Nook Color is Here!

[ChrisChillin]

Originally Posted by lionel47

The Nook Color, meanwhile, is probably aimed at under 40 readers who also probably have small children. The under 40 sector probably does not see reading off an LCD as an issue.

It's always interesting to me, as one of the "young people" (upper twenties), to hear what we are supposed to be like. Of course, it may very well be that most of my peers take no issue with an LCD screen, and B&N is marketing well. But I for one don't like reading long-form on one at all. I read a lot of journal articles downloaded from online databases and I always print them out. My quite tech-savvy best friend has recently received his Kindle, not a tablet, and I will soon get mine as well.

Originally Posted by detayls

I do wonder about all the LCD moaning. Is it psychosomatic?

<...>

I doubt it is a real concern and will quickly fade away.

My wife is one of those who says she gets a headache. I do think the "eye strain" thing is a bit overblown because, from what I've read, eye strain as a medical diagnosis is different from what people claim to experience with current LCD screens. As for me, I can't quite describe anything in medical terms that bothers me. I just...don't like it.

But more than that, one of the big issues for me is energy efficiency. I haven't seen this talked about since I've joined this forum, and that may be because MR members tend towards being gadget people as well as heavy readers. All in all, I'm interested in reducing my carbon footprint and not adding another charger plugged into the wall every night. I wrestled a lot with the question as to whether having an e-reader would mean that my personal practice of sustainability would be advanced or pushed back. Ultimately, I have decided that the way I will use my Kindle means a net positive. Heck, I even want to build a small solar charger station so my Kindle isn't running on electricity from coal!

Thus, if Mirasol is as efficient as is being claimed, I can wait a few years for it first to enter mass production, then to come down in price.

[orwell2k]

Looks like a response to the iPad - brillint colour touch screen - at least for book reading. iPad does 'more' in terms of the other apps/functions it has, plus a bigger screen, but if you use an iPad for just reading, then this may be a viable alternative (and 1/2 the price!).

[Godzil]

I'm comming after the battle, but, is this thing a joke?

I find it really really ugly :/

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by lionel47

NY Times article on e-readers and eye strain

Good article. It makes clear that a lot of the "issues" people have with reading on-screen is due to the way they read, their personal ergonomics, how often they rest, etc... suggesting your own reading habits have more to do with which screen works best for you.

[mcooke66]

Originally Posted by markbot

This is yet more evidence of B&N's desperation. I give them 5 yrs until they close shop entirely.

Funny how folks on this forum actually think they represent the majority. Everyone I talk to wants color, charges their phone every night and never goes on an ereader forum. I cannot tell you how many people I have to explain eInk to who then look at me funny when I say it is easier to read on then an LCD. The first response is why is there no backlight?

I think B&N knows this and that’s why their new device is NOT designed for the eInk novel reader only, cannot charge more than once a week crowd. They have a device for that. This is for people who want color and more options.

Textbooks, children’s books, magazines, newspapers. Ipad proved this is the option many readers want so B&N has produced a reader focused tablet, smaller lighter with ties to the what may become the broadest eReader market place in terms of versatility.

Fighting with Amazon over the scraps of the black and white eInk market seems like the move that would doom them, moving the industry forward and providing a mass market ereader just seems like good business.

If the hardware sucks and the device is not easy to use then they have a giant fail on their hands, but a snappy affordable device that propels users to buy more ebooks from B&N right before the holiday season hardly feels like desperation. I imagine Amazon does not feel this is a move of desperation and is quickly preparing for a color version of kindle, it has been rumored at for a while.

[mcooke66]

Originally Posted by orwell2k

Looks like a response to the iPad - brillint colour touch screen - at least for book reading. iPad does 'more' in terms of the other apps/functions it has, plus a bigger screen, but if you use an iPad for just reading, then this may be a viable alternative (and 1/2 the price!).

Exactly, a color reader sized for reading and priced just higher then the Sony 650 (B&W). It feels like they fill a space and are not trying to compete with the tablets coming out or the ipad. My wife reads a novel a week and probabaly 5 color magazines, she has no need for days of battery life, this is much closer to her reading needs then black and white and much closer to her price then iPad.

[lionel47]

Originally Posted by mcooke66

Funny how folks on this forum actually think they represent the majority. Everyone I talk to wants color, charges their phone every night and never goes on an ereader forum. I cannot tell you how many people I have to explain eInk to who then look at me funny when I say it is easier to read on then an LCD. The first response is why is there no backlight?

I think B&N knows this and that’s why their new device is NOT designed for the eInk novel reader only, cannot charge more than once a week crowd. They have a device for that. This is for people who want color and more options.

Textbooks, children’s books, magazines, newspapers. Ipad proved this is the option many readers want so B&N has produced a reader focused tablet, smaller lighter with ties to the what may become the broadest eReader market place in terms of versatility.

Fighting with Amazon over the scraps of the black and white eInk market seems like the move that would doom them, moving the industry forward and providing a mass market ereader just seems like good business.

If the hardware sucks and the device is not easy to use then they have a giant fail on their hands, but a snappy affordable device that propels users to buy more ebooks from B&N right before the holiday season hardly feels like desperation. I imagine Amazon does not feel this is a move of desperation and is quickly preparing for a color version of kindle, it has been rumored at for a while.

Amen.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by mcooke66

Funny how folks on this forum actually think they represent the majority. Everyone I talk to wants color, charges their phone every night and never goes on an ereader forum. I cannot tell you how many people I have to explain eInk to who then look at me funny when I say it is easier to read on then an LCD. The first response is why is there no backlight?

I think B&N knows this and that’s why their new device is NOT designed for the eInk novel reader only, cannot charge more than once a week crowd. They have a device for that. This is for people who want color and more options.

Textbooks, children’s books, magazines, newspapers. Ipad proved this is the option many readers want so B&N has produced a reader focused tablet, smaller lighter with ties to the what may become the broadest eReader market place in terms of versatility.

Fighting with Amazon over the scraps of the black and white eInk market seems like the move that would doom them, moving the industry forward and providing a mass market ereader just seems like good business.

If the hardware sucks and the device is not easy to use then they have a giant fail on their hands, but a snappy affordable device that propels users to buy more ebooks from B&N right before the holiday season hardly feels like desperation. I imagine Amazon does not feel this is a move of desperation and is quickly preparing for a color version of kindle, it has been rumored at for a while.

I get that. I also think that most people will look at it an go "It is a tablet that is restrictd. Hey, I can buy a similar tablet, for a similar price, and its not restricted" and buy another product. Or buy the Nook Color, figure out it is restricted when they get home and try to download apps, and return it.

The only way to avoid that is to hope that people are doing their electronics shopping at BN and not Best Buy. Because if I am at Best Buy looking at e-readers and I see a Nook Color I am going to go "Tablet." If I decide I want a tablet, I am going to go to the aisle that sells tablets and take a look there. Then I am going to see tablets with more functionality at about the same price and buy one of those.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by mcooke66

Funny how folks on this forum actually think they represent the majority. Everyone I talk to wants color, charges their phone every night and never goes on an ereader forum. I cannot tell you how many people I have to explain eInk to who then look at me funny when I say it is easier to read on then an LCD. The first response is why is there no backlight?

I think B&N knows this and that’s why their new device is NOT designed for the eInk novel reader only, cannot charge more than once a week crowd. They have a device for that. This is for people who want color and more options.

Textbooks, children’s books, magazines, newspapers. Ipad proved this is the option many readers want so B&N has produced a reader focused tablet, smaller lighter with ties to the what may become the broadest eReader market place in terms of versatility.

Fighting with Amazon over the scraps of the black and white eInk market seems like the move that would doom them, moving the industry forward and providing a mass market ereader just seems like good business.

If the hardware sucks and the device is not easy to use then they have a giant fail on their hands, but a snappy affordable device that propels users to buy more ebooks from B&N right before the holiday season hardly feels like desperation. I imagine Amazon does not feel this is a move of desperation and is quickly preparing for a color version of kindle, it has been rumored at for a while.

Well said!

[boswd]

Originally Posted by mcooke66

Funny how folks on this forum actually think they represent the majority. Everyone I talk to wants color, charges their phone every night and never goes on an ereader forum. I cannot tell you how many people I have to explain eInk to who then look at me funny when I say it is easier to read on then an LCD. The first response is why is there no backlight?

I think B&N knows this and that’s why their new device is NOT designed for the eInk novel reader only, cannot charge more than once a week crowd. They have a device for that. This is for people who want color and more options.

Textbooks, children’s books, magazines, newspapers. Ipad proved this is the option many readers want so B&N has produced a reader focused tablet, smaller lighter with ties to the what may become the broadest eReader market place in terms of versatility.

Fighting with Amazon over the scraps of the black and white eInk market seems like the move that would doom them, moving the industry forward and providing a mass market ereader just seems like good business.

If the hardware sucks and the device is not easy to use then they have a giant fail on their hands, but a snappy affordable device that propels users to buy more ebooks from B&N right before the holiday season hardly feels like desperation. I imagine Amazon does not feel this is a move of desperation and is quickly preparing for a color version of kindle, it has been rumored at for a while.

well said

[mcooke66]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I get that. I also think that most people will look at it an go "It is a tablet that is restrictd. Hey, I can buy a similar tablet, for a similar price, and its not restricted" and buy another product. Or buy the Nook Color, figure out it is restricted when they get home and try to download apps, and return it.

The only way to avoid that is to hope that people are doing their electronics shopping at BN and not Best Buy. Because if I am at Best Buy looking at e-readers and I see a Nook Color I am going to go "Tablet." If I decide I want a tablet, I am going to go to the aisle that sells tablets and take a look there. Then I am going to see tablets with more functionality at about the same price and buy one of those.

Believe me I am not claiming this device is a good competitor to other tablet devices but as a direction for ereading I think B&N is going the right way. They may want you to buy their device but they will also be very happy to be the primary provider of the color ereading materials you use on your other tablet. Notice how they are focused on the NOOKapp improvements. They want IPad owners to subscribe to NOOKNewstand and NOOKKids etc. It makes sense for them to offer a device in this space it makes more sense for them to try and corner the market on content. Seems like a dual strategy to me.

[encapuchado]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Nook Color is here. Priced at $249 and to ship 19 Nov 2010.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nookcolor/

I will wait until I can go to a B&N and I put my dirty paws on one nook color before ordering it.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I get that. I also think that most people will look at it an go "It is a tablet that is restrictd. Hey, I can buy a similar tablet, for a similar price, and its not restricted" and buy another product. Or buy the Nook Color, figure out it is restricted when they get home and try to download apps, and return it.

The only way to avoid that is to hope that people are doing their electronics shopping at BN and not Best Buy. Because if I am at Best Buy looking at e-readers and I see a Nook Color I am going to go "Tablet." If I decide I want a tablet, I am going to go to the aisle that sells tablets and take a look there. Then I am going to see tablets with more functionality at about the same price and buy one of those.

this is what I don't understand, just because it's color LCD why does it automatically make it a "restricted" tablet but if it's eink it's not an issue.

When I see the Nook color I say "Oooh an LCD based ereader". Not a "Well can it start my car" tablet.

The Nook Color is NOT going after the tablet " I want my Apps, my emails, my everything, my Hulu etc" crowd. That is Samsung's job

BN is taking the ereader world and bringing the advantages LCD tech can provide tha eink just can not at this time.

It's an ereader, that allows the animation, the features, such as touching a word you don't understand having options with it. LCD does bring on a whole new level of "what you can do " with an ereader that eink just simply can not. It just can't.

Again this is not going after the iPad or even the Samsung Galaxy S Tab. This going after
1. People who reading on an LCD does not bother them
2. Parents with young children
3. People who are frustrated with the limations of eink for PDF's
4. Comic and Magna readers
5. Magazines and Newspapers
6. Students for text books, color maps etc.


Speaking of children, it has live interaction books that kids can touch and their responses, it has a "Read to Me" feature, that has an acutal voice and not that creepy 1980's computer voice on the Kindle. I mean seriously that whole text to speach on the Kindle is an absolute joke. I have GPS's that are older than the first kindle that have more natural sounding voices.

This fits alot of voids for people who don't want to pay over $500 on an iPad especially when all they want is highly featured e-reader.

[ProfCrash]

When I see the Nook color I say "Oooh an LCD based ereader". Not a "Well can it start my car" tablet.

The Nook Color is NOT going after the tablet " I want my Apps, my emails, my everything, my Hulu etc" crowd. That is Samsung's job

But that is what they are competing with. The less expensive tablet that allows for apps, email, video, and a color e-reader. How many people do you think will carry a tablet and a Nook Color? Why would they do that when they can buy one device that does both things? Heck, the Classic Nook and Kindle are compared to the IPad and tablets when they are not even close to a tablet.

this is what I don't understand, just because it's color LCD why does it automatically make it a "restricted" tablet but if it's eink it's not an issue.

BN has been calling it a tablet e-reader. They used the word tablet in the first place. Lets face it, it is going to be compared to all other tablets out there. And when the comparisons come out for the tablets, how high do you think the Nook Color is going to be? And where is it going to fall in the rankings for an e-reader? It is a hybrid device and one that is not going to work for someone who wants an honest to god tablet or an e-ink reader.

I read in a couple of places on these boards that folks had seen that the NOOK Color would be restricted and that people would not be able to buy apps from the Google store. It is more then possible that said posts were based on pure speculation.

I went to BN website and took a look at the features and the specs. BN does not mention having access to Google apps which make me think that the speculation is correct.

Why is that important? If I am buying a tablet, I would want to download the apps that I want to use. Apple allows NOOK and Kindle apps on the IPad.

So why would I spend the same amount of money or a similar amount of money on a tablet which does not allow me to download the apps that I want? There is probably more money to be made in the sale of the books then there is in selling the device. So sell the product, interactive kids books, and allow people to download for free an app that they can use on their netbook, tablet, or PC to play said interactive books.

Because I really doubt that too many people are going to go to Best Buy or Wal Mart and buy the Nook Color when there are other tablets that can be used to read in color that will do more then the Nook Color.

How many people are really going to find it worth an extra $100 for a LCD color screen e-reader with 8 hour battery life? I know that there are folks out there who will but I am guessing that it is a smaller number then what some folks here are thinking.

Because battery life does matter to folks, especially people who travel.

Because weight matters and a nearly one pound, without cover, color e-reader is going to be hard on some folks hands.

Because I don't buy a ton of parents running out and going "I need to spend $250 on a color e-reader so junior can read interactive books." When they can buy junior books for under $10 that they are going to be less worried about him/her destroying.

Because I don't believe that the business traveller is going to want to carry his/her lap top, tablet, and color e-reader with them.

Because I think many people will end up choosing a more powerful tablet that is priced about the same and I think those are going to be released in the very near future.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Lets face it, it is going to be compared to all other tablets out there. And when the comparisons come out for the tablets, how high do you think the Nook Color is going to be?

top: iPad / Samsung Galaxy

middle: Nook Color

bottom: Velocity Cruz / Pandigital Novel