Barnes & Noble to unveil new e-reader on May 24

[rogue_librarian]

Originally Posted by CommonReader

In Germany B&N and Kobo are complete no-shows, while Amazon has just started its German Kindle shop.

B&N seems to be content with the US market, for now at least. They are not selling / supporting the Nook outside of the US, period. Kobo, on the other hand, has announced their intention to do just that. Granted, they haven't arrived yet, but I can easily seem them being stocked by a large chain (electronics or bookstores, it doesn't matter).

Perhaps it is simply not attractive for Sony to sell their readers at rock bottom prices in the US, trying to compete against readers that are mainly being tied to specific shops.

It works both way, I am afraid. To me as a consumer it's simply not attractive to pay a premium price for what is slowly but surely becoming outdated hardware.

[toronado]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Speaking of which, and noting that Nook is running Android, I wonder if it will be possible to run apps (officially sanctioned or otherwise) to extend functionality. A Dropbox app for example would be nice to obviate the need for USB tethering. And yes, touch enabled Chess. <g>

It runs Android 2.1 but what that exactly means I don't know. I'll be very interested in this device in its stock form, but especially if someone figures out how to hack it.

[halipleumon]

the new edition is much prettier, that's for certain. personally i find extra menus/buttons/keyboards on the border of the device takes away from the reading experience. the touch screen menu on the bottom of the first edition seemed to be the complaint i heard most often (despite the keyboard on the kindle). i invested in the first edition nook a few weeks before the 'newer gen' ereaders jumped on the market, and i found the performance on the device to be lacking.
i have some beefs with the way the product is advertised. they boast having the most advanced eink technology, but there doesn't seem to be a specific grading system attributed to eink. does the higher end eink technology increase alongside the levels of greyscale available? they also boast having a very light device, but the specifications don't state what material it's made out of. another preference of mine is not to have a device made of plastic.
it seems that this model is a "catch up" model for barnes and noble. the nook color doesn't exactly fit into the market as an e-reader, as i see it. it's a better product relative to lower end ereaders and their previous edition, but it hardly seems innovative when compared to other devices available.

[mlewis78]

I don't like the rounded corners. Reminds me that my Bookeen Cybook Opus has them, and when I used a hard stand behind it, it didn't sit well on it. (I haven't used the Cybook since I bought the Sony PRS-350.) Other than the rounded corners, it looks fine to me. I was disappointed in my first Nook. It was too reflective around the edges of the reading screen,on the lower screen and on the shiny white bezel.