Since Barnes & Noble was way behind in the ereader market, releasing the Nook only in late 2009, it came as a pleasant surprise that only a year later a Nook Color edition is already out. Touted as the "reader's tablet", we'll find out in this Nook Color review, just how much of an ebook reader and a tablet the Barnes & Noble Nook Color is.
Size and Design
BARNES AND NOBLE
If you're expecting an average-looking, run-of-the-mill ebook reader, then you'll certainly be impressed with the colored Nook, which could pass off as a tablet PC at first glance.
The first thing that makes it so different from our usual ereaders is its 7-inch, high-resolution LED-backlit IPS display. This type of display is in fact, the same type of display technology that Apple uses on the iPad and Mac. Barnes & Noble however, improved the IPS screen by using its VividView technology which laminates the screen coating and reduces the glare.
Nook Color is slightly bigger and heavier than the e-ink Nook. It weighs 15.8 ounces, and is 8.1 inches in length, 5 inches in width, and 0.5-inch thick. The front portion of the device consists of hard plastic while the back has a smooth, rubber backing.
Performance
Inside the Nook Color is a program which has its roots from the Android version 2.1, an operating system popular with many of today's tablets and smart phones. In this Barnes & Noble device, the Android-based software doesn't disappoint.
Those who have actually used this color ereader report of a zippy performance, a responsive touch screen, fast page turns, almost picture-perfect images, and crisp text. Even browsing through PDFs and picture galleries are said to be a total breeze.
New Features
In coming out with a colored ebook reading device, Barnes & Noble has also made sure that the attention that it's gotten so far is not all hype. The Nook Color not only has added functionality including web browsing, Pandora music app, email, and video playbacks, but it also works well with B & N's new features and technologies.
There's the new Nook Kids brand which promotes reading colored, illustration-packed children's ebooks on the Nook Color, NookFriends which lets users share heartwarming lines from books to friends and family via Facebook and Twitter. Then of course, Barnes & Noble also retains its book sharing feature, the exclusive LendMe technology.
Barnes & Noble Nook Color Review: The Verdict
The company has really gone out of its way to release an ebook reader that's not only sleek and feature-packed, but is reasonably-priced as well. At just 9, it's really quite a steal considering that you can already do a lot more than just ebook reading with it.
Still, the device could use with some significant improvements like a longer battery life. The 8 hours it offer pales in comparison with battery performance of other ereaders which use e-ink. Also, even with its VividView treatment, the LCD display could still get reflective and possibly even cause eye strain after a few hours.
In the end, it's all a matter of preference. If glossy magazines and children's books are high up on your family's list of reading fare, then it's all worth the 9 you spend especially with the additional tablet features it has. However, for long form reading of mostly text ebooks, e-ink ebook readers are still the better choice.
Nook Color Review: A Close Look at the Ebook Reader That Looks Like a Tablet BARNES AND NOBLE
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