Why I am avoiding the Nook Glow Light...

[susaz]

What worries me about the Glow is the cover. I´d rather have a fully closed cover, specially when it´s around my bag... I think the regular book like cover would be dangerous...

[otaku_nicole]

Uh, I would disagree about how 'fragile' this device is.

So I got my Nook Glowlight last Friday, spilled my entire cup of coffee on it (ON THE FRONT DISPLAY) at work on Monday morning. Turned the device off and wiped the coffee. 10 minutes later.. It works flawlessly.

I love my Nook Glowlight.

[rhermans]

Yep, it might be more fragile, but why would someone in its right mind drop his car keys on top of the screen. I use a cover, and when not reading it's closed (90% of the time) and I don't drop things on the screen. The light makes this the best eink reader on the market now.

[booklover6]

This isn't about the Nook Touch, but that post reminds me of a sight I witnessed a couple months ago. This woman set her phone down, one of those iphone or smart phone type things, and then set her keys and her water bottle right on TOP of the phone's screen, rather than on the table beside it, and then walked away. I could NOT believe it. Maybe phone screens are extremely durable? Even with my cheap LG800 I wouldn't do that. (And it was a hot day, in full sunshine, so the water bottle probably sweated onto the phone....shudder)

So, maybe there are people who set their keys on top of their ereader screens.

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by otaku_nicole

Uh, I would disagree about how 'fragile' this device is.

So I got my Nook Glowlight last Friday, spilled my entire cup of coffee on it (ON THE FRONT DISPLAY) at work on Monday morning. Turned the device off and wiped the coffee. 10 minutes later.. It works flawlessly.

I love my Nook Glowlight.

So apparently it can withstand coffee on the screen but not a light tap from a mini-USB cable.

[susaz]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

So apparently it can withstand coffee on the screen but not a light tap from a mini-USB cable.

That´s the thing, how much it can withstand? around a woman´s purse there´s a lot of debris, dust, and sometimes harder things. Don´t underestimate cookie crumbs... I never had a screen breaking on me, even after very hard shocks... But this guy´s Kindle was sitting on his desk, untouched! It simply died on him...
http://www.clubdelebook.com/muerte-de-un-kindle/

[rhermans]

Originally Posted by susaz

What worries me about the Glow is the cover. I´d rather have a fully closed cover, specially when it´s around my bag... I think the regular book like cover would be dangerous...

I've had the same feeling but I just got me a full alumenium cover from ebay
http://www.benl.ebay.be/itm/18078493...84.m1438.l2649





and "after bending it back into shape - I think the post had a bad day" it works perfect.

[Mujokan]

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

So apparently it can withstand coffee on the screen but not a light tap from a mini-USB cable.

This is probably because the problem is caused by the diffraction grating for the lights, which I would guess takes the form of etching in the screen, which has weakened it slightly versus impacts.

When the grating is damaged, light isn't distributed properly any more, and you get a "pool" of light at the point of impact. That is my take, anyway.

[the.Mtn.Man]

One suggestion I've come across is that the screen protector/light diffusion layer isn't actually being damaged but that it is lifting off from the e-ink screen. This would explain why there is no perceptible damage until you turn the light on and see the hot spots, and it also explains why devices seem to spontaneously develop hotspots even when people have cared for them meticulously, or in cases where units fresh out of the box exhibit this problem.

Whatever is causing it, it's a pretty serious design flaw, and judging by reports at the official Nook forums, Glowtouch owners are having to regularly exchange their devices as they inevitably develop hotspots after a few weeks of use. One poster made the cynical suggestion that Barnes & Noble is eventually going to declare that hotspots are "normal" and refuse to accept returns for that reason.

[twowheels]

I wonder if these problems are the reasons for the apparent delay (assuming there actually is one) in the release of a similar feature on the Kindle.

[david8866]

A few months back, I pre-ordered one, but I decided to wait. Today I read reviews over BN website, some recent reviews complained about the light hole problem. I am curious, is the problem with different shipments? Or, is the design not durable enough for long term use?

[the.Mtn.Man]

Originally Posted by david8866

I am curious, is the problem with different shipments? Or, is the design not durable enough for long term use?

It really does seem to be an inherent design flaw since people have been consistently reporting it since day one. A shame, really, because it otherwise seems like a very good e-reader.

[yasmeen]

I have a love-hate relationship with the Nook Glow Light. I do a lot of nighttime reading and love how the light works and appears. I bought my first Nook Glow Light mid June. It lasted 2 weeks. The hotspots appeared and I was able to exchange it in the store (after waiting for a call to say it was back in stock). The second one lasted just over 3 weeks. I was once again able to take it to the store and exchange it. The third one lasted just over a month; I had to call and have them send a new one, which arrived yesterday. They sent a certified pre-owned device. Already today there is a hot spot. It was sitting on my desk - the only possible thing that could have landed on it would have been a fly. We have two Simple Touches (without Glow Light) in the home that have been problem free. I hate how quickly the hot spots appear, but I do love the light. At this point, I just wish they could work out whatever the issue is that causes at least some of these Glow Lights to fail so easily. I do use a cover. My advice would be to buy the extended protection plan if you buy it. The man on the phone tonight basically told me they'll just keep sending replacements for the next 2 years. Great, but I hate that I lose my wish list each time.

[aceflor]

I have had mine since May, am using it every day, and it is still in pristine condition. No hotspot at all.
It is all the time in a cover, but we have a lively household with kids using it too. Just to say that some people like me never had problems, some others keep having to return them...

[GreenMonkey]

Originally Posted by aceflor

I have had mine since May, am using it every day, and it is still in pristine condition. No hotspot at all.
It is all the time in a cover, but we have a lively household with kids using it too. Just to say that some people like me never had problems, some others keep having to return them...

Ditto, mine has been fine since my wife got it for me in June.

Maybe just quality control issues on a tricky manufacturing process.