As I found out when reviewing Lenovo’s Nook 10-inch HD Tablet earlier this year, a dedicated reading app does not an e-reader make. The switch to tablet-style e-readers never quite worked out, either. The Nook, I know now - like most of the established bookstore industry - couldn’t keep up with Amazon. I know now, with the benefit of more market knowledge and hindsight, that it was around this time that Barnes & Noble pivoted away from creating proprietary E Ink devices, switching instead to Samsung-made tablet hybrids. By then e-readers were more popular than ever. It came as something of a surprise to me when, returning home from college one summer, I noticed the displays had disappeared. The E Ink screen was nothing short of revolutionary to me. When Nook displays began popping up at each store (around 2010) I always took a few minutes of my trips to try the nascent e-reader out. If you have a tablet, say an iPad, you also have access to Apples iBooks, which gives you a different option for downloading an e-book.I spent many collective hours of my teenage years wandering the aisles of Barnes & Noble. But for those of us resistant to buying an e-reader, this is a great alternative.Īpple has developed its own e-Reader program And obviously, reading a book on a 3 or 4-inch smart phone screen might present challenges for some. Also, you won't get, for example, the screen of the Kindle on your iPad or smart phone. Of course you'll still have to pay for the books.
And the best part is, they're free! So if you own a tablet or a smart phone and would prefer to use that for your reading, all you need to do is download the app of your choice (just as you would any app) to enjoy many of the features we just mentioned. available for both smart phones and tablets (like the iPad). In addition to the actual e-reader devices, there are apps, a Nook app, a Kindle app, etc. The Nook also allows free, in-store browsing of full-text books while you're inside Barnes & Noble stores (for one hour), and there's a 14-day "Lending" process where you can borrow e-books library-style. You can access more than 2 million titles in addition to magazines and newspapers. So these devices are great for both the older and younger generations of readers. Nooks are also good for kids: Aside from the vibrant colors on the color screen, the books can be read aloud. So for people who prefer larger font sizes, this is a great device. Two things I love about the Nook: The font style and size are adjustable. You can even access documents and play games like Sodoku and chess. But with access to WiFi, it shares some of the features we see in tablets: There's more to experience in terms of multimedia: You can put your music on here, download apps (run off Android), visit social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. The screen, which is color, is slightly bigger than the Kindle's (7 inches) and they're a bit heaver (weighing just under a pound). These e-readers are a bit more expensive, but have more capabilities. The Nook, made by Barnes and Noble, is another very popular e-reader. All in all, a good, solid device for the avid reader looking to make the jump from book to e-reader. Also, the battery life is great - with the wireless off, it can hold a single charge for up to a month, and hundreds of thousands of titles are reasonably priced (less than $10). Some of the LCD screens on other e-Readers and tablets make it hard to read in sunlight, but the Kindle has technology built to enable you to read even on the sunniest of days. They download a book in 60 seconds and can hold up to 3,500 books. They're compact (6-inch screen) and lightweight - at 8.5 ounces, they weigh less than most paperbacks. For 50 bucks more, you can get a Kindle with WiFi to access the Internet. It's Amazon's highest-selling item, and at $139 for the less expensive model, they're reasonably priced. The Kindle continues to lead the pack when it comes to e-Readers.