Little suprises ... credit card ... gmail account

[condor]

Hi everyone,

I bought a NC about a week ago and have been using it for public domain epubs and mp3s. I'm fairly happy with it. I usually use it in low light conditions, so the backlit LCD screen is perfect for me. Often I use a dark screen with light lettering.

I've been side loading everything from my PC.

Despite reading quite a few reviews, B&N's requirement for a credit card surprised me. Likewise having to go back to a wifi network to initialize the NC.

Now I've been reading that you must have a Gmail account to use auto-nooter 3. (Just when I thought that I finally had a device that was free of big brother's snooping.)

And do I understand that you have to be in a wifi network to unlock Android with auto-nooter? I guess that I could head back into town with a laptop and the NC if that's what is needed. Thanks.

condor

[Apoc]

Originally Posted by condor

Hi everyone,

I bought a NC about a week ago and have been using it for public domain epubs and mp3s. I'm fairly happy with it. I usually use it in low light conditions, so the backlit LCD screen is perfect for me. Often I use a dark screen with light lettering.

I've been side loading everything from my PC.

Despite reading quite a few reviews, B&N's requirement for a credit card surprised me. Likewise having to go back to a wifi network to initialize the NC.

Now I've been reading that you must have a Gmail account to use auto-nooter 3. (Just when I thought that I finally had a device that was free of big brother's snooping.)

And do I understand that you have to be in a wifi network to unlock Android with auto-nooter? I guess that I could head back into town with a laptop and the NC if that's what is needed. Thanks.

condor

The credit card is for buying books from B&N. But it's not needed. You can create your B&N account without one.

The gmail account is for identifying purchased apps from Market. You can "take" those apps with you.

Don't be paranoid, nothing to do with Big Brother.

Since the Nook does what you want it to do now, there is no need to root it so no "big brother."

[condor]

Originally Posted by Apoc

The credit card is for buying books from B&N. But it's not needed. You can create your B&N account without one.

Thanks for the reply. The initialization program or script on the NookColor 1.1.0 would not let me use the device until I gave it my email address and credit card info. I looked for ways to avoid it without success. I have heard that you can circumvent the initialization, but then perhaps you can't get updates?

Originally Posted by Apoc

The gmail account is for identifying purchased apps from Market. You can "take" those apps with you.

I do lean slightly toward paranoia, but with DRM software and indexing software sifting through your filesystems on most Windows computers, how much privacy do you really have?

I already have two email addresses, but neither of them satisfy the need of having a direct Gmail account.

But my real reason for writing was to seek confirmation that I need to have wifi available to run auto-nooter 3? If so, I can't root at home. And I really did buy the NC to explore its potential as a tablet.

The NC is a neat epub reader. A bit heavy and bulky for an mp3 player. But I'm enjoying exploring what it can do and might even experiment with making my own content. Thanks.

condor

[Apoc]

Originally Posted by condor

But my real reason for writing was to seek confirmation that I need to have wifi available to run auto-nooter 3? If so, I can't root at home. And I really did buy the NC to explore its potential as a tablet.

You can root without it but at first boot it'll stop to ask you for your email address to register the tablet with B&N. One of the first things that you need to do before rooting, is to de-register the tablet.

What's the big deal with creating a gmail account? I have one just for this purpose, to satisfy every website that needs an email address. I wouldn't dream of giving my personal or business address, not even to Paypal.

[lexic]

Originally Posted by Apoc

One of the first things that you need to do before rooting, is to de-register the tablet.

This is not true. Please read the rooting information at http://nookdevs.com/NookColor_Rooting before trying.

(This may not matter to the OP however...)

[Apoc]

Originally Posted by lexic

This is not true. Please read the rooting information at http://nookdevs.com/NookColor_Rooting before trying.

(This may not matter to the OP however...)

Wups... I was de-rooting and reseting my nook to install Froyo at the time and mixed the two. Thanks for the heads up.

[condor]

Thanks for the comments. I was planning on getting used to the stock Android on the NC before trying the more current versions. (But I am curious to see what B&N does in April.)

Thanks for the link, I think that I've already read it. I was hoping that I could use auto-nooter 3 without wifi but that doesn't seem to be an option.

I already have a gmail account through an affiliate, so I guess they see everything I type anyway. I like your idea of an account just for things that require an email address. Thanks