I've just sold my netbook and now i'm buying a tablet.
Here is the best place to ask this because you guys unlock the full potential of the devices, so: should I get an Ipad or a Nook Color?
I have decided for an Ipad 2 long ago because IOS has the best support for medical apps (that I use a lot). For example I have an android phone (Defy) but keep carrying my ipod touch just for the medical apps that simply doesn't exist on Android Market. This week i'm in doubt because someone offered me a new Nook Color for HALF the price of the Ipad 2 32GB Wifi.
I've searched for NC capabilities and now it's running Gingerbread and soon Honeycomb, and it's pretty snappy (same specs of Defy), so now i'm just lost.
So, should I get a Nook Color? What about medical apps, battery life, multimedia capabilities, browser performance?
Thanks in advance!
Sadly I don't think the Nook Color competes with the Ipad2. And I honestly don't know if it's going to have the medical apps you need, being you have a defy shouldn't you know what it does or doesn't have?
The nook color is smaller and easier to use on the go.
With a custom rom (cm7), battery life isn't the best (4-7hrs continuous use).
Browser is very nice with Opera Mobile.
Videos play very nicely on it in my opinion, others are still having trouble with it or care far more for hardware acceleration on 720p videos =\.
The nook color is $250 retail... So if you're getting it for half of what the Ipad 2 is going for (depending on where you're getting it, you're getting it for the same price as retail or ripped off.)
That said, if apps are your thing, IOS has had more time to mature. If customizability and price are your thing, nook color all the way.
But, at the Ipad2 price point a Xoom (wifi) or the Asus EEEtransformer (not out yet) would be a better comparison for price.
Edit: I see you're not based in the U.S, so I understand now that the Ipad 2 or NC could be far more where you live. In that case, you might want to get the Nook Color (apps from ios are continually making their way to android) and just wait for the apps. And just keep using your ipod touch for what's not available yet.
Gin1212 said:
Sadly I don't think the Nook Color competes with the Ipad2. And I honestly don't know if it's going to have the medical apps you need, being you have a defy shouldn't you know what it does or doesn't have?
The nook color is smaller and easier to use on the go.
With a custom rom (cm7), battery life isn't the best (4-7hrs continuous use).
Browser is very nice with Opera Mobile.
Videos play very nicely on it in my opinion, others are still having trouble with it or care far more for hardware acceleration on 720p videos =\.
The nook color is $250 retail... So if you're getting it for half of what the Ipad 2 is going for (depending on where you're getting it, you're getting it for the same price as retail or ripped off.)
That said, if apps are your thing, IOS has had more time to mature. If customizability and price are your thing, nook color all the way.
But, at the Ipad2 price point a Xoom (wifi) or the Asus EEEtransformer (not out yet) would be a better comparison for price.
Edit: I see you're not based in the U.S, so I understand now that the Ipad 2 or NC could be far more where you live. In that case, you might want to get the Nook Color (apps from ios are continually making their way to android) and just wait for the apps. And just keep using your ipod touch for what's not available yet.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the quick answer!
You're right, here in my country the gadgets are MUCH more expensive than in the US, the taxes over these products are over 60%! And the only tablets officially available here are Ipad 1 and GalaxyTab.
And here the Ipad is the gold standard for everything, brazilian magazines and newspapers are released only on Itunes, no Android support here...
But it's good to know that the Nook is getting so neat, coming from a cheap reader to an almost full fledged tablet.
What in the medical field do you do? I have friends in medical school that swear by the iPad and its app, specifically the anatomy ones. I'm about to start and settled on the nook due to my personality. I know the iPad will distract me into another level. While the nook is hacked together enough where it gets my tasks in order and allows me to read PowerPoints but doesn't make me want to play games on it all day long. The fact that it's 300 dollars cheaper and only 7 inches didn't hurt either. The only thing I've been wishing for is Google body.
scl23enn4m3 said:
What in the medical field do you do? I have friends in medical school that swear by the iPad and its app, specifically the anatomy ones. I'm about to start and settled on the nook due to my personality. I know the iPad will distract me into another level. While the nook is hacked together enough where it gets my tasks in order and allows me to read PowerPoints but doesn't make me want to play games on it all day long. The fact that it's 300 dollars cheaper and only 7 inches didn't hurt either. The only thing I've been wishing for is Google body.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm a physician, working with primary care/family medicine and applying for residency.
My use for a tablet will be internet browsing, medical apps, ppt viewing, pdf/ebook reading and some music apps in my spare time.
On IOS I use Lexi-comp, skyscape, medcalc and isilo reader.
The iPad is better hardware by far. If you jailbreak it you can do all sorts of good stuff.
The screen on an iPad can be written on with a stylus easily. I love android but apple hardware is sexy.
hirano said:
I'm a physician, working with primary care/family medicine and applying for residency.
My use for a tablet will be internet browsing, medical apps, ppt viewing, pdf/ebook reading and some music apps in my spare time.
On IOS I use Lexi-comp, skyscape, medcalc and isilo reader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
About to start residency do you think you have time to worry about following forums, troubleshooting, doing workarounds, flashing and tinkering? If you think you do, then grab the nook Color. The thing about Android for me is, it's never been set it and forget it. I'm always changing something. To be frank, if you expect to use your device in your profession and not just after hours and not have to worry about it not booting because you overclocked it too high, I'd spring for the iPad. This is coming from someone who can't stand Apple, owns none of their products, and is typing this on a nook Color.
To muddy he waters a bit more, my NC running CM7 is pretty much set it and forget it. Even overwriting with nightlies every few days takes about 10 minutes and I'm back to running my NC perfectly afterwards.
My counterpoint is that if you use a tablet for any document that is rich in illustrations/graphics, the NC's screen and hardware will not cut it. I would suggest an iPad above all else for that reason.
scl23enn4m3 said:
About to start residency do you think you have time to worry about following forums, troubleshooting, doing workarounds, flashing and tinkering? If you think you do, then grab the nook Color. The thing about Android for me is, it's never been set it and forget it. I'm always changing something. To be frank, if you expect to use your device in your profession and not just after hours and not have to worry about it not booting because you overclocked it too high, I'd spring for the iPad. This is coming from someone who can't stand Apple, owns none of their products, and is typing this on a nook Color.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lack of time is an issue for sure, but I love tinkerin with my gadgets.
Are the custom Nook roms stable?
Can it run Froyo, Gingerbread or Honeycomb 100% functional?
Ultimately I want that my gadgets "just work".
lechiffre said:
To muddy he waters a bit more, my NC running CM7 is pretty much set it and forget it. Even overwriting with nightlies every few days takes about 10 minutes and I'm back to running my NC perfectly afterwards.
My counterpoint is that if you use a tablet for any document that is rich in illustrations/graphics, the NC's screen and hardware will not cut it. I would suggest an iPad above all else for that reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know that Cyanogen is THAT stable on the Nook. And what do you mean by "won't cut it"? The Nook can't handle PDFs or image rich documents in a snappy way?
id say Ipad 2 or Xoom
hirano said:
Good to know that Cyanogen is THAT stable on the Nook. And what do you mean by "won't cut it"? The Nook can't handle PDFs or image rich documents in a snappy way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's correct.
If you're reading epub then NC is the way to go. If you're doing PDFs then you'll definitely want a bigger screen.
The real question is, do you need a tablet right now? and do you mind being locked down to iTunes?
If waiting is an option you might be interested in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 that's set to come out in June. Stock Honeycomb. No Apple lock-down.
FYI CyanogenMod 7 is perfectly stable and I just used my NC (running CM7 nightlies) for a month-long vacation abroad without issues. On iPad I find typing a chore because the slab is so huge, and you can't travel without fearing an iPad will be crushed or torqued.
I personally find that the 7" screen is far more portable. As far as PDF's go, so long as it's not heavily illustrated (as in the book is just scanned in and is 500mbs, not ocr'ed, etc.) then it will do fine. In fact I love reading on the nook color with Ezpdf reader.
But Ipad has the software right now... In the end though, it's just a big Ipod touch.
Right now and for the foreseeable future (the next 12 months) iOS is the way to go if you need a polished machine for real work. The application library is simply going to blow away anything Android has, not to mention Honeycomb. And because of the Apple "cachet" one would expect that medical and legal applications would find a much larger market on the iPad than any given Andoroid device.
The Nook Color, right now is one of two things:
1) A nice, highly portable e-reader that can surf the web (for those who don't root)
2) A cheap tweakable hobbyist machine for those who want to explore the ponetial of tablets without dropping five bills on an iPad.
I love my Nook Color, but I don't actually expect to get "real work" done on it.
I love my NC. It is just more portable than the ipad or ipad 2. plus the price is much more acceptable to me. However, like other users have said, ios is more mature. I use my NC for lots of things, but some medical applications are currenly available only for ios (for now, many are getting written for android with the increased popularity of android tablets). I have CM7 running off of an sd card and have had no stability issues.
I use docs2go for my doc and pdf files and they seem to render pretty well on it. I have medscape, lexicomp, and epocrates on my nook and they run quite well (medscape and epocrates are free). On my android phone i have some skyscape applications (skyscape is one of the best sources for medical texts in my opinion). Look at skyscape.com for their selection. They are not cheap, but they are very thorough and can find may of the texts that you will be required to have are in full version on that site. They also make apps for ios.
dsf3g said:
2) A cheap tweakable hobbyist machine for those who want to explore the ponetial of tablets without dropping five bills on an iPad.
I love my Nook Color, but I don't actually expect to get "real work" done on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No offense, but perhaps you need to give you NC another shot. Frankly, aside from updating CM as they com out with better builds (which takes 10 min, and is nothing more than an update like in Windows, which does not destroy anything), i haven't tweaked in some time. But what i DO use it for, is checking mail while out of the office, looking up things online, reading and editing work documents anywhere (thank you Quick Office), having fun with it when i need some R&R, and having quick access to both my calendar and gmail.
Why you don't think you can get "real work" done on it is beyond me...
I think the samsung gtab will be 350 for work only if your not interested in bn reader for magazines
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
mjb413 said:
I love my NC. It is just more portable than the ipad or ipad 2. plus the price is much more acceptable to me. However, like other users have said, ios is more mature. I use my NC for lots of things, but some medical applications are currenly available only for ios (for now, many are getting written for android with the increased popularity of android tablets). I have CM7 running off of an sd card and have had no stability issues.
I use docs2go for my doc and pdf files and they seem to render pretty well on it. I have medscape, lexicomp, and epocrates on my nook and they run quite well (medscape and epocrates are free). On my android phone i have some skyscape applications (skyscape is one of the best sources for medical texts in my opinion). Look at skyscape.com for their selection. They are not cheap, but they are very thorough and can find may of the texts that you will be required to have are in full version on that site. They also make apps for ios.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like you're doing with your nook all the things that I want to do.
I have tried medscape, isilo and pdf reading (repligo) on my Android phone that is fairly similar to the Nook Color (Defy, 800mhz, 512MB ram) and the performance and usability are quite good.
hirano said:
On IOS I use Lexi-comp, skyscape, medcalc and isilo reader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of those apps are in the android market most of the better medical content providers have made their products available on both iOS and android. Medscape took a long time to get there
The Nook isn't as good as the iPad for reading PDFs and powerpoints however, mostly due to the smaller screen. This is esp. true for documents with two or more columns.
If money is a concern, you may be better off looking for a cheap 10" android tablet or a first generation iPad. If money is NOT a concern, I don't think you'll be unhappy with an iPad 2
What specific applications do you need?
If you don't need proprietary reference materials, then android has everything you need. I use Epocrates and some medical calculators, and hit Wikipedia if I want to refresh my memory on something. UpToDate is always an option for more in-depth reading.
For documents, I recommend converting all of your old material to text format, and using any of the myriad notepad apps on android. Or you could use Google Docs.
The NC is very stable, even with a modded ROM. I use rooted stock - it does everything I need and is trivially easy to do. I keep Froyo, CM7, and Honeycomb on SD cards to play with. The stickies may installing these ROMs quite easy. You can always install onto an SD card, in order to keep the NC itself stock.
The main disadvantage to the NC is the 7" form factor, which is also its main advantage. I played with an iPad in the store, and it is sooo much more cumbersome to hold than the NC. However, even if you wanted the larger screen, I would strongly consider an android 10" tablet.
Related
I am always into the gadget with the most mods available and possibilities. I'm trying to find an ereader for my girlfriend though. Is this a decent choice? She mainly wants to read magazines and I might want to play Angry Birds now and then.
Seeing its price, screen resolution, and functionality, it's absolutely perfect for her, if those are her main requirements. The magazine reading app that B&N supplies is really top notch.
Bimboy said:
Seeing its price, screen resolution, and functionality, it's absolutely perfect for her, if those are her main requirements. The magazine reading app that B&N supplies is really top notch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know enough about tablets and ereaders I guess, but if I were to get a generic android 2.2 tablet it wouldn't have this magazine app? I'm assuming there is no other device in this price range that does magazines well? Can't really afford an ipad right now. Think it will be hard to find a nook color in the Bay Area next week?
I don't know for sure as I don't read magazines digitally, but I read something around here about the Nook for Android apk NOT working for magazines, just books while the NC DOES do magazines.
And from what I have read everywhere, for the money there is no better overall device it seems.
I did give my NC a quick run through after I got it and it seemed overall a pretty well done job by B&N. Of course my time with it unmodded was only a couple of hours...
If the primary use was to be JUST an eBook reader I would probably say something with a B&W eInk screen would be better, but for anything with image content and color- NC would seem the best thing out right now.
truckinusa said:
I don't know enough about tablets and ereaders I guess, but if I were to get a generic android 2.2 tablet it wouldn't have this magazine app? I'm assuming there is no other device in this price range that does magazines well? Can't really afford an ipad right now. Think it will be hard to find a nook color in the Bay Area next week?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's unique about the B&N is that it integrates the subscription process with the magazine reader. I don't mean they're the same application...they're two...but they work together well. If you tried to use another device, you'd have to figure out:
- how to port the B&N magazine reader app to the new device
- how to download copies of the magazine issues
I'm not saying don't do it, it's just more work. FYI, I just took a quick peek and many mainstream magazines seem to run $2-$4 per month for a 12-month subscription.
The NC is at Walmart too now, by the way.
EDIT: well, turns out the magazines are stored as epubs in the NC's internal memory: /media/B&N Downloads/Magazines. Easy to find, and I was able to make a copy and view it on a PC.
-Matt
"is the nook color a good choice for girlfriend?"
No, I think your first choice should be a real girl. The Nook Color is great, but it can not compare to a real girl as a girlfriend!!
Geezer Squid said:
"is the nook color a good choice for girlfriend?"
No, I think your first choice should be a real girl. The Nook Color is great, but it can not compare to a real girl as a girlfriend!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If she likes to read magazines, that's where the NOOKcolor really shines.
I think she will like it. i prefer the NC over the e-inks, with brightness down it is comfortable to read in dark, i read it well in sunlight also. i would have had to spend extra $20 for light for Nook 3G, so, NC and all it's extras for $30 more? win
The big B&N Announced their new Nook today, and no it's not Color. It's what I had suspected, a New eInk Reader to compete directly with the Kindle.
Here are the Specs:
- 6 inch Touchscreen(Infared based)
- eInk Pearl Display
- 8 ounces
- 2gb Internal Memory - MicroSD Expandable
(NOTE: B&N says 1gb free space with possibly 750mb of that reserved for B&N content)
- 2 Month Battery Life with WiFi off, 3 weeks with WiFi on
- Fast Page Turning (Screen Refresh)
- Library eBook Support
- WiFi b/g/n
- Free WiFi access from B&N and AT&T
- Support ePub PDF JPG PNG GIF BMP
- Android 2.1 OS (Completely Modified UI)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp?PID=35699
Comparison of Nook 2 and Amazon Kindle 3
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/compare/index.asp?PID=38254
Videos
B&N Nook 2 Demo:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw7ixu2sZmQ
B&N Nook 2 360°:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u3E29S10_w
Quick Spec Overview:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yofcFZecOag
Cnet First Look:http://cnettv.cnet.com/new-nook-e-reader/9742-1_53-50105359.html?tag=api&partTag=cbsmobile
Engadget Hands-On:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtXRHn-Mh34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkbEqqIOUkE
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How long till someone gets CM7 working on this?
donballz said:
How long till someone gets CM7 working on this?
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Click to collapse
Doubt it since there's no LCD display and it probably doesn't run Android, or at least a heavily modded version of Android.
I won't give up on it being Rooted eventually, but we'll have to see when it comes out.
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So it's like ppl guessed, an e-link pad.
I think I am good with my sony ereader, and 6 inch is a bit too small for me, in their website there isn't anything about hardware spec.
I was hoping for a new nook color, but I guess they need wait for the whole ipad2 things gone.
It's Android 2.1, as indicated during the post-announcement Q&A session. TI [email protected] MHz. 2GB onboard with uSD slot.
Rodney
japzone said:
Doubt it since there's no LCD display and it probably doesn't run Android, or at least a heavily modded version of Android.
I won't give up on it being Rooted eventually, but we'll have to see when it comes out.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read somewhere it's running 2.1. Not sure why you'd want to put CM7... or anything else on there, though... other than the "because it can be done" factor... like running MAME on your digital camera's LCD.
Yep it runs Android after I read the fine print so there's a good chance it'll be Rooted but I won't bet on it.
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dsf3g said:
I read somewhere it's running 2.1. Not sure why you'd want to put CM7... or anything else on there, though... other than the "because it can be done" factor... like running MAME on your digital camera's LCD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Remember only 2gb of Internal Mem. It also says that there'll be about 1gb free with possibly 750mb of that reserved for B&N content.
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Sucks thetere won't be a Web Browser. Atleast, not at launch.
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Don't see the point of rooting this, with an e ink display.
Still rocking the Incredible with the XDA Premium App.
I Am Marino said:
Don't see the point of rooting this, with an e ink display.
Still rocking the Incredible with the XDA Premium App.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's plenty of reasons, just think of what you could do on the Nook Original. With a Full eInk touchscreen you could be pretty creative.
Also this solves the Autograph problem. With a Touchscreen your favorite Author could literally sign your eBook. Hope B&N enable/allow this.
On a side note, I wonder what they're using for the touchscreen. Is it Infared like the new Kobo eReader?
EDIT: It does use Infared
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Do you mean "infrared," as in the wavelengths of red light beyond the visible spectrum?
Anyway, it looks better than a Kindle (fast page turns are huge), but I prefer having a single all-media device with LCD (like...Nook Color!).
I guess I'm not seeing the big problem with the e-ink display. Sure it isn't color, but I can think of a lot of uses for a smaller device with a much improved battery life.
technicalsquash said:
I guess I'm not seeing the big problem with the e-ink display. Sure it isn't color, but I can think of a lot of uses for a smaller device with a much improved battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No one's objecting to the e-ink display, just saying it would be pointless to root it. I can see the appeal of e-ink, but for me there's more appeal in having fewer devices, and while e-ink is very good at what it does--displaying readable text without a backlight and without drawing power--it's not good for much of anything else.
Taosaur said:
No one's objecting to the e-ink display, just saying it would be pointless to root it. I can see the appeal of e-ink, but for me there's more appeal in having fewer devices, and while e-ink is very good at what it does--displaying readable text without a backlight and without drawing power--it's not good for much of anything else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's your point for rooting it.
My reason for rooting would be to install an Android build with Market Support and Google Apps such as a browser or Google Reader, seeing as I'm an RSS junky this would be perfect for me. Either installing a clean slate build or modifying the default Nook rom to allow these features would make my life complete.
All I'd have to do is tether my EVO to my Nook E-reader and I'd be getting the best of both worlds. My EVO would be saving battery life versus normal operating condition because the screen would be off and my Nook would be almost as versatile for reading text as my EVO, but with much better battery life.
This is ALL about battery life, not overclocking, watching flash or playing Angry Birds. Rooting Android on an e-reader display is a whole new realm for XDA'ers to tinker with. What about optimizing Android Applications for E-ink displays? Imagine creating a Google Reader App specifically for E-ink that saves battery life and improves the reading experience?
I'm so excited by the prospect of an E-ink Android device. Used a few experimental handhelds at CES this year, but they were all in Chinese and frozen, so for B&N to release a name brand device that achieves this technology makes me all giddy.
The "800MHz OMAP3" spec is almost certainly the same OMAP3621 we've been enjoying for the last 6 months. I'm interested to see if they made the microsd come before emmc in the boot order, and if the e-ink is just another framebuffer as on the original.
2 month battery life /drooooooolllllllllll
It really does look quite nice.
I can definitely see the advantages that could come from rooting it- though it would be nice if those just came standard. The opposition to a browser eating up the 3G data beyond its intended purpose isn't a factor when it's a 3G only device.
OMGWTF_BBQ said:
There's your point for rooting it.
My reason for rooting would be to install an Android build with Market Support and Google Apps such as a browser or Google Reader, seeing as I'm an RSS junky this would be perfect for me. Either installing a clean slate build or modifying the default Nook rom to allow these features would make my life complete.
All I'd have to do is tether my EVO to my Nook E-reader and I'd be getting the best of both worlds. My EVO would be saving battery life versus normal operating condition because the screen would be off and my Nook would be almost as versatile for reading text as my EVO, but with much better battery life.
This is ALL about battery life, not overclocking, watching flash or playing Angry Birds. Rooting Android on an e-reader display is a whole new realm for XDA'ers to tinker with. What about optimizing Android Applications for E-ink displays? Imagine creating a Google Reader App specifically for E-ink that saves battery life and improves the reading experience?
I'm so excited by the prospect of an E-ink Android device. Used a few experimental handhelds at CES this year, but they were all in Chinese and frozen, so for B&N to release a name brand device that achieves this technology makes me all giddy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Just because it can't show Animations/Video doesn't mean it's not worth it to Root. When I think about how much I use ReadItLater/Instapaper, Engadget, Cnet, Opera Mini, ect... Having an Android 2.1 eInk device with a Battery that lasts 1-2 months(WiFi On/Off) makes me drool.
Sucks that I probably won't be getting it because off my lack of disposable income. The only reason I have a Nook Color is because it was a gift(I don't even have a smartphone). But whenever I see gadgets like this compete, driving features up and prices down, I can't help but dream.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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. .
There's been some controversy among e-reader enthusiasts about including the NC in B&N's Q1 e-reader sales, which some market analysts are saying beat Amazon's. Most of us on this forum probably agree that marketing the NC as an e-reader undersells its capabilities considerably. Many, but not all, also share my suspicion that we are a minority, however overexposed in the online tech-bubble, and most NC owners do use the device unmodified and primarily for reading.
What I wonder is how many of us who bought the NC with no intention of keeping her stock (and may not have looked twice at e-Ink readers), or those who decided they wanted more out of the NC, are also putting it to its stated use: reading.
For simplicity, we'll include magazines and comics read offline, but no web content. Obviously, we're mostly talking about actual e-books.
I went with the NC over other devices because of the ease of ROM-swapping, the opportunity to explore Android, and the broad media and web capability, but reading is still my #1 use for it by a long stretch: mostly novels, some comics.
I've own (and lost) a first Gen Kindle; replaced it with the first Gen Nook (e-ink); and I handed that off to my wife when the NC came along. The NC was the first that I did anything except read on as a primary activity.
I did root all three but all the Kindle could do was bring up the embedded Linux command line. Pretty boring. I did a little more with the original Nook, but I returned it to stock for the wife. Neither was anything except an e-reader when in use.
I split the use 50/50 on the NC (that should have been the 2nd poll option). I polled as #1, but that is not quite accurate.
I read on mine all the time. I'd even say that reading is my primary use for it. My NC is rooted, with the full Market and lots of other apps installed, but I keep the stock OS, since it offers such a vastly improved reading experience.
I've tried Honeycomb and CM7 on SD cards, and both are great. But for me, the NC is an ereader first. I use it for some tablet stuff like playing games, reading GReader, etc, but primarily for reading.
I'm a little surprised (positively ) to see the poll quite this top-heavy so far.
ryaninc said:
I keep the stock OS, since it offers such a vastly improved reading experience.
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I guess that's a matter of opinion. The limitations of the reader were pretty much the main reason I ditched stock. At least, it was the main reason I was eager to ditch it at the earliest convenience; I knew by the time I got the NC that I wanted CM7, but didn't have a chance to install it for another week.
I read on it a LOT. I buy a lot of books from B&N -- far more than I did before I got the NC -- and they have become my primary activity when I travel. I do have CM7, and I use it for my daily task list and calendar, which probably consume more time than the reading so, I voted that way.
My two concerns, which might have tipped me to using it primarily for reading, are that the Nook application has touch sensitivity issues in its upper menu bar and that one cannot read most magazines with it, even though I purchased them from BN and they show up in the application. The former has me looking at other readers; the latter has me using Zinio. Because I like to put my dollars in vendors whom I believe I should support, I would buy more books and magazines from BN if they fixed these two issues.
I do most of my reading on a rooted N2E with the Kindle app. I find eink much more comfortable on my eyes than the NC.
I don't think I've ever read an ebook on my NC! I bought it for the sole purpose of installing a full version of Android on it (I used CM7) in order to "learn" the Android OS... Well, after only three months, I decided that I liked it so much, that I sold the NC and am going to get an ASUS Transformer... I tried resisting it, but it won - I give in!
I currently use an iPad 1 paired with the ZaggMate case/stand/keyboard, which is really nice - just looking forward to all of the connectivity options with the transformer, etc... I do not read any ebooks on the ipad either... maybe a few technical reference .pdf files, but that's about it...
Read a lot
Early on I found the Kindle app on my Droid Inc and loved the enlarged font for reading. Since then I've never looked back and always have a book loaded. I bought the Nook more for the concept of having an Android "tablet" rather than a reader. Once I figured out how to download the Kindle app, the Nook became my primary reader at home (kinda ironic). I love how the app syncs between my phone and nook so when I'm reading at the doctors, then come home, I can pick-up right where I left off on my nook.
In the end, I'd probably do more with my nook but feel stymied by its slow response time when surfing the web and its lack of apps that utilize its screen real estate properly. I'm chomping at the bit for a new Android tablet, but only want something in the same size range. Anything bigger than the nook (I feel) is to big to use for reading or lounging in bed. The Galaxy and HTC flyer offer great sizes, but I'll wait for a dual processor that can better handle web surfing and flash simultaneously for a smoother experience. Maybe Amazon in the near future?
All in all, I'm don't regret for my nook investment. Its been a great experience learning about the rooting process and Android OS's flexibility.
I bought it primarily as an ereader, particularly to read in bed at night without light.
Have since had a great time fiddling with roms and apps.- it was a real intro to android for me.
I also like the 7inch size - easy to transport, but big enough to surf the web, email etc.
Same deal here as frogger55: bought NC for reading in bed and I stumbled on the fact that the NC could be such a great tablet. I got introduced to Android here in the xda NC forum. Everyone has been so helpful and I thank you all for sharing so much knowledge. It took a while for me to get brave enough to root and then put CM7 on sdcard because I had zero experience before joining this xda Nook color community. then I found my phone can produce a wifi signal for when I am on a trip or somewhere away from wifi. Overall I am thrilled with my Nook Color.
Not read anything more than a page long yet
I began learning about android on a Huawei s7 tablet and then saw the nook color. My wife was looking for a device to surf the web and play a few games so I bought the nook for her. She lost interest in it when she discovered she could not play her facebook games and went back to her netbook leaving me (see the logic here?) The nook as a new toy to play with. It was rooted within 2 hours and I tried out phiremod and UD but then found cm7 and never looked back. As for uses, I read extensively on the nook. I have the kindle reader, aldiko, and the nook reader installed as well as google reader as I use a variety of book formats. As I write using the nook as well, I installed an external keyboard and host mode to allow me access to my flash drives and external hard drives. Far more than an ereader but a really great ereader as well.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
I was interested in e-ink readers awhile ago, but never wanted to take the plunge until they got color screens and could display web content. Well, the NC came out before that tech revolution happened, and I'm glad it did. I would say that reading is one of my biggest time consumers (although angry birds on the NC is the wife's biggest, and that may outstrip my time spent reading.... didn't think about that). So yeah, good e-reader, great for comics as well (which was another venue I wanted a reader to cover), I wanted to get into Android as well w/o a pricy phone data plan, and the nice size (large w/o being huge) were all major pluses. Now that I have it, I really like reading and getting my daily RSS updates in the mornings at the gym.
I got my NC Full time CM7 nightlies ROM - as a hybrid - Reader - and to learn about Tablets / ROM's / ANDROID. Almost bought a kindle - but I wanted a backlit screen to read at night.
I'd say I probably use it 65/35 right now tablet / reader. Its the only reading device I own - and I'm still trying new apps - with it to customize it's use to my liking. I read mainly epub content I create via calibre - .pdf's - and a couple Kindle books. I like the e-magazine option too from Nook - but their app is a little finicky - and the magazine selection is slanted toward more Women publications. I'm looking for other options to get Magazines I like - on the device - b/c I hate throwing out mags with good content - but equally hate storing them..
I expect my uses to evolve as I use it more - but pretty happy as my first tablet. I'd probably prefer a dual core with a little more OOMFFF - but didn't want to pay that for a first tablet - to find a week later - it's an expensive paperweight.
Still don't know if I want a bigger screen or not - the portability and size work well. At times, the font is a little small to read - depending on the app I'm reading.
This is my second ebook reader, the first had an e-ink screen. Since I was 10 years old I always wished I could fit a library in my pocket, in recent years modern technology has granted my wish.
I bought it because I found out what I could do with it aftermarket, but used it in it's stock configuration until the 1.2 update came out. After I updated, I ran my first Android OS from an SD install, preserving the stock Nook Color as-is.
I'd say recently i've been doing more with it then reading, but I still read an average of 3 hours a day on it, with no card installed in it's stock configuration.
I am still going through what I can do with it, I haven't gotten into either the audio or video aspects available, though i've gone a bit app-crazy and dropped almost $500 into google and amazon app markets (yep - finally used up those amazon gift cards)
To say I am satisfied with my purchase would be an understatement.
I can still read with it, just the way B&N intended, which works pretty well .(though I have my gripes, particularly with the library structure - or lack thereof)
In addition, in the time it takes to turn it off and back on I can be in an Android environment of my choosing, set up with as many variances as I have (decent) MicroSD cards for.
My girlfriend has her own MicroSD card, and can use my Nook Color to play all her games with and configure to her hearts content...without affecting any of my own setups.
One of the best parts to me is that this flexibility stems from the fact that it has no cellular service, and so I don't have to worry about being constrained by my service provider. Gone is the worry of being watched all the time by having a constant GPS readout of my location in some database somewhere.
All in all, the Nook Color is probably the greatest technology purchase i've ever made.
I put CM7 on my Nook within an hour of owning it, so obviously bought it to use as a tablet. However, I did read the last 3/4 of The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest on it, having read the first 1/4 of the book on my Desire (3.7" screen). I bought the book while waiting for a delayed flight at the airport, through my phone's Kindle app. (Sorry B&N). I got the Nook about a week later.
I started my E-reader experience with a Pandigital Novel. I wasn't sure I would like reading on an LCD screen and I didn't want to spend a ton of money to find out. I got that Novel for $129. I read a couple of books on it and liked it a lot. I wanted to jump to a NC but $250 was pretty expensive to me for a reader and I was frankly scared of the rooting process.
But now that I have one I absolutely love it and I'm usually messing with it for a few hours a day. I would say my time spent on it is about 50/50 between reading and surfing the net and playing games.
Interesting question! I'd wanted an e reader for a long time but didn't like the "single use" aspect of it, so started looking at the ipad, even though I think apple stinks as a corporation. Then someone clued me on to newer android tablets coming out including the NC. I didn't know whether I'd really USE a tablet, and 500+ was just too much so I kept coming back to the NC. Then I discovered honeycomb, then deeper-blues port of hc to the nook, and that combined with the price sealed the deal.
I hardly ever turn on my computer anymore, and as cm7 matures and the flashing novelty wears off, I find myself reading more too. I'm running about 75 browsing/Modding/playing and 25 reading, but that's changing rapidly. If ice cream gets the cm treatment for the NC though, reading might start dropping again.
I actually started e-reading on a 3lb netbook (MSI Wind) running Windows 7, held portrait like a hardcover, but it got stolen last year. An Amazon ad for the ad-supported Kindle, coupled with the death of my old iPod Video, got me thinking about how to rebuild my e-cology, and I drifted over to mobileread.com, which is where I learned about the Nook Color. I thought about some of the similar-sized no-name Android tablets you can get for $100-150, but the screen, dev community, and nigh-unbrickable configuration sold me on the NC.
E-books were my top priority the whole time, but like some others, I was hesitant to get a single-use device, and what I really wanted was an e-reader and casual browser for home and around town that would also serve as a portal to all my media when I'm on the road. The NC fills those gaps nicely, with the bonus of being a great platform for exploring Android.
A large portion of my time on the NC is reading ebooks. I loaded CM7 so that I could access and use Google Market/Amazon Apps and be able to choose which ebook client/seller on a whim. I thought I'd play a lot more of the games I've downloaded, but really I'd say my usage is about:
70% reading - 25% netflix videos - 3% web browsing - 2% games and misc.
I'm still quite happy with it, but I'll probably upgrade in the future to a somewhat larger tablet for better web browsing (the widescreen format is great for movies but sucks for my bad eyesight for reading website text) as well as full-on support for videos, i.e. probably whatever Android tablet Amazon comes out with.
So most likely friday I am buying a tablet. I want it mainly for internet, ereading, movies, music making notes for class and showing my photography. The thing is there is apps that I want but aren't on the B and N store. Facebook, gmail and pintrest aren't too big an issue because I can go on the website. But some others I am disappointed they don't have. I have been looking at the HD and Nexus 7. My major reason why I am leaning towards the Nook is because it can have an sd card (i am not a cloud storage person right now) and some of the magazines I want say that they can be only used on the Nook. Not to mention the new scapbook thing would be useful. I always find cool things in magazines and forget that would be a nice touch though. I have been reading about a possibility of sideloading apps. Wondering if it would be worth it to get the HD or go with the Nexus. Is there a way to sideload apps without getting rid of the nook interface. I know there is rooting and roms that will probably come but I like how the nook works. Anyhow thanks in advance.
Your reason for picking the Nook HD is the same as mine. I do photography for fun, although I keep hearing only good things about my works. Sideloading isn't hard, but it appear people are having some problem getting ADB to work, which is actually a per-requisite for sideloading. I have the benefit of being a geek first, and photography being second if not third. So, tinkering with the Nook become easy for me. You can side load a lot of app, w/o having to use google app store. To actually use non-B&N app store, you do require more hacking than just sideloading. If you aren't comfortable with it, I would say go for Nexus. That said, I would say both HD and Nexus 7 is actually a wrong choice for what you are looking forward to do with your device. The 10 inches version of them are probably better suited for movie watching and showcase your photo since they at least can display 1080p. And that's the reason I got the Nook HD+. If you can tinker with the Nook, then it's a good choice, otherwise I would say go with the other since the list of apps available on B&N is pretty pathetic.
Thanks for the reply. I thought about the ten inch but I was looking at them both and I actually like the picture on the hd better. It was a slight difference and I like the portability better. I am still undecided on size. I rooted my phone before and I am pretty good with tech stuff. I figure stuff out pretty quick. So I am jot worried about that. I am trying to start a photography business so that is why I need the photos looking good and it seems like the nook has the best screen right now. I have an android phone so its like to me if I cant put it on the nook I can on my phone but something's would be better on the tablet. So if you sideload is it stil on the normal nook interface? Will the apps show up on it?
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda app-developers app
Yes, on the 7-8 inches, Nook is pretty good, but when it come to 10 inches, I heard the Nexus is better. On the other hand, iPad is better at color accuracy as the screen is profile very close to sRGB. That said, the glossy screen is not something I enjoy. The iPad 3 screen is much glossier than Nook. If you are intended to use it for business. If color is critical then you might have to pick up iPad and put a screen protector that minimize the reflectiveness. And yes loading picture would be a pain also since you can't just dump them on the SD and have to use Apple software. Also access picture on NAS/SAN is another problem on iOS. I'm not even aware of any color profile or calibration tool on Android at all.
someone0 said:
Yes, on the 7-8 inches, Nook is pretty good, but when it come to 10 inches, I heard the Nexus is better. On the other hand, iPad is better at color accuracy as the screen is profile very close to sRGB. That said, the glossy screen is not something I enjoy. The iPad 3 screen is much glossier than Nook. If you are intended to use it for business. If color is critical then you might have to pick up iPad and put a screen protector that minimize the reflectiveness. And yes loading picture would be a pain also since you can't just dump them on the SD and have to use Apple software. Also access picture on NAS/SAN is another problem on iOS. I'm not even aware of any color profile or calibration tool on Android at all.
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Well I refuse to buy an ipad or anything Apple on principle. Lol. It's more of just having it for to show people the stuff I have but yeah it's more for pleasure except for the picture part. I don't know I think I will go for the nook and if I really need something different I can always get something else. I really want the Win 8 pro ones but they a lot more then I can spend right now. I am looking in the 200 - 300 range. Thank you for your help though.
I hate Apple as much as you do, but I buy what works for me regardless of brand. That said if there are choices that inclucde non-apple brand, I most likely go that route. I have absolutely no problem buying an Apple 15" retina MacBookPro and put Windows on it because nobody else making the spec that met my need. Yes I can take advantage of that native high res screen.
dangerousjenny said:
Well I refuse to buy an ipad or anything Apple on principle. Lol. It's more of just having it for to show people the stuff I have but yeah it's more for pleasure except for the picture part. I don't know I think I will go for the nook and if I really need something different I can always get something else. I really want the Win 8 pro ones but they a lot more then I can spend right now. I am looking in the 200 - 300 range. Thank you for your help though.
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I have a ElineUSA Prodigy EL908 10 inch (9.7 inch) tablet. Pictures are super sharp on this tablet. It can even play 1080 dpi Hi def videos. It has a micro SD card slot for loading pictures, music, books etc. You can get it in 16gb or 32gb versions. It has 1 gb RAM. Front and back cameras. The glass is IPS laminate (same as IPad). Let me know if you are intrested I can hook you up wth one. Running ICS 4.04 at the moment, but Jelly Bean should be available shortly.
Per my new announcement here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34478962#post34478962
I am closing this thread. Please follow the "Request a new forum" link, and let the staff know a board for the HD is needed.
Per the NEW announcement,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34819554#post34819554
I redeclare this thread open...