New Nook Disappointments

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by Sylver

Shadows from the screen bezel? I tried very hard and cannot figure out how to get the shadow - it's not like the screen is 2 inch recessed. It will take quite some effort to see the shadow of the bezel. I dont understand the rationale behind the design to have the screen sink a little bit, but I never had any issue with shadow from the bezel (in every lighting condition that I tested, just curious, can you post a picture of the shadow from the bezel that so bothers you - maybe I am missing something). I have owned several and seen quite a few more ereaders and more or less there is a little bit reflection and all of them have contrast issues, the nook is actually among the better ones that I have tested/seen. I don't like the touch screen very much as it is not responsive enough and it drains battery but I can live with it. I dont like the so-called piano paint on the frame which is too shiny, but I dont find it bothering at all when reading. Now if you don't like the button, you should even love the touch screen much more as when inactive it can be used to swipe through the pages so you dont have to use the button - on a kindle you have to live with the physical button. Personally I also think the nook is a little too heavy. But all in all I cannot understand the complaint about the shadow (of that tiny bezel ?) and I find it very very hard to get the bezel to cast any shadow on my nook - well if there is no other light source and I position the reading light at the edge of the device to mimic a sunrise, I do get some shadow, but to me to complain about such shadow takes same level of imagination to put a reading light behind the kindle in a dark room and complain the kindle is totally unreadable.

The shadows aren't large I'll admit, but, if I'm going to spend money on an eInk based reader which is a replacement for paper and backlit products I at least want the screen to have the qualities of paper with no intrusions. None. Why else would I bother spending the money? At least my iPhone (or an iPad for that matter) has a backlight which counteracts the reflectivity and gloss artefact issues well enough when reading inside where 99.9% of my reading is done. Yes, they have other large drawbacks but I don't care that much about them when I'm reading.

And that's the thing. For an eReader to be an attractive option for me it has to offer something better than the alternatives, and for me the Nook's low contrast screen is not enough to overcome the shadows and the bezel glare/reflections. Now, if these issues don't bother you, great, be happy, but they do bother me and a few others I've seen posting here and there. On the face of it, the designers of the K3 seem to have got it right at least - which is not really a very difficult thing to do if you ask me.

I can try to capture the shadow on a picture for you when I get home from work later today. Not sure if it will show up and even if it does I guess it wouldn't bother most people. But really, I'm not "most people" and it's me that has to be satisfied when I pick this thing up to read.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

The shadows aren't large I'll admit, but, if I'm going to spend money on an eInk based reader which is a replacement for paper and backlit products I at least want the screen to have the qualities of paper with no intrusions. None. Why else would I bother spending the money? At least my iPhone (or an iPad for that matter) has a backlight which counteracts the reflectivity and gloss artefact issues well enough when reading inside where 99.9% of my reading is done. Yes, they have other large drawbacks but I don't care that much about them when I'm reading.

And that's the thing. For an eReader to be an attractive option for me it has to offer something better than the alternatives, and for me the Nook's low contrast screen is not enough to overcome the shadows and the bezel glare/reflections. Now, if these issues don't bother you, great, be happy, but they do bother me and a few others I've seen posting here and there. On the face of it, the designers of the K3 seem to have got it right at least - which is not really a very difficult thing to do if you ask me.

I can try to capture the shadow on a picture for you when I get home from work later today. Not sure if it will show up and even if it does I guess it wouldn't bother most people. But really, I'm not "most people" and it's me that has to be satisfied when I pick this thing up to read.

Oh please, there are no stupid shadows, I have never seen one nor have I ever read any post anywhere about the black in lining on the bezel creating shadows.


Let me guess how this Troll of a thread will end up . " I just got my Kindle 3 and it ohhhh so great, it's everything the Nook isn't, I'm finally happy, I don't have all these shadows. And It's ohhhh soo light. Oh my poor wrists are thanking me as we speak. Thank You Amazon for making a product that that Barnes and Noble couldn't".

there so hopefully you won't have to come back with your post, which was the point of this whole thread any way

[Pomtroll]

Adrian, why didn't you return your Nook? I believe you have 2 weeks to do that ( oh wait I think you said your wife may use it...sorry). I know not everyone will like the e-readers. My only complaints are battery life & I'd prefer the page forward button to be in the place of the page backward button.

I can't imagine any e-reader is going to be perfect. I knew this going into purchasing one since I researched a few boards for 6 months before buying one. I do hope you find your Kindle 3 more to your liking.

[Care]

I haven't had any of the problems that were stated in the OP. I love the touch screen on the Nook and I don't notice shadows or glare with the back border. Actually, it is heavier than I originally wanted, but even when spending all night in bed reading till 4am, I didn't have sore wrists or fingers. My hands were going to sleep though, but I have bad circulation so it was due to movement (or lack of).

Most of it is a personal preference. Looks might be silly to you but important to me, no biggie. Obviously these things really bother you, and the Kindle 3 looks like an amazing reader so I would definitely go for one of those if I were in your shoes. Good luck with the K3!

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by Pomtroll

Adrian, why didn't you return your Nook? I believe you have 2 weeks to do that ( oh wait I think you said your wife may use it...sorry). I know not everyone will like the e-readers. My only complaints are battery life & I'd prefer the page forward button to be in the place of the page backward button.

I can't imagine any e-reader is going to be perfect. I knew this going into purchasing one since I researched a few boards for 6 months before buying one. I do hope you find your Kindle 3 more to your liking.

Yes, my wife is not bothered by the reflections and the like so she will use it or I will sell it here - I'm in Norway and bought the Nook off of ebay. Returning it would require shipping $ and there's a restocking fee so I think that if we decide to get rid of it we'll sell it locally.

I read with it for some time last night. In certain angles the light reflections are minimal but I still find it a pain to have to keep it held in a specific way. A pity really.

[superstitious]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

But tell me - is the black border around your screen glossy and very reflective? I'm starting to wonder if new Nook's are using different plastic or something.

The border around the screen is glossy but it is not reflective by any mean. Like I said before I didn't really notice any reflection of off the black border. The funny thing is I have a high gloss skin in black on right now and didn't notice any reflection either. Screen is reflective when it's in the navigating mode but once it shuts off for page turn there's might be a slight reflection which for me isn't a distraction. Also, once you smudge it with all your fingerprints while you're turning pages then there's no reflection at all. Imagine that! Anyway, again it is a matter of preference so good luck.

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by boswd

Oh please, there are no stupid shadows, I have never seen one nor have I ever read any post anywhere about the black in lining on the bezel creating shadows.


Let me guess how this Troll of a thread will end up . " I just got my Kindle 3 and it ohhhh so great, it's everything the Nook isn't, I'm finally happy, I don't have all these shadows. And It's ohhhh soo light. Oh my poor wrists are thanking me as we speak. Thank You Amazon for making a product that that Barnes and Noble couldn't".

there so hopefully you won't have to come back with your post, which was the point of this whole thread any way

The point was this - if I'd seen a post like this when I was weighing up the pros and cons of various eReaders, I would not have bought the Nook because I know how sensitive I am to reflection phenomena like this - I didn't buy the Sony Touch specifically bacause of the glare and reduced contrast of the screen that's been reported here and elsewhere.

Now, if I can likewise save some other poor sap that's also sensitive the trouble of ordering a Nook, then all the good. The rest, the weight, crappy GUI and buttons, can be lived with, but the reflections off the black screen bezel for me are very hard to live with especially when there are other options that don't have these issues.

As for the assumption that I'm a troll; I find that insulting and uncalled for.

[GreenMonkey]

I dunno. I don't like glossy screens either, but I don't understand the "shadows" comment. Unless you mean the tiny bit of shadow because the lcd is mounted underneath the screen? That's not even a viewable piece of territory..it's under the plastic?

I preferred the nook over the kindle because it has the right philosophy.

Replaceable battery
epub support
SD card slot
open source OS

I'm not huge on the touch screen - but touch screens are very flexible.

The buttons are about right for me. Every time I think they are too stiff, I find myself accidentally hitting one while putting it down or something. Any more sensitive and you'd be doing that a LOT more. I prefer a little stiffness to accidental page turns.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by boswd

Color touchscreen navigation is a gimmick? Ummm the tech. is here to stay, that would be like me saying the touchscreen smartphone is a gimmick.

Yes, it's a gimmick if it's not done well. I would, for instance, never buy a device which only has touchscreen paging. I prefer buttons. One of my readers has that "swipe to go to the next page" thing (luckily, it also has buttons...). I used it once. Never again, as I had to find the page I was reading afterwards.

Now, I've never seen a Nook (as they aren't available here), so I can't comment on the touch menu of it.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

The point was this - if I'd seen a post like this when I was weighing up the pros and cons of various eReaders, I would not have bought the Nook because I know how sensitive I am to reflection phenomena like this - I didn't buy the Sony Touch specifically bacause of the glare and reduced contrast of the screen that's been reported here and elsewhere.

Now, if I can likewise save some other poor sap that's also sensitive the trouble of ordering a Nook, then all the good. The rest, the weight, crappy GUI and buttons, can be lived with, but the reflections off the black screen bezel for me are very hard to live with especially when there are other options that don't have these issues.

As for the assumption that I'm a troll; I find that insulting and uncalled for.

it's only an issue if it is one. So far out of all the people who have bought the nook you are the only one who has said the black lining betweent the bezel and the screen is causing shadows. The black lining I don't even think is a millimeter thick, I don't think that is even big enogh to cast a shadow.

it may be just a "you" thing but it's certainly not an issue.

The other things you don't like, I love about the nook, I love the color touchscreen navigation, I think it provides the best of todays tech with the e-ink, It runs nice and smooth for me, it's responsive and seeing the the book cover art in color add to the overall experience.

I think and it has been universall praised as a very beautifully designed device. and it really is .

Ok so you don't like it nor care about but You're OP pretty much declares anyone who does is nothing but a fanboy. You hurled the insults first, trash the product and then basically say if you disagree with you, then you are nothing but a fanboy.
Well I disagree with you on every point including your made up point about the Loooming shadows the bezel creates, it's bogus. So I guess I'm a fanboy,

when you trash something and then challenege (bait) as you did in the OP that is the def. of a troll.

as far as the weight thing goes. Again I will say this for the last time, it weights 12OZ'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Egads people. It weighs about the same as a 400 page trade paperback, Now if that made you never want to pick up anything besides a 100 page traditional paperback, then yes do not buy the nook. If not oh me lord people, 12 oz's.

[Sylver]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

Yes, it's a gimmick if it's not done well. I would, for instance, never buy a device which only has touchscreen paging. I prefer buttons. One of my readers has that "swipe to go to the next page" thing (luckily, it also has buttons...). I used it once. Never again, as I had to find the page I was reading afterwards.

Now, I've never seen a Nook (as they aren't available here), so I can't comment on the touch menu of it.

I don't blame you, I hate touch screen too - I know boswd won't agree. I only tried the one on the nook, the navigation is sluggish and it drains battery. However, once you get used to the swipe page feature on it (when it's not active), you just can't live without it, it works like a charm on the nook (ironically, the official user instruction regarding the page swipe on the nook touch screen does not work, I had to see a video demo and read some threads here to grasp the technique). To me, the page swipe thing alone is well worth the touch screen and all its downside(as much as I hate the battery drain and the sluggishness part of the touch screen when it's activated).

[boswd]

Originally Posted by Sylver

I don't blame you, I hate touch screen too - I know boswd won't agree. I only tried the one on the nook, the navigation is sluggish and it drains battery. However, once you get used to the swipe page feature on it (when it's not active), you just can't live without it, it works like a charm on the nook (ironically, the official user instruction regarding the page swipe on the nook touch screen does not work, I had to see a video demo and read some threads here to grasp the technique). To me, the page swipe thing alone is well worth the touch screen and all its downside(as much as I hate the battery drain and the sluggishness part of the touch screen when it's activated).

you're right I don't but to each his. I have a friend who also HATES touchscreens. Won't buy anyother smartphone except for Blackberry, won't ever buy an iPhone, a Droid or what have not.

I on the other hand love touchscreens and love the Nooks and the way it navigates. The drain on the battery doesn't bother me at all. When I'm reading a paper or something along those lines, shopping etc. I get about 3-4 days on my charge, up to 8 when just straight reading in airplane mode. To me anything beyond 2 days is icing on the cake.

my iPhone - I have to charge every night
my laptop - cant' get three hours (that ones drives me the most bonkers)

so when using the touch screen and getting at least 3 days, I'm a happy man, I'll take the trade off. After navigating on the nook I can't go back to manual, buttons and joysticks etc. just way to antiquated for me.

But man I agree with you 100% about the finger swipe for page turning. I use it almost exclusively. The only time I use the actual buttons is when I'm standing on the subway back and forth to work and I have to hold it one handed. I can't imagine reading an entire book using the button.
The finger swipe is so much more natural feeling and like you can't live with out now.

[boxer]

Originally Posted by Noah98

I have to disagree with you about the design though. I don't think it is lazy at all. I personally love it, and don't find anything unnecessary. I wouldn't want the screen flush with the bezel. That would cause any sort of cover to be in constant contact with the screen.

+1 on this. I love the fact that my hard cover doesn't touch the screen and I can throw the nook in my backpack without worrying. I'm assuming it was designed this way on purpose, not lazy design.

[comma]

I got mine yesterday and to be honest, I am quite pleased with it. Can it process "go to" feature faster, sure but not a big deal to be honest

[compusolver]

To be fair to the Nook, I don't share any of this poster's complaints. But the paltry selection of newspapers and magazines (less than 20 in all, as I recall) and the rather limited selection of books are serious considerations.

Even more serious is BN's habit of removing your paid books and "limiting" your Nook access. (See my "Nook Beware" post here). Even after a support phone call one day and a support message via their website the next day, my books are still gone and my Nook has "limited access".

And what was their reason? They say someone unsuccessfully tried to access my account several times.

I paid for these books months ago. I paid for the Nook months ago. I now have access to neither and BN refuses a refund saying I've gone past the 14 days.