I like this from the article: "Looking more like a tablet, but focused specifically on reading..."
I am sure there must be many people like me, who loves their iPad, and it's main function is as an eReader, although I should say that I include web articles in this, something the Kindle is weak at.
The Nook Color will read to you, which on the other hand is something the iPad is weak at, at least yet (you can get it to do it, but it changes the whole user interface experience for the worse, because it's part of the interface for the sight disabled).
The color Nook has a 7-inch screen (the Kindle's is 6") and weighs about 450 grams (one pound) (that's about 200 grams less than iPad, and about 200 grams more than Kindle 3*). It's also half the price of an iPad (though not in the same class I'm sure) at $250. I really want one, but I strongly suspect that I can't even buy books for it, since B&N refuse to sell me books on the web because I'm an "alien" (not American). They are so keen on this policy that even using an American name and credit card, they detected I was abroad and refused my money!
I am frankly a bit surprised that B&N beat Amazon to it when it came to a color screen reader. Amazon can't be so naîve that they don't realize how much color means to many people. Just try and go out and buy a black-and-white TV or computer monitor today!
*Yes, the Kindle 3 is really only 250 grams (8.8oz), this is delightful and an outstanding accomplishment, I don't think any other reader so far comes close [Update: I was wrong, the new version of Sony Reader is actually even smaller and lighter]. I have heard that many elderly people greatly appreciates this, since many of today's books are quite heavy tomes and get heavy to hold. Heck, this is true even for healthy young people, I have cut up many a paperback in two or three parts (along the back of course!) just so it would be easy to hold when reading in bed. Bibliofiles shudder at this, but I say: "love the content, not the form" (hey that's good, that should be this blog's motto... done). And you can always buy a second copy for your shelf, I'm sure the author won't mind...
Update:
This article has an interesting point:
"If B&N allowed its customers to actually use the devices they'd purchased the way they wanted to use them, some of them would immediately download Amazon's Kindle application for Android devices. And then, duh, they'd buy e-books from Amazon instead of B&N.
This policy won't last in the real world even if Barnes & Noble sticks by its decision. The gadget hacker community that has jailbroken Apple's locked-down iPhone has done something similar with Android phones that mobile carriers have brazenly crippled for their commercial advantage. So I give it a few weeks after the scheduled mid-November Nook Color release before our friends in the gadget-jailbreaking world give us a way to unlock that device, too."
This policy won't last in the real world even if Barnes & Noble sticks by its decision. The gadget hacker community that has jailbroken Apple's locked-down iPhone has done something similar with Android phones that mobile carriers have brazenly crippled for their commercial advantage. So I give it a few weeks after the scheduled mid-November Nook Color release before our friends in the gadget-jailbreaking world give us a way to unlock that device, too."
Hmm, hmmm... if this happens so, it might actually be the solution to B&N refusing to sell ebooks to us forriners... we could read our Kindle library on it instead. It might even be good to not get one's library spread over too many proprietary systems.
13 comments:
Nice! I'm STILL waiting for this one to come out! Got the same features! :-D More research, ahead, but if I remember, correctly, Borders' will be able to allow e-books from other than their own...unlike..."the others." :-D
Well, both Kindle and Nook at least have apps on other platforms like iPad and Android, which helps tons. Sony's reader does not, so far.
(Link dead.)
"love the content, not the form"
Read over this site and consider _NOT_ adapting that as your 'motto.' To do so would go against your published record.
Eolake said...
"Well, both Kindle and Nook at least have apps on other platforms like iPad and Android, which helps tons. Sony's reader does not, so far."
Yes...that is nice and...GOOD point!
"(Link dead.)"
try this
That works.
Amazing, the number of tablets being announced. Far more than there were iPhone imitators in the first year.
It seems Borders is a poor place to get the Cruz Readers. You can get it a month earlier and fifty bucks cheaper:
http://cruztablet.com/reader.php
Actually, I've got my eye on the tablet and not the reader. Scheduled to be in the stores in 2 days! I'm just going to go down and...stroke it; nothing else, I promise you! ;-)
I'm a bit confused, they are both 7-inch, and they both run Android, so what's the difference?
Quite confused... they seem to be virtually identical, apart from the Tablet having a different screen shape, and *less* screen resolution, 480 pixels on the short side versus 800. Odd. Why is it a hundred dollars more?
Twice as much memory; more storage on the tablet. I have to admit, I hadn't looked much at the reader 'cuz the woman in the store got me all "worked up" over the tablet! I was just comparing and wondering *why* they couldn't have included same memory/storage on the reader. And...it seems a slighest change in its size as well. I guess I was waiting for the Cadillac and didn't know it! I'll let you know, in a couple of days which is nicer. :-D (hm...diff on the touch screen, as well. Will have a look at that 'cuz that might make all the diff in the world...the touch screen capabilities! Wouldn't want one that is frustrating to use!! :-/ )
Eolake said...
"...Tablet having a different screen shape, and *less* screen resolution, 480 pixels on the short side versus 800."
The Tablet has "*less* screen resolution, 480 pixels on the short side versus 800."? Where are you looking? On the same site you were featuring the reader from?
"Why is it a hundred dollars more?"
I dunno, Darlin'! I'll have to look at it more, later. I doubt the staff @ the store would be able to tell me much, yet. I wonder if it is the touch screen capability and the memory combined?
Ooops, I meant 600. (They are both 800 on the long side.)
http://www.cruzreader.com/tablet.php
http://cruztablet.com/reader.php
... More data in my new post on the Cruz Reader.
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