Nook vs. Nook Color vs. Sony 650

[doreenjoy]

Originally Posted by mnfe

I talked to my husband and he didn't like the idea of using an ereader to read to the kids, he likes regular books. And I'm OK with that because it means the device will really be all mine!

How is the Sony online store? I typically read sci-fi and fantasy novels, so that would be what I'm looking for mainly. I don't want to not be able to find books that I want to for a decent price. I know Amazon is the best for that, but is Sony at least close to B&N?

People often complain that Sony doesn't have a wide selection, but I find it's good for popular fiction.

Also since you want an EPUB reader, you can buy books from many sites and sideload them to the reader. Fictionwise used to carry a lot of sci fi (theymight still) and OmniLit does a great job with sf/f.

You can even get library books if your device supports Overdrive (Sony does and I think Nook does too).

[polly]

Try going to www.inkmesh.com to price shop for books. A search there will look through many of the different bookstores. There are a bunch of independent stores and Sonys are not tied in to the Sony store. The Sony will read ePubs from anyplace except B&N and Apple. Library books are a fantastic resource for free reading.

I've never quite figured out why people are so set on WiFi or 3G. All of the reviewers who make that out as a crippling distinction probably contribute. My Sony will hold well over a 1,000 books; I doubt that I'll ever be anywhere with a need to buy a book right now and nothing else to read. Calibre does a great job of organizing my books and putting them where I want them, so sideloading with Calibre works better than loading with WiFi.

[Care]

If you are not worried about the extra $100, I would say it comes down to personal taste. Going in and playing with them is great, but I would buy one and take it home for a while. See how you like it after reading a few books on it. As far as I know Best Buy allows you to return readers within a certain amount of time (14 or 30 days?). Or if you can afford to, buy them both and return the one you don't like. I bought my Nook thinking I would just try it out while visiting my Dad in the US, I fell in love with it though.

I read mostly fantasy and I buy from all over. I find that B&N has the best selection over Sony and Kobo (and some smaller stores). I know with Sony you can use other ADE DRMed books, but I think you would have to do some stripping to use B&N DRMed ebooks on a Sony. I am not sure. With Nook you can buy from B&N and any other store that sells ADE DRM. www.inkmesh.com the site Polly mentioned above is a great idea for figuring out what books are available where and for how much.

[mnfe]

Thanks, if I don't go with the Sony store, then the wireless doesn't make as much sense. It's great being able to buy a new book and start reading it without hooking it up to a computer but if I'm doing mostly library books or books from other sites and sideloading, it doesn't make as much sense. That would let me get the 650 for the same price (on sale) as the nook. Then I could spend the extra money on...books! And a case, and....

Now, I DO currently spend lots of time in the B&N bookstore, so the nook isn't completely out of the running. The free hour of reading is nice, along with the free coupons. But if I'm going there I can just read the actual book and the coupons are only good if I actually use them.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by mnfe

Thanks, if I don't go with the Sony store, then the wireless doesn't make as much sense. It's great being able to buy a new book and start reading it without hooking it up to a computer but if I'm doing mostly library books or books from other sites and sideloading, it doesn't make as much sense. That would let me get the 650 for the same price (on sale) as the nook. Then I could spend the extra money on...books! And a case, and....

Now, I DO currently spend lots of time in the B&N bookstore, so the nook isn't completely out of the running. The free hour of reading is nice, along with the free coupons. But if I'm going there I can just read the actual book and the coupons are only good if I actually use them.

Sony 650 is a great hardware/reader but like I always say, it is just the tool. The Nook is backed up by B&N online bookstore which right now has a wider selection than Sony I believe.

If I was you, I would check about 20 books you like: 10 pbooks and 10 new ebooks you would like to get. Get an average of how many you found at B&N and will give you an idea of how good or bad is Nook for your own taste and reading preferences.

[boswd]

I like the Sony's alot but they are just priced insanly, as good as their hardware is, it's tough to recommend with the 950 being $300, the 650 at $229 (no wireless) and their home bookstore as a platform just isn't as good as Barnes and Nobles. Yes they both accept Adobe Digatal Editions (ePub) but you'll find more bargains, coupons, freebies with BN. As much as I love to shop around , there are times when its just so much easier to shop with your home platform

The nook wifi only is $149. It's hardware is also top notch. and $80 cheaper than the Sony 650 AND its wireless AND you have great bookstore platform.

both are great, the nook just had a major update recently(v1.5) one of the highlights of this update was it darkened the text to improve it's contrast. It is pretty much on par with the new pearl screen of the new sony's at least close enough where it no longer factors in to a decision.

I like both ereaders, but I just can't wrap my brain around Sony's pricing strategy. It makes no sense.

Save yourself about $80 and go with the nook wifi only model. you can buy a cover and 5 books plus the nook wifi for the price of the 650.

[boswd]

as far as some of the comments on the nook color, well i would like to also chime in a few misconceptions. 1. it's battery life is not 4hrs but a between 8 and 10. And i think one thing that sometimes gets lost in translation is, it's 8 hrs of usage time, not it has to be charged every 8 hrs its on. In fact when it's in sleep mode it uses little to no battery life. for example I charged mine the other night and unhooked at 11:00 PM fully charged at 100%, left it on and it went into sleep mode. woke up for work at 6:30 at it was at 98%, that's in sleep mode. and you can even get more milage by turning it off to manage the battery life even further. It boots up in under 45 seconds so that's great.

If someone would have asked me if I would prefer eink or lcd, i would have said eink without a doubt. But after 2.5 weeks with my nook color, i'm not so sure anymore. many setting functions and features to suite all types makes this VERY VERY easy to read with. you said you read at night on your computer, well the nook color will be a walk in the part in comparison. The nigh mode is incredible, I love it.

The price is a bit more than the nook wifi only but it's the most complete and well rounded ereader on the market. It has functionality that you just can't have with eink.
Magazines are great as is the childrens books.
wouldn't totally leave it out of the running but that nook wifi is a fantastic option

[jocampo]

boswd,

Agree with most of your comment, but this part

Originally Posted by boswd

the nook just had a major update recently(v1.5) one of the highlights of this update was it darkened the text to improve it's contrast.

This is not correct. Contrast did not improve with 1.5 firmware.

Nook 1.5 firmware upgrade improvements: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/c...&cds2Pid=35802

As a matter of fact, it cannot be improved via firmware. Contrast is hardware dependent. Old nook does not use or have new eink pearl technology, that new technology comes with most recent Sony and Kindle 3.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by jocampo

boswd,

Agree with most of your comment, but this part



This is not correct. Contrast did not improve with 1.5 firmware.

Nook 1.5 firmware upgrade improvements: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/c...&cds2Pid=35802

As a matter of fact, it cannot be improved via firmware. Contrast is hardware dependent. Old nook does not use or have new eink pearl technology, that new technology comes with most recent Sony and Kindle 3.

i'm going to have to disagree with you, my text is much bolder, in fact many people have reported it. It may not have been listed but my text is most certainly darker. I brought it in to best buy and see how it stacked up to the sony's and kindle's and it's right there, it really is.

I don't know what they did but something happened.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by boswd

i'm going to have to disagree with you, my text is much bolder, in fact many people have reported it. It may not have been listed but my text is most certainly darker. I brought it in to best buy and see how it stacked up to the sony's and kindle's and it's right there, it really is.

I don't know what they did but something happened.

With all respect, it is a psychological thing! There was NO change at all., Actually, mine was 1.5 before I sold it. You can compare side by side with a 1.4 Nook, nothing changed. Trust me on that.

Many people have made that comment, spread over the internet and of course gives that perception to some users, same that you have between a black Kindle 3 vs a white Kindle 3.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by jocampo

With all respect, it is a psychological thing! There was NO change at all., Actually, mine was 1.5 before I sold it. You can compare side by side with a 1.4 Nook, nothing changed. Trust me on that.

Many people have made that comment, spread over the internet and of course gives that perception to some users, same that you have between a black Kindle 3 vs a white Kindle 3.

I noticed it as soon as my update finished, i aske my wife if her text appeared darker and she agreed.

I mean I don't know, I wish I could find a 1.4 to compare to too that would be good.

[boswd]

i found this youtube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Le6PwPqQdI

wait until they get the actually page of the book is up

it may not be the most scientific or proof postive but the 1.5 def. looks bolder.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by boswd

I noticed it as soon as my update finished, i aske my wife if her text appeared darker and she agreed.

I mean I don't know, I wish I could find a 1.4 to compare to too that would be good.

What you are seeing now it's change with the text itself and the ways it's being rendering, more bold, kind of more pixels maybe per area, if I can use the term pixels here. But the contrast has not improved. Because the eye cannot perceive or see at such small details, it gives the feeling of a darker text.

Actual contrast change when the background itself is less dark or gray and more white, like on the new Kindle 3, plus a more black text. Those changes are just possible via hardware or new screen.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by boswd

i found this youtube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Le6PwPqQdI

wait until they get the actually page of the book is up

it may not be the most scientific or proof postive but the 1.5 def. looks bolder.

Now you're talking! ... more bolder is not more contrast. It gives the sensation of being more dark, but it is not. You measure contrast in terms of difference between color intensity: letters vs background. It can looks bolder when you put much more black points per inch to generate the same letter. Again, optical illusion.

Because technical speaking contrast did not improve or change, it was not listed on B&N page.

[boswd]

i know what you are trying to say. No they didn't install a new screen in the update where the background is now lighter. And something like the Pearl can only be done via hardware update.

but all i know is my text is bolder. I don't know what else to say