Tablet My Nook Tablet Review

[Nate the great]

I posted my review this morning.

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...let-heres-why/

The short version is that I don't like the walled garden. I expected a more open experience.

[tubemonkey]

I’ve posted before about the Nook Tablet having a DRMed bootloader and how that will make it difficult to hack. B&N did this on purpose; it makes escaping the garden that much harder. Yes, there’s now a way to install apps via the web browser, but that was also designed to support the walled garden. That loophole acts as a safety valve. The NT owners who are truly desperate for a tablet experience can (with some difficulty) install apps, and that cuts down on the desire to fully hack the NT.

I want a tablet to play videos of my choice (streaming and sideloading), surf the net, and do lots of free apps. Don't really care if it's hacked, semi-hacked, or walled in to get those things.

[jhempel24]

Yeah this should NOT be called a tablet...it's still a Nook Color reader.

I'm sticking with my color until something happens on this front

Thanks for your review

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I posted my review this morning.

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...let-heres-why/

The short version is that I don't like the walled garden. I expected a more open experience.

Nate, I think when you do reviews (which, BTW, I always enjoy reading), I think you should give two opinions: one based on what it is that you want and one that would more neatly fit with what the common folk are looking for.

Most people who will buy the Nook Tablet are not looking for that broad open experience you want. What you want is a $500 tablet for $200 and no $200 tablet will every wholly measure up.

OTOH, I would expect to be walled in to B&N if I am buying a Nook device, just as I would expect to be walled in by Amazon were I buying an Amazon device. I whould choose to buy the Nook Tablet because I want to buy my reading material at B&N and am happy to have B&N guide my access to Netflix. If I want to be wall-free, I wouldn't buy either the Kindle or the Nook, I'd look at the Xoom or Asus.

Anyway, while the Nook Tablet fails to meet your openness needs at $250, it more than meets the average B&N consumer's needs, thus the need for two review conclusions.

[linux_author]

Originally Posted by jhempel24

Yeah this should NOT be called a tablet...it's still a Nook Color reader.

+1

i fully understand the disappointment... i would have waited to purchase until i had read a number of reviews because i've always viewed returning stuff to be a hassle...

besides, this US$249 'tablet' (and its ilk) will be in the sub-$99 range in a couple years...

the Nook STR is already in the sub-$80 range, and IMHO, has more important features (such as longer battery life) - i don't want to watch a movie while holding something in my hand or on a screen smaller than 20"

JMHO, YMMV

[tubemonkey]

I'm not getting the Nook Tablet now. I just ordered some Black Friday specials and will decide from those.

[Asawi]

I really appreciate that you took the tome to write down and share you view. Thank you!!

I'm kind of surprised though at the number of people who actually thought that the Nook Tablet (or Kindle Fire) would be "real" (open)tablets and not understanding they are out there for BN (or Amazon) to sell content.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Asawi

I'm kind of surprised though at the number of people who actually thought that the Nook Tablet (or Kindle Fire) would be "real" (open)tablets and not understanding they are out there for BN (or Amazon) to sell content.

The Color was easy to root and very open after that. The Tablet would've been just as easy, only B&N messed it up this time.

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

The Color was easy to root and very open after that. The Tablet would've been just as easy, only B&N messed it up this time.

Well, from their point of view they didn't mess up this time, but rather with the Color. This time they made it right.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Asawi

Well, from their point of view they didn't mess up this time, but rather with the Color. This time they made it right.

...and lost a sale.

[Asawi]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

...and lost a sale.

Oh yes, I'm sure they lost many sales!

(But I'm also pretty sure they have made lots of calculations on what they think will give them more profit and that a "too open" device, possibly sold at very little profit (don't really know this, just guessing) brings in less money than the content they hope they'll sell otherwise would.)

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Nate, I think when you do reviews (which, BTW, I always enjoy reading), I think you should give two opinions: one based on what it is that you want and one that would more neatly fit with what the common folk are looking for.

Most people who will buy the Nook Tablet are not looking for that broad open experience you want. What you want is a $500 tablet for $200 and no $200 tablet will every wholly measure up.

OTOH, I would expect to be walled in to B&N if I am buying a Nook device, just as I would expect to be walled in by Amazon were I buying an Amazon device. I whould choose to buy the Nook Tablet because I want to buy my reading material at B&N and am happy to have B&N guide my access to Netflix. If I want to be wall-free, I wouldn't buy either the Kindle or the Nook, I'd look at the Xoom or Asus.

Anyway, while the Nook Tablet fails to meet your openness needs at $250, it more than meets the average B&N consumer's needs, thus the need for two review conclusions.

Exactly.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Exactly.

I'm not gonna be one of the 1GBs now

[kennyc]

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I just ordered a bunch of stuff:

• Samsung Galaxy Player 4.0 -- $189
• Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0 -- $229
• Acer Iconia 7" -- $190
• Dell Streak 7" -- $160
• Toshiba Thrive 10" -- $280

Gonna pick a tablet and a player, then either send the rest back or gift them.