need suggestions to replace Nook HD+

[pypeke]

Hi,
I currently have a Nook HD+ which needs replaced for many reasons. I had an older Nook with e-ink that disappeared one day. (The model right before Nook Color came out.) All of my ebooks were bought on B&N site. I seldom read outside so a tablet would be okay for me.

Need: wifi, ability to change font size, sepia or black background with white font (HD+ has it. Great for nighttime reading), very clear fonts, generic replacement charging cable (hd+ cable is poor), ability to load Nook books on it, external storage card, ability to use Calibre (or ????) for organizing books, email, web browsing, 7" + screen, some apps like solitaire, facebook, netflix,

Waterproof/resistant would be nice, but not necessary. I do not have any Amazon books, but may buy some in the future. Sometimes I can't get a book on my Nook because Amazon has exclusive rights for several months. By the time Nook gets the book, I have forgotten all about it. It would be a pain if book 1 is a Nook book, book 2 is a kindle book, and I can't remember where to find the books. I buy a lot of books in series and by a few favorite authors so I need to organize them. (Calibre???)

No set budget since I am getting a tablet and won't need an e-ink reader. Based on posts on this forum, I am thinking about Nexus 7 tablet, a Kobo H20 (or any Kobo based on flexibility with fonts), Tab 4 (not Nook's) but I do not want to be tied to a Kindle. I read that Kobo is great for epubs....not sure if I have any...not sure about anything.

Any suggestions?

[ottdmk]

Hi! Just a couple of points:

1) The Kobo H2O isn't a tablet; it's an e-ink based e-reader. I have one, I love it, but if you're looking for a tablet, the H2O will disappoint you.

2) If you're buying a tablet, the advantage is that all the stores are available to you (with the possible/probable exception of Apple Books.) So while you may have some books in Kindle land and some in Nook, at least you're reading all of them on the same device.

3) You should look into the Calibre Companion app. I've never used it, but I've heard good things.

4) As for a tablet model: Nexus 7 (at least the 2013 model) is supposed to be excellent. For a budget tablet, I've read good reviews of the Asus MemoPad 7. This is assuming you'd like to stay with a 7" form factor.

[pypeke]

I thought Kobe had a tablet.

If I use a tablet with Kobo, kindle, and nook reading apps, I will still have the problem of finding a particular book, right? I won't remember if I bought the book from Kobe, Amazon, or B&N. I also have books on Oyster. I want to use only one app.

If I use Caliber, could I change all the books' formats so I could only use one ereader app? Would this be a bad idea? Would it be better with an ereader? I guess I could use my Nook HD+ as a tablet only since the ereader part freezes all the time.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by pypeke

If I use Caliber, could I change all the books' formats so I could only use one ereader app?

Yes, many people do this and use the reading app of their choice (many in conjunction with Calibre Companion). Any books with DRM will need to have that removed before conversion is possible.

I guess I could use my Nook HD+ as a tablet only since the ereader part freezes all the time.

What about just installing the regular Android Nook app from the Google Play store on it instead of using the HD+'s built in reading app?

[Quelch]

Have a squiz at the Sony for waterproof tablets (Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact)
This is the main contender for when my aging Nexus 7 dies
Currently I use the Cool-Reader app for reading on the Nexus it has a parchment setting that is similar to sepia, I find it restful and easy to read, less stark than black on white or white on black

'A thing of beauty is a joy forever' and I'm sure the Sony will last many, many years !

[SteveK]

Anemic Oak- when I had my NookHD, I tried to install the Nook app, but got an error message that it was incompatible! I found it ironic that the Nook HD was not compatible with the Nook app.

Pypeke- Assuming Oyster is like Scribd, you won't be able to use any other app to read the books you download from Oyster, and won't be able to use Oyster for anything but Oyster books. Also, you can't use Oyster (or Scribd) on an e-ink reader. I keep hoping that will change, but it probably never will.
SteveK

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SteveK

Also, you can't use Oyster (or Scribd) on an e-ink reader. I keep hoping that will change, but it probably never will.
SteveK

But you could run it on an eInk tablet such as the Boyue T62 or Onyx T68 (not that that's of any interest to the OP).

[SteveK]

Good point Harry, and I've contemplated buying one just for that reason. I know the T62 is quite inexpensive, and I've seriously thought about buying one to try it out. I have been reading more on my tablet lately and I can't say that it bothers me, but I still do prefer e-ink.

I may have to give that idea some more thought, and compare the two readers you mentioned.

SteveK

[chefz]

I switched from a Nook HD+ to a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8" tablet last year. I loved my HD+, but became disillusioned with the weight, the slow processing power, the differing app versions (the Nook's 'native' Twitter vs the Play Store's Twitter, for example). I primarily used my HD+ as an ereader and social media feed browser/media player.

I decided to downsize to a refurbished tablet from Samsung (http://shop.us.samsung.com/store/sam...emeID.38225500). I've been very pleased with it so far - the only downside is that for my model, the resolution isn't as high as the HD+ - however this has really only been noticeable when watching movies. For reading and casual web use, I've not missed the resolution. The 8" size is perfect, and its so light and portable now compared to the HD+. I was so impressed with how speedily everything loaded on it! On the HD+ it was such a chore to load even a webpage - it's night and day difference now.

The tablet is very similar in design and style to the Nook Tablet that's been released in partnership with Samsung - the primary difference being the extra inch and that its not locked down at all. I don't get the Nook "interface" or screen widgets, but I don't miss them either. You can do the same thing by installing the Nook app. One thing to be note about the Samsung tablets though is that the bezels are very thin - there isn't a lot of "gripping" room when holding the tablet. As I read my ebooks in landscape mode, this isn't a big deal for me, and having a good case you can hold on to will help as well.

As an ereader its very functional, I have downloaded the Kindle, Kobo and Nook apps and all run fine reading their native files. However after much trial and error I've discovered that Moon Reader Pro is the best ereader app out there if you have a large library of sideloaded ebook files and want them to show up quickly and easily on a library screen or on library shelves. The Nook and Kindle apps have their own issues with combining sideloaded books along with books purchased from Amazon, for example. So now that I've found MoonReader I can't go back to one of the other programs, it's that good.

Good luck on your decision!

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by SteveK

Anemic Oak- when I had my NookHD, I tried to install the Nook app, but got an error message that it was incompatible! I found it ironic that the Nook HD was not compatible with the Nook app.

Well what do you know. I just dug out my HD+ and sure enough no Nook reading app available from the Play store (but Kindle, Kobo, etc. show up when searching for Nook ). I suppose it could be sideloaded, but B&N makes that a real pain to do on a stock device.