Pogue reviews the Nook Color

RockdaMan · 12-08-2010, 11:27 PM

Lets remember that this guy is not a reader (at least not the type that becomes a fan of ereaders), and he's ambivalent to outright hostile to E-Ink.

His conclusion:

Quote:

“Oh, man, remember those Cro-Magnon e-book readers?” we’ll say. “They used E Ink screens — black text on gray. No color. No touch screens. And every time you turned a page, you got this weird black-white-black flash. Can you believe anyone bought those?”

Well, it’s time for some progress.

Quote:

All e-readers should have touch screens. Once you tap to open a book, swipe the page to turn it and drag your finger on the Brightness slider, using a joystick to move the cursor on an E Ink screen seems indirect and antique.

Quote:

The bedtime routine of many a Kindle owner — wedging a flashlight behind one ear — is a thing of the past.

Quote:

In short, the Nook Color doesn’t have anything close to the refinement and consistency of, say, an iPad or even a Kindle. At the same time, the Nook Color feels more modern and powerful than the Kindle. It also feels more like a computer than the Kindle, which is both a blessing and a curse.

Yes, five years from now, we’ll laugh at this reader, too — but not derisively. As we unwrap our all-color, all-touch screen e-book readers under the 2015 tree, we’ll remember this machine as the one that showed the way.

Link

Bookworm_Girl · 12-08-2010, 11:59 PM

Thanks for sharing this link! I had to laugh at your statement that Pogue is ambivalent to outright hostile to e-ink. Yes, I've read some of his other ereader reviews, and his opinion of the NC is quite glowing compared to his usual point-of-view. I agree with his comments regarding inconsistencies between the book, magazine and newspaper viewers.

boswd · 12-09-2010, 12:18 AM

I always thought he was an Amazon Kindle shill. I was shocked to read his positive review of the nook color but then again how could you not give it a positive review

I think we are finding a common theme with the nook color as well with people who are reviewing it with their children. Children seem to love this device. he mentioned how his 6 year old was enjoying it.

This really makes it such a versatile family device.

Overall he seemed to give it a really nice reivew.

coolbreeze · 12-09-2010, 12:29 AM

Pogue and Mossberg are becoming increasingly annoying.

Their opinions carry wayy too much merit in the world.

There are so many more tech savvy folks that have much more valuable and detailed opinions out there....hence this board, etc.

Pogue and Mossberg just are fortunate to get paid for what they do. Bravo, but that doesn't make them the authority...just a lightning rod of attention to whatever has reached the masses.

slayda · 12-09-2010, 01:45 AM

Doesn't he know we'll never make it to Christmas 2015 (or even 2012) according to the Mayan Calendar predictions?

tubemonkey · 12-09-2010, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolbreeze

Pogue and Mossberg are becoming increasingly annoying.

Their opinions carry wayy too much merit in the world.

I don't read the NYT for tech reviews, so I never heard of this Pogue guy until I saw his name in a thread several weeks ago.

lionel47 · 12-09-2010, 06:06 AM

Meh.

From the article: "A single tap brings up the row of page thumbnails across the bottom — but only in magazines, not books or newspapers."

This feature would prove useful for books and newspapers how?

pl001 · 12-09-2010, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lionel47

Meh.

From the article: "A single tap brings up the row of page thumbnails across the bottom — but only in magazines, not books or newspapers."

This feature would prove useful for books and newspapers how?

I for one would love this feature in books to quickly see how far the next break is or for flipping back a few pages to re-read something.

And for a user manual it would be really handy. For example my Nook1 manual is a pain in the butt to reference (not that I ever used it much).

rhadin · 12-09-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pl001

I for one would love this feature in books to quickly see how far the next break is or for flipping back a few pages to re-read something.

I agree that this would be a very useful feature -- on my Sony

.

boswd · 12-09-2010, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pl001

I for one would love this feature in books to quickly see how far the next break is or for flipping back a few pages to re-read something.

And for a user manual it would be really handy. For example my Nook1 manual is a pain in the butt to reference (not that I ever used it much).

but if you tap the middle of the screen you get a table of contents option and that list all the chapter breaks and can easily jump to one with a touch.
not the same as the artilce scrolling but the end result is the same.

boswd · 12-09-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I don't read the NYT for tech reviews, so I never heard of this Pogue guy until I saw his name in a thread several weeks ago.

He's basically the biggest voice for tech gadgets for the 40 yr old and up, Prof. upper middleclass demographics. Which is a very important demographic. This is the group that buys up electronic gadgets like candy.

Overall I like him, he is a little too Apple fanboyish at times, and normally for ereaders is all kindle all the time. So there is a little too much of the "I support basically the industry top sellers" type of mantra but he invokes humor in his reviews.

he had a show on discover science and HDTheater called "Its all Geek to me" great show.

He's great for digital camera's, in fact he's my go to guy for that. and other more obsucre electronic gadgets.

i was actually pleasently surprised of his positive review of the nook color, simply because he's such a kindle guy.

RockdaMan · 12-09-2010, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boswd

I always thought he was an Amazon Kindle shill.

He's no more an Amazon shill than he is an Apple shill (in other words, if you think he is, you have not been reading his reviews closely enough).

Here is his spiel on the K3:

Quote:

E Ink is satisfying to read but deeply flawed technology for e-book screens.

Quote:

Amazon’s chief executive, responded to this point this way: “You are not going to improve Hemingway by adding video snippets.” Yes, but color and video may well improve a new era of livelier e-books.

RockdaMan · 12-09-2010, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lionel47

Meh.

From the article: "A single tap brings up the row of page thumbnails across the bottom — but only in magazines, not books or newspapers."

This feature would prove useful for books and newspapers how?

Page thumbnails? That would be very useful.

Bookworm_Girl · 12-09-2010, 12:04 PM

I'm not too impressed with Pogue's tech columns usually. However, I do really like The Missing Manual series of books that he created. They are very useful with a dose of humor. They are especially helpful for Apple products and software.

varelov · 12-09-2010, 12:19 PM

If it wasn't for this topic I would have never heard of this Pogue personality and then realize how little-to-nothing I've missed by not reading his diatribes on eInk readers.
His "can you believe anyone bought these" line about eInk just made me believe he is an idiot.
Not a big fan of NYT so far, now even less of a fan. Let me see his Times survive through 2015...

12-09-2010, 12:18 AM	#3
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	I always thought he was an Amazon Kindle shill. I was shocked to read his positive review of the nook color but then again how could you not give it a positive review I think we are finding a common theme with the nook color as well with people who are reviewing it with their children. Children seem to love this device. he mentioned how his 6 year old was enjoying it. This really makes it such a versatile family device. Overall he seemed to give it a really nice reivew. Last edited by boswd; 12-09-2010 at 12:21 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Nook Color Reviews	elemenoP	News	104	12-12-2010 01:20 PM
Pogue slams B&N for incorrect Nook specs	anurag	News	8	01-22-2010 02:08 AM
Classic David Pogue (New York Times) on the Nook	Loopy65	Barnes & Noble NOOK	13	12-13-2009 08:29 PM
David Pogue slams the Nook	anurag	News	42	12-11-2009 12:16 AM
Classic Two more Nook Reviews: Pogue and Mossberg go thumbs down	Ocean	Barnes & Noble NOOK	8	12-10-2009 12:29 AM

12-08-2010, 11:59 PM	#2
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	Thanks for sharing this link! I had to laugh at your statement that Pogue is ambivalent to outright hostile to e-ink. Yes, I've read some of his other ereader reviews, and his opinion of the NC is quite glowing compared to his usual point-of-view. I agree with his comments regarding inconsistencies between the book, magazine and newspaper viewers.

12-09-2010, 12:29 AM	#4
coolbreeze Addict Posts: 214 Karma: 2600 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook Color, White 3G K3	Pogue and Mossberg are becoming increasingly annoying. Their opinions carry wayy too much merit in the world. There are so many more tech savvy folks that have much more valuable and detailed opinions out there....hence this board, etc. Pogue and Mossberg just are fortunate to get paid for what they do. Bravo, but that doesn't make them the authority...just a lightning rod of attention to whatever has reached the masses.

12-09-2010, 01:45 AM	#5
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Doesn't he know we'll never make it to Christmas 2015 (or even 2012) according to the Mayan Calendar predictions?

12-09-2010, 06:06 AM	#7
lionel47 Addict Posts: 361 Karma: 170 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Device: B&N Nook, Nook Color	Meh. From the article: "A single tap brings up the row of page thumbnails across the bottom — but only in magazines, not books or newspapers." This feature would prove useful for books and newspapers how?

12-09-2010, 12:04 PM	#14
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I'm not too impressed with Pogue's tech columns usually. However, I do really like The Missing Manual series of books that he created. They are very useful with a dose of humor. They are especially helpful for Apple products and software.

12-09-2010, 12:19 PM	#15
varelov Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 1590 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: nook	If it wasn't for this topic I would have never heard of this Pogue personality and then realize how little-to-nothing I've missed by not reading his diatribes on eInk readers. His "can you believe anyone bought these" line about eInk just made me believe he is an idiot. Not a big fan of NYT so far, now even less of a fan. Let me see his Times survive through 2015...