BN rep called Nook color a 'toy', recommended original Nook

[gtriever]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I don't think that there should be any implied stigma to admitting that ereaders are attractive to older readers due to eyesight problems related to age, or other health issues. And not all lens-replacement surgery results in vision that allows extended reading on LCD screens without eye tiredness (speaking from my own experience with prednisone-induced cataracts in both eyes, lens replacement surgery and subsequent retinal detachment ).

I agree, and I think you may have misunderstood me. In my case, and I think in the majority of cases, surgery has resulted in worse vision (loss of adequate depth perception being a major issue). I consider myself fortunate that LCD reading doesn't seem to bother me. My disagreement was with the general premise that Nook is for older readers while the NC is for the "younger generation".

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

An e-ink device and the magazine aisle of the local Walgreens/CVS/B&N.

Smart-alec eInk snobs. Bah, humbug on ya!

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

While I was playing with the Nook under the watchful eye of the rep, two other customers stopped by and asked her which of the two devices, original Nook or Color Nook, was best for someone who read a lot. Without hesitation she nodded to the original nook and said 'that one.' Then she pointed to the Nook color still in my hands. "That's just a toy. It's got web browsing and games and stuff". The other customer seemed as surprised as I did. "Which one if they want to read a lot of office documents too?" Again the rep directed her the original Nook. "This does PDF's just fine".

From a bookseller's point of view, the purpose of the bookstore is to sell ebooks, not to sell EBRs. It probably makes no difference which device the rep pushes. She answered correctly - if what you want to do is Just Read Books, either device will work, but the Original will work at a lower cost, with a longer battery, and a more comfortable screen. The only things the Color adds are toys, including color.

But if I were buying, I'd get the Color.

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by gtriever

I agree, and I think you may have misunderstood me. In my case, and I think in the majority of cases, surgery has resulted in worse vision (loss of adequate depth perception being a major issue). I consider myself fortunate that LCD reading doesn't seem to bother me. My disagreement was with the general premise that Nook is for older readers while the NC is for the "younger generation".

Oh, okay. I misunderstood the point you were making.

(Just as an aside, I don't seem to have the depth perception problem because we deliberately kept one of my eyes near-sighted.)

[MV64]

Originally Posted by SCION

If you're so honest, why not recommend rooting the NOOKcolor which would give access to the Kindle app which is what many people want anyway, right? We know that there are more than a handful of ebooks only available through Amazon. As a serious reader, one is bound to encounter such a scenario.

Enough with the professed piety.

Actually, I do mention rooting it, but I have yet to meet a single person who feels capable of doing it. Besides, telling someone they have to do a bunch of complicated work that could brick the device in order to get the functionality they want is not a great selling tool.

[MV64]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

What do you recommend for people who read books and magazines?

Oh, I tell them all the features, it's not like I have anything against the Nook Color, but it's not a great, do-all advice. If you want to read books, your best bet is with the Nook unless you are okay handling backlit reading.

As far as magazines, it's not a huge selling point as the magazines are about the same price as the physical copies. I have yet to sell a nook Color to someone who wants to read magazines.

I usually tell people the nook was designed for reading, with a few extras thrown in. The nook Color was designed for the extras, with some reading thrown in as well.

It may not be what corporate is pushing but I don't want to make someone spend 250 bucks on something that won't satisfy them according to their needs.


EDIT: And since employees get no bonuses or commission, it makes no difference to us which one we sell, which is nice because customers who know this can count on most employees giving them straight answers as to which one they should go with.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

I'm not sure how happy I am with that answer, because it still sounds highly biased. Based solely on your comments above, you don't consider magazine reading as worthwhile as books, you don't value the idea of digital versions of magazines as much as you do books, you think eInk is better for reading than LCD, and the NC is for everything but reading.

Confronted with a sales pitch like that, I'd conclude that it would make a lot of sense for me, a magazine reader with an appreciation for digital files and no preconceived notions about screen reading quality, to avoid your store.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by MV64

Actually, I do mention rooting it, but I have yet to meet a single person who feels capable of doing it. Besides, telling someone they have to do a bunch of complicated work that could brick the device in order to get the functionality they want is not a great selling tool.

You're biased right there by saying it's complicated. Reminds me of kids who have a fear of math and science because somewhere along the way people said it's complicated. Of course that would scare someone off. The NOOKcolor has a fail safe that makes it virtually unbrickable. Stop passing on misinformation. Just be silent on the issue. Geesh.

This is exactly why I rely on the Internet for my research. After that I go for a personal hands-on, declining sales help because I don't need personal opinions. I want facts. Then I make my informed decision from there.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by SCION

You're biased right there by saying it's complicated. Reminds me of kids who have a fear of math and science because somewhere along the way people said it's complicated. Of course that would scare someone off. The NOOKcolor has a fail safe that makes it virtually unbrickable. Stop passing on misinformation. Just be silent on the issue. Geesh.

This is exactly why I rely on the Internet for my research. After that I go for a personal hands-on, declining sales help because I don't need personal opinions. I want facts. Then I make my informed decision from there.

Rooting or hacking a device could not be complicated for you but average user won't do it. It will immediately avoid warranty if you have any issues later also and trust me, when working with Linux it's easy to make mistakes that are difficult to fix later. I personally feel comfortable working with Linux (all my home PCs run Ubuntu Linux, not Windows and have several Linux Servers running Apache and MySQL, with no GUI) but not all people feel comfortable or have the proper skills to revert things back if something happen.

Rooting a Nook can also improved or affect (for worse) battery life, because the normal Linux processes and CPU workload is being changed by the user, won't follow manufacturing recommendations.

Last but not least, say "good bye" to official B&N firmware upgrades. Unless you also opted by disable such feature, you won't be able to receive them anymore or those will break your Rooted Nook: if firmware upgrades tries to overwrite a files that does not exist anymore a folder that you altered some way, you will have problems.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by SCION

You're biased right there by saying it's complicated.

Well, I can 1) open a pbook and read it, 2) buy an ereader and load books, or 3) buy and ereader, read about how to root it, violate the terms of the device, potentially damage it (because I don't know what I'm doing), and then it might work.

That's not how you're going to sell to the general public. My mom has a Sony with an SD card, and despite my numerous tutorials on how to just copy books to the SD card (she doesn't even have to plug the device into the computer!) she still can't load books by herself. You're drastically understating what's "complicated" based upon your own abilities.

I'm not comfortable rooting a device, nor do I want to take the time to tinker with it, and I don't have the money to spend on an extra device if I break it. Yes, it IS complicated, and unnecessary.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by SCION

If you're so honest, why not recommend rooting the NOOKcolor which would give access to the Kindle app which is what many people want anyway, right? We know that there are more than a handful of ebooks only available through Amazon. As a serious reader, one is bound to encounter such a scenario.

Enough with the professed piety.

Whoa. So they can't call a device a "toy" while on payroll for B&N, but they should instead recommend voiding the warranty, and imply that B&N will support rooted devices?

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

I stopped at a BN in the Chicagoland area yesterday -- both to check out the Nook color, and to flip through the paper copy of 'Emperor of all Maladies' (I hate having to choose between the paper and electronic copies of a book -- why can't I get both at a bundled price?).

While I was playing with the Nook under the watchful eye of the rep, two other customers stopped by and asked her which of the two devices, original Nook or Color Nook, was best for someone who read a lot. Without hesitation she nodded to the original nook and said 'that one.' Then she pointed to the Nook color still in my hands. "That's just a toy. It's got web browsing and games and stuff". The other customer seemed as surprised as I did. "Which one if they want to read a lot of office documents too?" Again the rep directed her the original Nook. "This does PDF's just fine".

Wow. Does anyone else find this surprising? I don't believe at all that BN is training its reps to be so dismissive of it's new device.

Edit: I'll clarify too that she was very knowledgable about the NC. She had either been well trained in demoing it or had taken time to educate herself. She just was not a fan of it...despite the fact that it was the one she was holding when I approached the stand/kiosk.

Last night I was drinking a coffee and reading with my wife in a B&N store close to home. I visited the store frequently and bought my Nook 1st gen there. So, my wife started looking and playing with the new Nook color and the sales guy asked me for the small sleeve I had on my hand: " it' s that a Nook?" I said no and then I showed my Kindle 3 to him. He immediately called his partner and was shocked by the light weight: "hey, look at this". Then turned the thing on and keep comparing screen resolution with old Nook and even size and weight against Nook color. He was shocked and even asked me for price.

Even though Nook 1st gen is a nice ereader, you can tell that it is difficult to sell or support something when does not shine in several aspects like Kindle does. As a sales rep I think is easier to " defend", compare and show Nook 1st gen to customers but not the same with Nook color.

I don't think Nook color is a toy, but it's LCD, not eink. So for the features and battery life, I would not invest over of $200 on that device, at least not yet.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by MV64

I have yet to sell a nook Color to someone who wants to read magazines.

Most people who read magazines on an e-reader are probably accustomed to the Kindle treatment: black and white and mostly text.

BN might do well to spend some time building appreciation for just how much of a paradigm shift the NC approach actually is.

[SCION]

I'll add that there's a difference between something being complicated and something being detailed and exact. Rooting is not complicated, but it is detailed and exact. Funny how people feel comfortable with those who say something is complicated, yet shun those who say it isn't.

Interesting...

[SCION]

Originally Posted by jocampo

...
Last but not least, say "good bye" to official B&N firmware upgrades. Unless you also opted by disable such feature, you won't be able to receive them anymore or those will break your Rooted Nook: if firmware upgrades tries to overwrite a files that does not exist anymore a folder that you altered some way, you will have problems.

Please explain the many, many people with rooted NOOKs and the latest 1.5 update.