Classic Full review at Engadget now

[Mac Jones]

luke warm at best

[Ocean]

The highlights for me:

* the general hardware experience is not wildly dissimilar from its main competitor.

* Once you get the hang of the system it starts to make some sense, but it's nothing we'd describe as intuitive, and your rhythm is thrown off by one major factor: the extremely sluggish response of the device.

* There is little-to-no difference between the contrast and clarity on this screen versus its competitors

* we felt it very slightly outperformed Amazon's option in contrast, though the Kindle has a considerably faster refresh rate when turning pages.

* While the UI is different (not necessarily a bad thing in our eyes), there are also places where it is plain bad (necessarily a bad thing in our eyes). There's instability to spare in the review unit we used.

* B&N's store options and book browsing are far better than what Amazon offers.

* The question one has to weigh is whether or not the software is more of an aid or impediment to what the device was designed to do (book reading, remember?), and in our judgment, it's the latter. It's just downright unpleasant to use sometimes.

* If there's one thing the company knows how to do, it's sell books, and that's clear when using the Nook to browse or purchase titles. The on-device experience shines, and knocks the nearest competition around handily.

* the Nook is an intriguing product launched by a powerful force in the world of booksellers, but the initial offering feels long on promises and short on delivery. With the right software revisions, the Nook could be a tsunami, but as it stands right now, it's only a mild swell.

http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/07/b...e-nook-review/

[daffy4u]

Cnet review is in as well.

[daffy4u]

And here's Gizmodo.

Edit: The reviewer seems not to know about Kindle for PC.

[daffy4u]

Review and unboxing video at Slashgear.

[Not_A_Crook]

Seems like the color screen slightly conflicts with the E-ink. Maybe a firmware update may come early.

[markbot]

It seems that B&N made a pretty serious mistake with this device. They went with flash instead of substance. The core functionality of this reader is actually a step back from the Kindle. The core features are book buying experience, book selection and price, battery life, screen contrast, annotation, and refresh rate.

The nook is inferior on battery life, refresh rate, and probably book selection/price. This is a fairly substantial under performance it seems. I would not be surprised if this product fails or is even discontinued.

[jmaloney]

Originally Posted by markbot

It seems that B&N made a pretty serious mistake with this device. They went with flash instead of substance. The core functionality of this reader is actually a step back from the Kindle. The core features are book buying experience, book selection and price, battery life, screen contrast, annotation, and refresh rate.

The nook is inferior on battery life, refresh rate, and probably book selection/price. This is a fairly substantial under performance it seems. I would not be surprised if this product fails or is even discontinued.

From the reviews I've read so far, most people seem to say that the book buying experience is actually better than Amazon's, and easier to use. Selection and price are already being addressed, not to mention the rumors I read that B&N will be giving their eBook store an overhaul this week. The refresh rate, at least on the device I handled earlier today, was fine. Battery life, while definitely less than the Kindle's is still long enough that it's not a concern for me.

[Ocean]

Originally Posted by markbot

It seems that B&N made a pretty serious mistake with this device. They went with flash instead of substance. .

This.

They should have followed the iPod model. Get the core functionality down perfectly -- *then* add a bit of sizzle.

[Propheous]

Originally Posted by markbot

It seems that B&N made a pretty serious mistake with this device. They went with flash instead of substance. The core functionality of this reader is actually a step back from the Kindle. The core features are book buying experience, book selection and price, battery life, screen contrast, annotation, and refresh rate.

I look at this and I think wow.......Did you read the reviews or a review?

All of the reviews pretty much state the device is solid with some minor first revision problems that were reported in those reviews as being improved through updates.

The battery life is correctly reported as being less then the kindle, though I find it highly amusing that the kindle just reported a massive increase in battery life through the last firmware update. We also knew this would be the case with the inclusion of the LCD screen.

The contrast was mentioned in a few reviews as easily rectifiable through the settings, but was startling at first.

Is the device the all mighty Kindle killer, no. However, to suggest it as a step back from the kindle I would have to call shenanigans on that.

If you want my advice if your reading this looking for information go to the reviews and read them. Not one but multiple and watch the videos that have been put out now in the reviews.

[Ocean]

Originally Posted by Propheous

Is the device the all mighty Kindle killer, no.

This.


Is it weird to anyone else that BN is promising *******OMG GREAT PERFORMANCE AND FUNCTIONALITY******* through firmware updates, instead of getting it right and then releasing it?

It would only have put the release off by a couple of weeks, but universal acclaim would have been better than so-so reviews that said in essence "just wait".

[Propheous]

Originally Posted by Ocean

It would only have put the release off by a couple of weeks, but universal acclaim would have been better than so-so reviews that said in essence "just wait".

I love this battle cry. Its like an old song that never gets out of my head....(yes this is sarcasm)

We as a market are morons that continually and faithfully buy incomplete products. Thus the market has responded by releasing a stream of incomplete products. Why wait for 6 months down the road when you can release now sell your product and fix it later. Welcome to the real world.

[Ocean]

BN will never again have a media cycle where they are on the lips of every gadget and technology blogger all at the same time.

They.blew.it.

[Propheous]

Originally Posted by Ocean

BN will never again have a media cycle where they are on the lips of every gadget and technology blogger all at the same time.

They.blew.it.

ROFLMAO!
Neither will Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Sony, Etc either. You are obviously posting just to post and blow things out of proportion. Your steak comment on the other thread is a prime example of this.