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Originally Posted by jswinden
The over-exaggeration has been in the minds of the nookcolor owners who seem to have convinced themselves that this will be a major update which will turn the nookcolor into the best tablet ever.
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The Nook Color development statement has always been that the apps are meant to target a better *reading* experience. As a dedicated reader, I will be disappointed if the Nook market doesn't have:
1. Access to alternative readers. No matter how much they improve the stock app, people will always have other needs. B&N should not force people to stick with the stock app, because if they do, it will hurt sales. And, yes, I include allowing a Kindle app in the marketplace. (I realize this will be seen as a controversial statement.)
2. Access to catalog downloads and library apps. Aldiko (and others) provide OPDS catalog support. Overdrive allows you to download library books directly. These considerations were crucial in my decision to root - but not everyone wants to root their nook color. The best thing B&N could do is to allow these apps into the store.
3. Audiobook app support. Audible comes to mind.
4. Apps that provide better note-taking and highlighting abilities, either in the stock reader or in their own readers. The current B&N note-taking and highlighting abilities are terrible - there's no sync across devices (that I know of) and no way to save/backup/export notes.
5. Apps that provide better library management, either with the stock reader of in their own readers. This includes the ability to set any book - side-loaded or otherwise - on the home page.
6. Apps that are actually "interactive" reading experiences - the children's books are a good start at B&N but I've yet to find a good cookbook on their store that utilizes all the new bells and whistles. An app that filled the gap in the meantime (there are lots of android recipe apps) would be nice.
Again, not everyone chaffing for the update just wants a tablet to play Angry Birds. Lots of us - most of us, I'd guess - just want a better reading experience and we see the Nook Market as the best way to that. I'd personally rather deal with 100 android developers than a single B&N focal point that may not have the same priorities/motivations as me...
My two cents.
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I seriously doubt B&N will allow third-party readers to be installed as apps on non-rooted nookcolors, so they need to greatly improve their stock reader. Afterall, the nookcolor is still marketed as a READER.
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And the nook app market is supposed to enhance the reading experience. If they don't allow other reader apps, and they are only allowing "already on an android market somewhere, and therefore not tailored to the B&N stock app" apps in this first run, then the only thing left IS Angry Birds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jswinden
In my opinion, B&N should be working hard to turn the stock ePub reader into a better app with more functionality and fewer quirks. It is currently a third rate reader app.
- Add more fonts
- Add more format settings
- Add landscape view
- Add 2-column landscape view
- Add farthest read page function
- Make the text selection like the iPad wherein your finger doesn't obscure what you are selecting--add a magnified view in other words
- Greatly improve the dictionary lookup function. It currently chokes on words with accented characters. It often gets confused by plurals. It often shows duplicated entries. Dictionary needs a LOT of work!
- Et cetera
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I do agree that all this needs fixing yesterday, though. I'm really astonished that there haven't been more "mini-updates".