Hello,
I've had my Amazon Kindle for 2 weeks. I just had to buy one after the price dropped to 189 and then I saw a refurbished model for 169 on their site. I'm not afraid of refurbs so I got it and have been happy with it so far.
However, since I've had my Kindle, I've been trying to read up on it because it is important for me to have a reading device that I will be able to enjoy for a very long time. I have been flustered with so much information and I feel like I've gotten nowhere and I only have 2 more weeks before I can return my Kindle if necessary.
I do not like to ask redundant questions because I know that my answers are out there, SOMEWHERE, but I'm just hit with so much information and terminology that I do not recognize, and I have found that I'm reading up about ereaders more than I am using mine, so I am now desperate enough to ask.
forgive me
I did not realize that by owning the Kindle I can only buy amazon.com ebooks. This is very disturbing to me as I have noticed that there are some books over at B&N for the Nook that are available that are not available on the Kindle.
From what I've been able to gather, the Nook allows me to read books purchased from other ebook stores, but only some, right? It's all about the book formatting, but there seem to be so many different types of formats, and I've had a hard time searching to figure out which websites sell which formats.
Another thing that bothers me is that the Kindle does not have expandable memory or removable battery. I know that it has enough memory for a lot of books, but I just like the idea of expandable memory and a removeable battery. The Nook offers this, from what I understand.
I am also wondering how "hackable" are the nook and kindle? I'm not good with computers, but I would definitely learn in order to keep my purchases. Or upload purchases from other websites onto the device. The fact that I can only use the Kindle for Amazon purchases worries me. I don't think it would happen but what if Amazon went belly up? I would no longer be able to purchase new material? I'm not asking HOW TO HACK, I'd just like to know if the information is out there because it would be great to buy a book offered through another ebook retailer and upload it to my kindle (or Nook, for that matter). I have a 5$ coupon for the Kobo ebookstore, and it's a shame that I cannot use it.
The one thing that Amazon has me on is content: I know that they have a larger selection that BN, and some of their prices are a little cheaper (The Girl w/The Dragon Tattoo is only 7.15), and newspapers galore, which I'm a fan of mostly text-y papers like Foreign Affairs, the Economist and various newspapers, so the lack of pictures/charts is not a big deal to me.
so I am just in a whirlwind of pros and cons for the Kindle and Nook and hope to get any advice. I'm also not set on a kindle or nook, and open for another reader if it will suit my purposes.
I thank you so much for your time
PS: I will happily forgo expandable memory/removeable battery if i can upload 3rd party content to the kindle, or if I can upload 3rd party & Amazon content to the Nook (that may even be a better option if I can do it)