't know much about it at all

I also have both Transformer and Nook.
They each have their place. I almost always have the rooted nook with me. Keep in mind that you can find refurbs for $180 to $200.
Also, when you root to a sd card, you don't change the underlying software in the main memory of the nook. If you have a problem with your nook, just pull the sd card out and reboot it to stock.
Once rooted, you can add the software reader from Kindle and Sony. This means you can comparative shop to find the book you want. When it is stock, you can only buy from BN or borrow from your library.

advocate2 said:
I also have both Transformer and Nook.
They each have their place. I almost always have the rooted nook with me. Keep in mind that you can find refurbs for $180 to $200.
Also, when you root to a sd card, you don't change the underlying software in the main memory of the nook. If you have a problem with your nook, just pull the sd card out and reboot it to stock.
Once rooted, you can add the software reader from Kindle and Sony. This means you can comparative shop to find the book you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This all sounds great, and i like the SD card root you guys are talking about. I haven't rooted an android device before so it's new to me, and i know theres TONS of posts regarding it as well. I have jailbroken iphones/ipod touches so i know the concept of it all.
With root, can you obtain paid programs at no charge, like jailbreaks?

dandunn98 said:
With root, can you obtain paid programs at no charge, like jailbreaks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please don't go there.
Rodney

rhester72 said:
Please don't go there.
Rodney
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
understood. I'm all for giving credit to people for apps, and all. I just enjoy testing them before buying.

With the cost of most android programs being low, there should never be a reason to look at pirated software. The software development we have today is a testiment to the hard work of many talented developers who would not continue if their work was not appreciated.
The Nook color , like most any tablet/reader device, should be considered for purchase based on filling a specific need. For reading, I have not found another device that provides anything close to the experience of the nook. For less than $250.00, you have a color screen that rivals tablets costing 2-3 times the nook. The fact that the nook boots from an sd card allows you to have a full android experience while retaining the stock nook reader.
For those wishing to expand the stock nook, cm7 provides a rich android experience with multimedia and the (almost) entire android market for apps. The market is now "device aware" and will only allow download of apps compatable with the device.
As for USB use, I am using a logitech bluetooth keyboard to type this message and use USB host mode to connect my digital camera to the nook to transfer photos directly for better viewing.
If you require all the functions of a full tablet (camera, GPS, ect:.) The nook might not be for you but if it is a secondary device that you can use to enrich your life with it's many capabilities, you will not find a better value on the market.
I'll get off my soapbox now and let you get on with that nook purchase.
Sent from my Wonderful Nook Color using Tapatalk

dandunn98 said:
With root, can you obtain paid programs at no charge, like jailbreaks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you mean to "sideload" apps then yes

A few weeks ago Staples had a coupon for $100 off all tables, including the Asus Transformer. This week Target is giving a $100 gift card to anyone who purchases an Acer Iconia (effectively making the price $299). For just $50 more than the cost of a new Nook Color, it's a no-brainer to get the Honeycomb tablet.
Both of the deals mentioned above seem indicative of price drops in the Android tablet market. Anyone who missed out on the above deals, just wait, and you'll see more like them.