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How does the Kindle app look on the NC? How is the usability?
Very nice. Very good. I have a kindle and the nook is my favorite kindle reading experience.
Odd, that.
I like the new update on the Kindle app. You can change the background to sepia or black. Make it a little easier on the eyes depending on the time of day you're reading.
I've also attached the APK for your convenience. Good reading
boo on AZW
Why boo on amazon? There's a crapload of free books from them through their market.
i have a kindle and the fact that i could get a nook and still keep my whole kindle library is cool. and the idea of using both devices at the same time (thanks, whispernet) is tempting. nook color at home in the evenings, kindle on the road.
sounds like a great combination.
edit: i just realized this was in the dev forum, this definitely belongs in general or Q&A.
Just purchased (free) a bunch of children kindle books from amazon but when I open them on the kindle it looks like all the images are missing. Any Ideas?
a.vandelay said:
i have a kindle and the fact that i could get a nook and still keep my whole kindle library is cool. and the idea of using both devices at the same time (thanks, whispernet) is tempting. nook color at home in the evenings, kindle on the road.
sounds like a great combination...
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Interesting perspective...I also have a Kindle (3rd generation) and am struggling with having both a Nook and Kindle. I just don't feel "right" having both...I haven't actually read any books on the Nook yet so not sure how I'll enjoy the experience. I'm also concerned about the battery life. I kind of figure if the Nook wins me over I'd give up the Kindle, and if it doesn't, I give up the Nook...
Likewise, I have the Kindle3 and Nookcolor. As an actual reader, lol, I would often carry several books in my backpack, messenger bag, comuter bag, or whatever I put my stuff in when I'm out and about.
So, having two 'books', the NC and K3 in this case, is no big deal and still a net gain since each usually weighs less than any of the tomes or magazines I (used to) carry around.
blamejake said:
Likewise, I have the Kindle3 and Nookcolor. As an actual reader, lol, I would often carry several books in my backpack, messenger bag, comuter bag, or whatever I put my stuff in when I'm out and about.
So, having two 'books', the NC and K3 in this case, is no big deal and still a net gain since each usually weighs less than any of the tomes or magazines I (used to) carry around.
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That makes sense...how do you feel about having to keep up with 2 devices being charged? I'm very concerned about the battery life on the Nook overall. People don't seem to be posting much about it and my experience is telling me maybe 5 straight hours of use. If I get into a book I've been known to start reading in the morning and not stop til I'm finished, well over 5 hours (8 - 12). I think the Nook can be read while plugged in so for my marathon sessions at home that works o.k., but I seem to be losing anywhere from 1 - 5% in idle (non use)...so the Nook appears to be a device that will require daily charging to ensure it's ready to go when I am (like my phone) whereas the Kindle really can sit for 2 or 3 weeks and still be fine (WITH wifi on).
Yes, handling multiple devices can be a problem, a nice problem to have ;-)
A technical problem if I may, has anyone figured out how to get the cover to show in the list of books in the case of a .mobi book that's been dropped into the \kindle folder ?
I've tried renaming, resizing (seems to want 60x91), etc...no go :-(
The Kindle app works very well on the Nook.
Better than the Nook ereader, I think-
it will swap to landscape mode, while the Nook Color does not.
I keep wondering WHY as well.... the Nook reader software on my phone flips, why not the ebook?
Boac to the original question: it really does work well.
My sister wrote a book which was released for Kindle and I bought a copy.
She was very surprised to see that the color illustrations were in color and looked great. She had previously only seen it in print or on a Kindle.
But the slider at the bottom doesn't seem to be accessible, because once you tap the screen, the regular nook menubar will show up on top of the slider, making it (almost) impossible to use the slider underneath.
unless of course, u get sometimes lucky and are able to pick that 2 pixels of slider shown on the screen with your 1 inch thick finger.
(besides the touch resolution of NC is not super good)
http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/02/barnes-and-noble-preparing-nook-color-2-for-september-launch/
Barnes and Noble’s Nook Color eReader is a fan favorite, not only because it’s great for reading, but also because with a little hackery it becomes a surprisingly decent Android tablet. A new report from Taiwan today indicates that Barnes and Noble has a sequel in the works, and that it could hit stores shelves as early as this month, potentially before Amazon’s own big unveiling.
Details about the new reader are sparse, but Digitimes reports that it retain the original’s 7-inch screen size. Hardware vendors are already lined up and ready to ship components: TPK Holdings is reportedly responsible for for supplying the device’s touch panels, while Inventec will handle the assembly process.
Interestingly, Digitimes also fingers E Ink as providing e-paper backplates for the Nook Color 2, which seems highly suspect. It may well be among the first mass-market devices to offer a color e-paper display, but it seems doubtful if only for one reason: it would probably kill the Nook Color 2′s tablet potential.
Getting your choice of custom Android ROM onto a Nook Color is fairly trivial these days, and has certainly driven Nook Color purchases among the geekier crowd. They become infinitely more useful in the process — my favorite Korean restaurant uses one as a menu for first-timers — and a color e-paper display could put that all at risk. Battery life among other things would probably improve, but it could otherwise stymie certain owners of the original from buying a new model.
For now, the true nature of the Nook Color 2′s display (and the rest of its specs) will remain a mystery, but hopefully it won’t be long before it makes its official debut.
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joenathane said:
http://techcrunch.com/2011/09/02/barnes-and-noble-preparing-nook-color-2-for-september-launch/
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Dual core CPU plus maybe a camara for video chat might make this a worthy upgrade if it is in the same price range as the current nook color.
koopakid08 said:
Dual core CPU plus maybe a camara for video chat might make this a worthy upgrade if it is in the same price range as the current nook color.
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Unneeded for something that is supposed to be an ebook reader.
Nburnes said:
Unneeded for something that is supposed to be an ebook reader.
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I have to disagree. There would be plenty of justin tv viewers to watch the broadcast of someone reading of an e-book who is also wearing a low cut tank top.
It must be an improvement over the current nook color to be worthy of development. That said, whatever they've added will likely come at some higher price since they didn't adjust the price point of the NC over such a long period.
My one and only question would be will they build it in such a way that the full capabilities can be utilized? The entire popularity of this device got as high as it did because it could be rooted and customized.
Seeing how sales skyrocketed for that crappy webos tablet(crappy because it had webos) when the price came down and speculation of it being able to be modified became popular, I would hope the NC2 will be no less customizable.
I imagine the sales of any sequel device will be higher simply because the NC was customizable, and higher yet if the sequel is too. Should be a lesson to B&N I would think.
I'm still apprehensive that it would come out so quickly with no details like every other new device. It just seems unlikely since other manufacturers have so much resources to hide their development and yet they still get found out.. I mean not all of them lose their device in a bar multiple times, right?
Till I see something more official I don't believe there will be a NC2 anytime soon. If there is I will be truly shocked.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
I don't know if we'll see this NC2 materialize in the next couple months, but seeing as Amazon is dropping a NC clone (maybe longer battery life, maybe a different screen, maybe a different single core CPU, almost definitely no Flash) on the market in a couple months at $250, I suspect a NC2 will hit the market at the same price with just a couple hardware additions that will make the Kindle tablet look ridiculous (with the exception of the much better app market and rumored Amazon Prime membership to be thrown in). I would bet on a small, front-facing camera and native bluetooth with headset/mic support, and some additional port such as full USB or mini-HDMI.
Silentbtdeadly said:
The entire popularity of this device got as high as it did because it could be rooted and customized.
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Weeeeellll... yes and no. The ability to root/alt-boot probably hasn't been much of a consideration in the vast majority of NC sales. Plenty of NCs have fallen into the hands of people with a limited understanding of the ereader market who simply assumed that color + more expensive = better and/or people interested in magazines as well as books.
However, the dev community's successes have kept the NC on the tech blogs' radar, which was instrumental in bringing buzz around the device to a critical mass in the first six months of its production cycle and providing the 'second wind' that carried B&N through to the release of the N2E.
The problem for B&N with courting the dev community is that the NC is a loss leader (They don;t make any money on the hardware) so that you buy media from them, where they make their real money anyhow. Most devs/rooters are not buying it for an ebook reader and are not buying many (or any) books from B&N, or apps through the Nook app store. So B&N really loses money selling to folks who will root and load roms.
I'm glad I came on over here. I was already seriously wanting to buy a Nook Color! I guess I can wait and see if this rumor pans out!
colorado_al said:
The problem for B&N with courting the dev community is that the NC is a loss leader (They don;t make any money on the hardware) so that you buy media from them, where they make their real money anyhow. Most devs/rooters are not buying it for an ebook reader and are not buying many (or any) books from B&N, or apps through the Nook app store. So B&N really loses money selling to folks who will root and load roms.
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Is that the purpose of having an Open Source OS like Android. To make the product your own?
e-ink
What concerns me is that the new nook could have a color e-ink screen. That alone would make the new device almost useless as a general purpose tablet, due to the slow refresh of e-ink. No more video, games, even web browsing becomes distracting.
I do use my nook for a good amount of reading, but I also use it for the majority of my web browsing , and consume quite a bit of Netflix too.
hololight said:
What concerns me is that the new nook could have a color e-ink screen. That alone would make the new device almost useless as a general purpose tablet, due to the slow refresh of e-ink. No more video, games, even web browsing becomes distracting.
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That's not something you need to worry about unless they put off release for another year, because color eInk won't be ready until next year at the earliest.
This was posted on mobileread regarding screens for the new Kindle tablet, however:
Dulin's Books said:
The AmTab will have a AFFS lcd panels provided by Hydis which is a subsidiary of PrimeView/Eink Holdings http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_03.asp
AFFS or Advanced Fringe Field Switching Displasy are a Hydis patented tech which produces bright displays with very good color and 180 degree viewing angles with lower power usage then similar size IPS displays
http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_03.asp
http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_02.asp
http://www.boehydis.de/techno/techno.html?reload_coolmenus
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If B&N is going the same route, it may explain the report that they are buying hardware from eInk for use in the next NC.
Color e ink
Speaking of color e-ink, wasnt there a reader with COLOR e ink all set to be launched then it was canceled by the compant, a few months ago. I forget the company maybe it was cruz.
Anyways it looked a little odd the picture of the butterfly they showed. I doubt this is the way to go for the nook. Longer battery life yes, tablet- no
colorado_al said:
The problem for B&N with courting the dev community is that the NC is a loss leader (They don;t make any money on the hardware) so that you buy media from them, where they make their real money anyhow. Most devs/rooters are not buying it for an ebook reader and are not buying many (or any) books from B&N, or apps through the Nook app store. So B&N really loses money selling to folks who will root and load roms.
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I know I have read plenty of material that says that the device left them a very tiny profit margin early on, but they made more money when they were able to buy the hardware cheaper over time. I was trying to find one of the articles that outlined the price changes for the hardware, but instead found this http://www.attechnews.com/criminals-profiting-from-the-sale-of-nook-color-android-apps.html
It was funny enough I decided to post it instead of keep looking. They have been making some profits off the sales of each, that is something easily googled.. but even if they didn't make themselves money off of the rooting community(they didn't try to block us either), because of us and some other factors they ARE in the ereader/tablet competition.
The kindle tablet(or whatever it was called) was thought to be a real tablet competitor, and it barely looks like it could compete with the current nook color. However, B&N has put themselves on the map as a reputable company that can make a decent product. If they created an "iPad killer" as amazon was thought to, then all of that lack of profit on hardware for the nook color was worthwhile.
In any case, you are looking at it thru the narrow view I could imagine a business student doing, instead of considering that they probably have a long and drawn out plan that includes what their direct competitor was doing(they could have been trying to comepete with what amazon was speculated to be doing, at which point NC2 could be a "iPad killer(tho I doubt it))
Taosaur said:
That's not something you need to worry about unless they put off release for another year, because color eInk won't be ready until next year at the earliest.
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I thought that was funny since I have seen a few color eink devices for a while now, but this one should be already being sold: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375466,00.asp
It should have started being sold in may in china only, but I couldn't verify. Either way, the point is the technology is already there, and that wasn't the only company who had access to it, simply the only one willing to say they were about to start selling it.
Silentbtdeadly said:
I thought that was funny since I have seen a few color eink devices for a while now, but this one should be already being sold: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2375466,00.asp
It should have started being sold in may in china only, but I couldn't verify. Either way, the point is the technology is already there, and that wasn't the only company who had access to it, simply the only one willing to say they were about to start selling it.
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That would be a color display somewhat similar to E-ink's displays, not the color display currently under development by E-ink.
...I can understand the "Why would I want a tablet?" crowd a little better. I'm late to the smartphone party; my half-bright phone (SE Walkman 760) kept me happy for quite a while, with first a netbook and then the NC filling the gap between phone and PC. The other day, though, I snagged a used Xperia X10 on craigslist, and I'm starting to wonder how much use my NC will see aside from e-reading, which would be served as well or better by an e-ink device.
I mean, if the phone and the tablet are both in arm's reach, sure, I'll go for the bigger screen, but their uses are almost 100% redundant now. The only thing I couldn't see doing on the phone is reading comic books, which I rarely do on the NC anyway, and I could still read b&w comics on e-ink. Some games would be kind of pointless on the X10, but overall the two devices break even there, given the NC's bigger screen and the X10's better touch response. The same could be said for web-browsing; the NC's screen is a gorgeous klutz, as touch screens go. That trade-off doesn't apply to tablets in general, but the rest pretty much do; many phones are at least as capable as any tablet near the NC's price range.
The NC is a great platform for exploring ROMs and mods to a greater extent than I'd be comfortable doing on my phone--really, the NC has been a hobby unto itself in the time I've had it, but I think I've covered all the mods I care to explore. I may well sell it off and pick up a N2E or other rootable Android e-ink device (are there any others yet?) in the near future.
I started with the smartphone, then picked up my NC a year later. The Nook is very much my reader of choice. On long hauls, I'm OK with running down my Nook's battery, while keeping my phone for "serious" use.
Of course, the phone does SMS more cleanly. The phone is always with me, whereas the Nook is more for planned long periods of downtime. While I could do it all on my phone, the larger Nook screen has made reading and browsing more of something I enjoy doing.
- Bob
Battery life is the upside of redundancy, for sure, but for reading at least, an e-ink device would have substantial advantages over the NC in that department. Something like the STR that can be rooted to display pretty much any document format and has some limited browsing capability might end up absorbing more of my juice-intensive activities than the NC. It's also somewhat relevant, for me, that the STR would be more efficient in terms of my personal power consumption, drawing much less juice off the grid.
I'm not decided on shelving the NC--I've had the phone less than a week, so I'll see how my usage patterns shake out. Still, it's tempting to go e-ink. It would also give me a new device to mod
I use my phone on the go and my Nook at home. I like having a bigger screen to do my browsing, movie watching, book read etc.
I don't don't see why you would drop the nook for an e-ink as the nook can do almost anything while a stand alone reader does one thing.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
koopakid08 said:
I don't don't see why you would drop the nook for an e-ink as the nook can do almost anything while a stand alone reader does one thing.
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What it can do is immaterial if I do not in fact use it to do those things--most of my uses for the larger display would be met by the STR, primarily reading and some browsing.
I don't know, though--I probably will end up sticking with the NC. A lot of my reading is at night, where the backlight is a plus, and every once in a while I do get into some dumb game on the NC (often sitting less than six feet away from a PC with probably 20 real games installed ).
Mainly, I just have more sympathy for the people who are baffled by the tablet phenomenon. A decent Android phone is an extremely capable device, and all a tablet really brings to the table are those extra inches.
Since I flash my phone quite often I try to keep the installed apps to a minimum while my nook is loaded to the hilt. Since it (the Nook) fits in my back pocket I take it everywhere so it keeps me from draining my phone's battery as well.
My $.02 with data being so expensive for phones now I actually save money by using the nook everywhere and not using phone data. I love my nook, I can hardly even stand browsing the web on my phone now that I have been spoiled with the nooks brilliant screen. I use my phone primarily when I am super bored in class and to keep updated on email everywhere. And my phone is a mytouch.4g so not a bad phone for comparison. I don't even understand the hype on the Amazon tablet except for the price, if you ask me the brilliant people that designed the nook color should be receiving all the press. Everything but dual core almost a year in advance, am I wrong?
Cant agree more, I found myself using nook more than my EVO.
ncmt4g64 said:
My $.02 with data being so expensive for phones now I actually save money by using the nook everywhere and not using phone data.
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Would you please elaborate on that? I don't have a data plan for my phone because I have almost universal access to good WiFi networks, and it doesn't cost me any.
inportb said:
Would you please elaborate on that? I don't have a data plan for my phone because I have almost universal access to good WiFi networks, and it doesn't cost me any.
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Right, you can always use both when there is wifi, I would choose nook everytime. But since I started using my nook so much, I reduced my phone data plan to 2.5gb instead of 5gb, mostly because I tend to hold off using my phone for internet and stuff especially on data since the nook is so much bigger and also my primary Android device now.
I watched about 4 hours worth of Archer on my NC while flying from Raleigh to Denver recently. Can't imagine doing that (enjoyably) on my phone. Video quality its pretty darn good on the Nook.
bagelicious said:
I watched about 4 hours worth of Archer on my NC while flying from Raleigh to Denver recently. Can't imagine doing that (enjoyably) on my phone. Video quality its pretty darn good on the Nook.
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For frequent flyers who aren't trying to work on the plane, tablets are great, no question. Me, I take a 2-hour trip every month or two, and while it's not out of the question I would want to watch a movie, more often I end up reading or listening to music or audiobooks, and/or napping.
ncmt4g64 said:
My $.02 with data being so expensive for phones now I actually save money by using the nook everywhere and not using phone data.
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Yeah, $$ is still my primary concern, I'm no luddite (if that's not obvious from running a hacked nook), but the required data plans for phones add up to hundreds, sometimes thousands a year (eg; family). Personally, I'd rather spend that money on other areas (travel / retirement), so I'm seeing how long I can go for feature phone + nook.
NCKevo said:
I'm seeing how long I can go for feature phone + nook.
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That's what I was doing when I picked up the NC in May; no way was I getting a smart phone on contract. Since I ditched my contract, though, getting a smartphone actually lowered my phone bill, or at least forced me to look into my options and discover it could be lower. I was doing AT&T/GoPhone's $50 prepaid unlimited they introduced this summer, but they blocked my data when I got the X10, so I'm looking at what I can do, and they'd introduced another new plan last month, with 250 min. and unlimited texts for $25. I don't have to carry any data, but I got a 10MB/$5 "emergency" plan in case I need a map in a tight spot...or want to check Facebook at a bus stop
At any rate, I'm in love with my NC again, mostly because I found an app that handles both epubs and pdfs really well (Mantano) and another one that can read my rtfs (CoolReader). I'm still taking Mantano for a test drive, but I expect it will replace Aldiko and ezPDF. I swear I have about ten reader apps
You guys looking for cheap smartphones. Check out Virgin Mobile. $35 a month unlimited data, and texting with 300 minutes. It's on Sprints network so depends where you are but I have great coverage everywhere I go. Also its prepaid so no evil contracts!
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Taosaur said:
Battery life is the upside of redundancy, for sure, but for reading at least, an e-ink device would have substantial advantages over the NC in that department. Something like the STR that can be rooted to display pretty much any document format and has some limited browsing capability might end up absorbing more of my juice-intensive activities than the NC. It's also somewhat relevant, for me, that the STR would be more efficient in terms of my personal power consumption, drawing much less juice off the grid.
I'm not decided on shelving the NC--I've had the phone less than a week, so I'll see how my usage patterns shake out. Still, it's tempting to go e-ink. It would also give me a new device to mod
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I think you'll find that once the novelty wears off you won't want to deal with the tiny screen unless it's your only option (ie at the dr, lunch etc.). I use my fascinate for phone calls, wifi hotspot and personal email and gchat at work (blocked on my work laptop) or when I have nothing else. The 7"screen is the right compromise between comfort and big enough text to be comfortable for extended use where the phone isn't, even with the beautiful amoled screen on the fascinate. I use the NC at home for most browsing and reading (and for tracking my fantasy football team on sundays).
Taosaur said:
At any rate, I'm in love with my NC again, mostly because I found an app that handles both epubs and pdfs really well (Mantano) and another one that can read my rtfs (CoolReader). I'm still taking Mantano for a test drive, but I expect it will replace Aldiko and ezPDF. I swear I have about ten reader apps
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Holy hell! I LOVE mantano! It's an immediate new favorite over aldiko and already has all the things I loved about aldiko, but it handles the PDFs soooo much better. The hint on using coolreader for rtf's was also good, as i gave up looking for something that could handle that format.
Now i'm going to go whole hog and couple mantano to calibre and be in heaven...
A hundred shiny new internets to you for such a great find, sir!
koopakid08 said:
You guys looking for cheap smartphones. Check out Virgin Mobile. $35 a month unlimited data, and texting with 300 minutes. It's on Sprints network so depends where you are but I have great coverage everywhere I go. Also its prepaid so no evil contracts!
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I considered them (and could have sworn it was $25 when I looked at it), but the only Android they had was the LG Optimus V, which didn't look so hot, and while their service is decent right where I live, it's extremely spotty everywhere else I go. "Unlimited" sounds great, but "enough" is just as good for all practical purposes, and the aftermarket for AT&T phones is quite solid.
skwalas said:
Holy hell! I LOVE mantano! It's an immediate new favorite over aldiko and already has all the things I loved about aldiko, but it handles the PDFs soooo much better. The hint on using coolreader for rtf's was also good, as i gave up looking for something that could handle that format.
Now i'm going to go whole hog and couple mantano to calibre and be in heaven...
A hundred shiny new internets to you for such a great find, sir!
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Mantano CS/development is very engaged, too, and making constant improvements. They're active in this thread over on mobileread: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131997
I wish I could find a rtf editor for Android. I don't have a keyboard for the NC right now, but it is my preferred medium for word processing, and I'm thinking about doing NaNoWriMo this year, so it would come in handy when I'm on the road around Thanksgiving.
Taosaur said:
I considered them (and could have sworn it was $25 when I looked at it), but the only Android they had was the LG Optimus V, which didn't look so hot, and while their service is decent right where I live, it's extremely spotty everywhere else I go. "Unlimited" sounds great, but "enough" is just as good for all practical purposes, and the aftermarket for AT&T phones is quite solid.
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Yes it was $25 and I'm still grandfathered into that price. They do have other Androids now the Moto Triumph looks pretty good but they also got some HTC phone and the optimus slider.
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Hey people. I've been thinking on the idea of trading my Nook Color for an E-ink powered e-reader for a few days now. The Nook Color still retails for $150 and mine is rooted and in great condition so should still be reasonably valuable.
I'm looking for opinions on the whole E-ink vs LCD display for reading. I have found that with my year+ with the rooted NC that the apps and games are just distractions. I have a decent Android phone if I really want that kind of stuff. All that matters to me is the reading experience. I have never personally used an E-ink reader, but the LCD does not seem to bother me that much except for the lower battery life an LCD screen device has.
Also, do you guys think trading a Nook Color for something like the Kindle Touch or Nook Simple Touch is a reasonable trade? If I'm lucky I could try for a Kindle Keyboard, or is that pushing it? I'm not looking to rip people off or to be ripped off too much. I just want an E-ink reader I think.
Lastly, if I were to find a person I wanted to trade with, does anyone know a secure way to trade items with someone on the internet? How would we both be able to mail our devices off knowing that we will get the other device? Is there a website to do such a thing?
agemyth said:
Hey people. I've been thinking on the idea of trading my Nook Color for an E-ink powered e-reader for a few days now. The Nook Color still retails for $150 and mine is rooted and in great condition so should still be reasonably valuable.
I'm looking for opinions on the whole E-ink vs LCD display for reading. I have found that with my year+ with the rooted NC that the apps and games are just distractions. I have a decent Android phone if I really want that kind of stuff. All that matters to me is the reading experience. I have never personally used an E-ink reader, but the LCD does not seem to bother me that much except for the lower battery life an LCD screen device has.
Also, do you guys think trading a Nook Color for something like the Kindle Touch or Nook Simple Touch is a reasonable trade? If I'm lucky I could try for a Kindle Keyboard, or is that pushing it? I'm not looking to rip people off or to be ripped off too much. I just want an E-ink reader I think.
Lastly, if I were to find a person I wanted to trade with, does anyone know a secure way to trade items with someone on the internet? How would we both be able to mail our devices off knowing that we will get the other device? Is there a website to do such a thing?
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I like the look of e-ink screens better than any LCD, but I really like being able to read in the dark or low light. If they can figure out how to light the letters (not the background) I'll switch, but until then I'm sticking with LCD. (BTW- I got both a NC and an NST with the ebay deal a few weeks back. Gave the NST to mom...).
agemyth said:
Hey people. I've been thinking on the idea of trading my Nook Color for an E-ink powered e-reader for a few days now. The Nook Color still retails for $150 and mine is rooted and in great condition so should still be reasonably valuable.
I'm looking for opinions on the whole E-ink vs LCD display for reading. I have found that with my year+ with the rooted NC that the apps and games are just distractions. I have a decent Android phone if I really want that kind of stuff. All that matters to me is the reading experience. I have never personally used an E-ink reader, but the LCD does not seem to bother me that much except for the lower battery life an LCD screen device has.
Also, do you guys think trading a Nook Color for something like the Kindle Touch or Nook Simple Touch is a reasonable trade? If I'm lucky I could try for a Kindle Keyboard, or is that pushing it? I'm not looking to rip people off or to be ripped off too much. I just want an E-ink reader I think.
Lastly, if I were to find a person I wanted to trade with, does anyone know a secure way to trade items with someone on the internet? How would we both be able to mail our devices off knowing that we will get the other device? Is there a website to do such a thing?
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I use Kindle e-Ink keyboard, Nook Color and TouchPad and smartphone. For me, if I am reading a book it is always the Kindle; best display for pure reading, easy page turning to avoid distractions, lightweight and superb battery life. However, only good for reading, I have used the browser in desperation for its 3G connectivity but not a pretty experience. The Nook Color remains my choice device for portable general tablet use, browsing, email and general apps. The Touchpad performs the same role but mainly around the home. Although the phone can perform similar role to Nook I don't like the limitations of the smaller screens.
Instead of swapping maybe the easiest way would be to sell your device on eBay and similarly buy the Kindle the same way. The prices seem comparable so would end up like a swap but give you extra flexibility and security.
Obviously there are dedicated swap sites like swap.com but they rely on ratings to identify trustworthy swappers and therefore are a bit limited in finding one-off swappers.
agemyth said:
I'm looking for opinions on the whole E-ink vs LCD display for reading. I have found that with my year+ with the rooted NC that the apps and games are just distractions. I have a decent Android phone if I really want that kind of stuff. All that matters to me is the reading experience. I have never personally used an E-ink reader, but the LCD does not seem to bother me that much except for the lower battery life an LCD screen device has.
I just want an E-ink reader I think.
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It also depends on how you get your books. If you have been buying from B&N, stay with B&N (epub). Same with kindle (mobi). You want to keep your library. Also you want to have a device easy to sideload your books if you have another source.
And I would for sure go for some kind of touch screen. My friend has the 2nd generation kindle that is easy on the eyes, but horrible to operate. The screen flashes when you turn pages. I know the new generations are better, but be warned. I'm kind of intrigued by the new nook touch with glow light.
Thanks for the good input guys.
The word on the internet is pretty unanimous about the e-ink and lcd debate for simply reading. E-ink is the way to go.
There is a good sale on Kindles going on just for today here:
http://1saleaday.com/flash/
If I can make a decision before they sell out I could end up with one of those. The Glow Light Nook Touch would be nice though since I would not have to feel the need to buy an expensive case with a light in it.
Is there a place on XDA to sell devices? If anyone is interested, here's my Ebay auction:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120910008857&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123
Thanks again for the help guys.
Go for the Nook Simple Touch with LED back light. Nothing better right now and you should break about even cost wise. You'll get a better pure reading experience and still be able to read in low light conditions. Good luck
I've had my NC for a little over a year and a few months ago I bought a Nook Simple Touch. I found that for pure reading, I like the e-ink screen much better. Also the fact that the NST is much lighter and the battery life is super long were big pluses. I picked the NST over the Kindle and other versions because the NST can be rooted. I like having SOME of the perks of customizable launch screens (I'm using go launcher) and running some apps that I use when I travel (like Tripit, weather, etc). But I use the NST primarily for reading. I use the NC now mostly for news apps (such as Pulse), calendar management, some financial apps and the occasional game during a long flight.
But now that the NST with the glow light is available, I am salivating over that since the only downfall to my NST is that I can't read in the dark (or on a plane without disturbing everyone sitting around me on a TPAC flight).
So if reading is your number one activity, I would say e-ink is definitely worth it. But I would hang on to the NC unless you really have zero use for it.
If all you care about is the reading experience, e-ink wins hands down. My Nook Simple Touch is easy to read anywhere, goes months on a charge, and has expandable storage. Amazon Kindles don't have sd capability, which isn't a big deal on the e-ink readers (e-books are tiny) but it just annoys me enough to not want to buy from them. Maybe I'm petty.
agemyth said:
[...] I'm looking for opinions on the whole E-ink vs LCD display for reading.
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I've had both a NOOK Color (~1.5 years) and NOOK Simple Touch (~6 months), and use them both extensively for reading. While the NST is unbeatable for battery life and direct sunlight reading, it does require lighting to read. If I were looking at an eInk device again, I'd definitely consider the new NST with GlowLight to handle low light situations. I have not found the clip-on LCD lights satisfactory at all.
Choosing between one or the other exclusively is also tough. The NC screen is gorgeous. With careful selection of settings, battery life is not bad. Unless I'm reading outdoors in direct sunlight, the display is quite readable. The screen size is also well suited to ebook reading. I don't think I'd like dumping the NC altogether.
The NST is definitely handier. I like reading on it. Just not as much as on the NC. The screen flicker of eInk is definitely a tradeoff. The smaller size is another. Just be sure you really like the eInk experience before selling your NC at a loss.
[...] Also, do you guys think trading a Nook Color for something like the Kindle Touch or Nook Simple Touch is a reasonable trade? If I'm lucky I could try for a Kindle Keyboard, or is that pushing it? I'm not looking to rip people off or to be ripped off too much. I just want an E-ink reader I think.
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As a direct 1:1 trade? It's a good deal for someone, just not you! You might be as well off just selling your NC, then picking up a NST refurb.
Hi all,
I am a big Android fan. I currently have a new Note 2 that I replaced my iPhone 5 and iPad mini with (had an S3 and Tab 2 before that). I bought this in the hopes of using the "phablet" as an all-in-one device instead of having both a tablet and a phone. So far its been awesome. Here is my dilemma....
I have just become an avid e-book reader. I gave up paper books when I got the iPad mini. I am finding that the Note 2 is just a little too small to read e-books on. Plus I feel kind of stupid trying to read a book on a phone.
I went out and bought a basic kindle. A button was broken out of the box, and my house doesn't have good enough lighting to see the screen well, so I exchanged it for a kindle paperwhite. I love the paperwhite, and it is insanely easy to read on, especially at night, but I am a little miffed that I spent $120 on something that does one task only, and berates me with advertisements. For $80 more I could have a N7.
That being said, I bought an N7 when it first came out, and wasn't too impressed. The device itself is awesome, but I noticed I kept going back to my laptop to get any real work done. I only used it to check emails occasionally or watch netflix in bed. It was too small to read PDFs on for class, or do any intense internet browsing/research. Essentially it was a $200 toy, so I got rid of it. I thought it was stupid to have a smartphone, tiny tablet, and macbook air. Now I am seriously considering getting rid of the paperwhite and picking up an N7 instead.
Budget is a real issue here, as I am a student. I have read on here and other forums that people felt having a note 2 and N7 was pointless as the devices are pretty redundant, and the difference in screen size is negligible. Does anyone here have both? If so, how do you feel you use the two devices? Do you regret purchasing them together?
Also, how much bigger is the N7's actual, usable screen space? With the nav buttons at the bottom and the status bar at the top, they seem to take up a pretty big chunk of an already small tablet screen.
Mainly though, how is the N7 as an e-reader? No one can seem to agree on whether or not there is an eyestrain problem with LCDs and whether they cause insomnia when compared to e-ink, so its hard to really make that determination. Is it really worth the extra $80 to get the N7 over the kindle paperwhite, or would I be wasting money as the size is essentially the same as my note 2?
I have a Kindle Keyboard I bought in mid-2011. The main things I hated about it were A) no backlit screen making reading in the dark with a little booklight a chore, 2) inability to display photos and pics in books (some drawings display, but often too small to be useful). I did like the long battery life and the anti-glare screen, but eventually I wanted something that did more. I mostly got the N7 for books and magazine reading, but being able to play games and fly my drone with it are a major bonus. I would never waste money on a dedicated reader again. I gave the Kindle to my mom since she's easily overwhelmed by anything with multiple uses.
Miami_Son said:
I have a Kindle Keyboard I bought in mid-2011. The main things I hated about it were A) no backlit screen making reading in the dark with a little booklight a chore, 2) inability to display photos and pics in books (some drawings display, but often too small to be useful). I did like the long battery life and the anti-glare screen, but eventually I wanted something that did more. I mostly got the N7 for books and magazine reading, but being able to play games and fly my drone with it are a major bonus. I would never waste money on a dedicated reader again. I gave the Kindle to my mom since she's easily overwhelmed by anything with multiple uses.
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I agree that the kindles without a built in light are very difficult to read on. The paperwhite is an entirely different beast though. My main problem with it is that I don't want ads when I paid a $120 for a product, yet Amazon has managed to really squeeze every last little inch of the screen with ads, which is extremely frustrating. I am just hesitant to drop $80 more on a device that may not be as good for reading on, and is not that much bigger than my Note 2. Do you happen to know what the usable screen size is on the N7?
I read a lot on my seven. I like it. Easy to read on... I like it although it don't mind reading on my s3,either with the aldiko app. It's a solid device, but rasping outside or stain the Beach or whatever is easiest on the reading devices.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
As far as reading goes, the usable screen of the N7 is larger than that of a page in the average paperback book. At night I like to use white text on a black screen because it is easier to read in the dark and causes less eye strain. I don't think the Kindle offers that option.
Miami_Son said:
As far as reading goes, the usable screen of the N7 is larger than that of a page in the average paperback book. At night I like to use white text on a black screen because it is easier to read in the dark and causes less eye strain. I don't think the Kindle offers that option.
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Do you think it would be redundant with a Note 2? The Kindle is technically only .5 inches bigger than the Note 2, but the square screen makes it easier to read than a 16:9 aspect ratio where you are constantly moving your eyes vertically.
Nexus 7 for sure. You have more options and more media
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
androidairlinepilot said:
Do you think it would be redundant with a Note 2? The Kindle is technically only .5 inches bigger than the Note 2, but the square screen makes it easier to read than a 16:9 aspect ratio where you are constantly moving your eyes vertically.
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I don't read with the N7 horizontally, only vertically, because I wear progressive lenses and a wide screen makes me have to turn my head from side to side or my eyes will move beyond the reading portion of my glasses. The Note 2 is only 5.5", so I'm not sure why you're comparing the N7 to it. The only advantage I can see is that the Note is also a phone, but my N7 does not require a separate data plan and I can easily tether it to my S2 by turning it on as a wifi hotspot. I forgot to mention that white text on black also uses less battery on the N7.
If you're wanting something that can do more but don't wanna spend $200 for a nexus 7,get a nook color and put cm10 on it. My wife asked for a simple ereader for christmas and I instead got her a nc and put cm on it and she loves it. Granted it won't give you the same level of performance the n7 will, but it is a great ereader and has a screen designed to reduce eyestrain. Advantages of cm? Simple 1 bookstore vs all bookstores, and you can rent books through amazons library system on it and overdrive.
Hardware is a bit dated for extreme web browsing and high definition media but if you just want an ereader with a little more punch than a simple e ink one, a cm powered nook color is perfect! I got hers refurbished for $100 off overstock.com.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Well if your leaning towards the nexus 7, and only going to do reading and simple stuff. It might be worth it look around craigslist for a eight gig model.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
If you want to read books mainly on your device, get a kindle, any kindle. Because reading on a tablet (or a pc) ruins your eyes, that is a fact.
So you need to decide your purpose about buying the device you'll buy. If it's for book then get a kindle or nook. If it's for apps and little amount of reading get Nexus.
I hope you don't ignore my warning about eyes, any screen other than e-ink ruins eyes, you'll end up with glasses before you're old.
Another option. You can pickup a refurb NookColor for $140 or less.
Its an old platform, for sure, but its still getting Dev support on XDA. I am currently running 4.1.2 on my 2yo NC. Build quality is outstanding.
This is a very versatile device. You can run dual boot from a SD card, you can Manual Nooter (run stock & android from internal ) or you can just run a custom ROM from internal. If you're lazy, you can buy an SD card already programmed for you.
And it accepts an SD card up to 32gb. Plus you have the option of OTG storage for movies.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Dharkan said:
If you want to read books mainly on your device, get a kindle, any kindle. Because reading on a tablet (or a pc) ruins your eyes, that is a fact.
So you need to decide your purpose about buying the device you'll buy. If it's for book then get a kindle or nook. If it's for apps and little amount of reading get Nexus.
I hope you don't ignore my warning about eyes, any screen other than e-ink ruins eyes, you'll end up with glasses before you're old.
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Actually
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22762257
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I'm using my N7 to read books and it is in no way straining my eyes (I could tell if it did, my eyes are very sensitive to brightness, too much of it and they physically hurt).
Cool Reader is the program I go with in terms of reading, and I set it to a black background and light grey letters on screen.
Granted, that makes it harder to read in sunny conditions, but when I go to work it is usually still dark, so that is not really a concern for me.
Dharkan said:
If you want to read books mainly on your device, get a kindle, any kindle. Because reading on a tablet (or a pc) ruins your eyes, that is a fact.
So you need to decide your purpose about buying the device you'll buy. If it's for book then get a kindle or nook. If it's for apps and little amount of reading get Nexus.
I hope you don't ignore my warning about eyes, any screen other than e-ink ruins eyes, you'll end up with glasses before you're old.
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Really? And by what authority do you make such a statement? Are you an optometrist? Do you have some clinical studies to back up your broad statement? What a crock.
From Brian's link above:
CONCLUSIONS:
It is not the technology itself, but rather the image quality that seems crucial for reading. Compared to the visual display units used in the previous few decades, these more recent electronic displays allow for good and comfortable reading, even for extended periods of time.
© 2012 The College of Optometrists.
Yeah I never have suffered eyestrain from my phone or tablet.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Kindle or N7? Neither
From what it sounds like, your only real beef with the Kindle is the ads. Get yourself a Nook Touch With Glowlight. 1 - no ads. 2 - it's Android based - so if you want to root it, and do some goofy stuff with it (or just clean it up to look as nice as possible using whatever reader you want - like I did) you have that option. It's also more comfortable than the Kindles, less likely to slip out of your hands (with rubberized back). I've seen a *slight* difference between the screens, as far as contrast, but either will look perfectly fine.
As far as the eye strain is concerned. To each their own, I suppose, but I've noticed when I stopped reading on my Nook, and started reading on my N7, my eye strain did increase. After my 2 hour reading sessions are over, the N7 did make my eyes feel a little bit more worn. To be fair, it could be the font size, or spacing, or any of a number of other issues, but I tried to set the N7 to have the most comfortable sizing, just like on my Nook, but I still feel like the Nook is the better way to go between the two strictly for reading. Now my N7 is delegated to gaming, watching Netflix, and helping me with writing ideas on the go (was doing that with my phone, but the N7 is easier to mess with in that regard).
All that said, I *LOVE* my N7, and am always finding new fun uses for it, and will continue to enjoy it until it stops getting updates from Google (prime reason I GOT the Nexus instead of another tablet), nor would I ever give up my Nook, unless it's to get a better e-ink reader.
There's one other PHENOMENAL reason to have an e-ink reader... my Nook 7 has about an 8 hour battery - ish... my Nook - I only have to charge it every few weeks, and even then, it's just because I don't like fully discharging Lithium Ion batteries... I do believe the eink displays are fully capable of 2 month battery life.
androidairlinepilot said:
I agree that the kindles without a built in light are very difficult to read on. The paperwhite is an entirely different beast though. My main problem with it is that I don't want ads when I paid a $120 for a product, yet Amazon has managed to really squeeze every last little inch of the screen with ads, which is extremely frustrating. I am just hesitant to drop $80 more on a device that may not be as good for reading on, and is not that much bigger than my Note 2. Do you happen to know what the usable screen size is on the N7?
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I got both the paper white and Nexus 7. I prefer reading on paperwhite.
As for the add you can pay $20 the difference between the add free and add paperwhite to get ride of ads
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
I've read lots of books on the Kindle Paperwhite, the Nexus 7 and the LG Nitro HD. All have strengths and weaknesses depending on the reading conditions.
The Kindle Paperwhite is outstanding in the daytime both outside and inside. It can be jailbroken and alternate fonts can be added. I like Chinacat and Koorkin Pro fonts (and yes, I purchased a license to the latter). They both have a smooth line texture. I don't like the LED color. It is too blue. Amazon should use warmer color LEDs which cost only a few more pennies. Additionally, the lux distribution is not uniform like a backlit LCD. Hopefully Amazon will obtain newer better light pipe/films on future models.
The Nexus 7 is good at night with white or gray characters on a black background. I don't really like the black letters or the sepia setting. The letters don't seem very sharp... Lots of jaggies... However, for browsing online articles it is great.
The LG Nitro HD is superb indoors in low light or at night. The color scheme is precise and accurate. The fonts are pristine - maybe the 326ppi is the reason. I wish LG would release a 7 inch tablet with a similar quality IPS display. I don't care about looking geeky. I wish I was ignorant so that I could experience sustained bliss.
I must be getting old because I'm about to say - I've been reading on computer monitors for 30 years without any eye strain or vision deterioration. My vision is 20/15 in both eyes. All of these devices are excellent. I read with all of them.
In other words, you can't go wrong with any of these devices...
Tl;dr - N7 is a good buy if you want to do more than read books. If you want to continue using your note 2 for that, just use the paperwhite. ALSO. Make sure you go and play around with the N7 in store for a while before deciding. That might change your mind.
Oh snap. I was about to post this exact topic 2 days ago. I caved and ended up getting a n7 last night. It's just better in my opinion and a few reasons I decided on it. I am an avid reader. I tend to read light novels, manga, novels, textbooks etc. I was all for the paperwhite, but it doesn't seem to handle pdfs all that well and it also can't run the kindle edition of one of my books which is a print replica. So that pretty much threw me towards the n7. The eink display and battery life was really what had me going for the paperwhite, but I charge my devices once a day anyway and if it can last me the day then it's fine. The main purpose of the n7 I bought for myself is to read textbooks in class as well as using it at home instead of my phone. Even though I have a galaxy note, the difference in the screen size is very noticeable. I would recommend the eink reader if you really want something that lasts for 80 hours, want a screen that can be read in any lighting, and do not want to do anything besides reading.
Budget is a real issue here, as I am a student. I have read on here and other forums that people felt having a note 2 and N7 was pointless as the devices are pretty redundant, and the difference in screen size is negligible. Does anyone here have both? If so, how do you feel you use the two devices? Do you regret purchasing them together?
Also, how much bigger is the N7's actual, usable screen space? With the nav buttons at the bottom and the status bar at the top, they seem to take up a pretty big chunk of an already small tablet screen.
Mainly though, how is the N7 as an e-reader? No one can seem to agree on whether or not there is an eyestrain problem with LCDs and whether they cause insomnia when compared to e-ink, so its hard to really make that determination. Is it really worth the extra $80 to get the N7 over the kindle paperwhite, or would I be wasting money as the size is essentially the same as my note 2?
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I'm also a student and bought the N7 over the paperwhite. The screen size difference is definitely NOT NEGLIGIBLE. Whoever told you that probably has not used both of them side by side. Although I feel I might switch out my galaxy note for a s3, but I might already be used to the size of the phone to downgrade the screen size. I do not regret purchasing and owning both.
I think someone said it's like 60% bigger or something like that (off the top of my head what I remember seeing in another thread). Also, if you use expanded desktop mode, you can get "hide" the nav buttons and if you're using paranoidandroid, you can use PIE which should help. I already said I use the N7 primarily as a e-reader. I use mantano reader and feedly most of the time and to reduce eye strain, I use lux auto brightness (you can also use screen filter). If you think that computer screens give you eye strain, you probably don't use f.lux on your computer. I wish there was a android version of it, but Lux auto brightness is the closest thing. Also, from the pricing that I saw, they came out to be equal so I went with the n7 (paperwhite 3g + no ads vs n7 16gb).