Nook Gets Thumbs Up/Down From Critics
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Nook has generated a lot of buzz in the past few weeks as one of the few e-book readers that can challenge Amazon Kindle and hold up its own. It’s so easy to build up a lot of hype when people have no way of testing a device and can go by what they read on a piece of paper. That’s about to change for Nook as early reviews are making their way around the Internet. On paper, Nook is an Android e-book reader that comes with an exciting color LCD and allows you to share your books with your friends. But is it really worth paying for (considering that Kindle 3 may be only a few months away)?
Gizmodo has a pretty comprehensive review of Nook. It’s clear that Nook has a huge potential and can be a big player in the e-book market in 2010 and beyond, but those who have a Kindle may want to stick with their reader:
if you have to pick one right now, stick with the Kindle. It’s a tough call, because I see a lot of potential in Nook that might not be in Kindle, but damn if the Kindle hasn’t grown to comfortably inhabit its e-ink skin. As long as you don’t expect apps and extras on a Kindle, it delivers the best ebook experience there is at this moment. And it just went international. But while the limitations of a Kindle are clear, the limitations of the Nook are hazier, presumably further out.
CNET also came to a similar conclusion with its review of Nook:
Is the Nook better than the Kindle? That’s the question everybody wants answered, and the short response is yes–and no. In terms of core features, the Nook isn’t any better. Both devices wirelessly deliver similar content to almost identical 6-inch E-ink screens. You can argue over which one is easier to use and which interface you like better (we give a slight nod to the Nook’s touch screen), but both are fairly intuitive and are reasonably priced for what they offer… the Kindle–or, at least, Amazon’s service–is more battle-tested, its battery life is better, and it does offer text-to-speech audio and basic Web browsing. You also don’t have to deal with some of the slow load times for books.
I am a big fan of e-book readers. I do believe that eventually they are going to be replaced by multi-purpose devices that happen to be good at displaying e-books. But e-book readers are just tools. What matters is what you put on your Kindle or Nook. Both of these gadgets are capable of providing you with what you need to download books fast and start reading them right away. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. But the Kindle platform has been around for a while, so if you are not interested in testing a new device in its early days, you may want to pass on Nook. My suggestion would be the same if you already have a Kindle. How many e-book readers does anyone need?
Your take: would you consider picking up both a Nook and a Kindle?
