Touch Can The Simple Touch Be Used as a Reliable Web Browser?

[kezza]

I wouldn't mind improving the browser a bit just for something like wikipedia lookups from within books. Considering how the functionality is used for facebook and twitter, I think this wouldn't be too difficult to implement. Something to add to B&N's nook wishlist.

[RAH]

Originally Posted by Shakenbake158

Yeah I understand what your saying, but the Color is not as nice to read on and the battery life is not two months.

That's why I own both, as others have also said. They are 2 very different beasts.

If I had to pick one, it would depend on how much I wanted to read ebooks versus how much I wanted to browse and pick up email. The only one Nook device that will do all things is the Color, but I agree I personally would not want to do a lot of reading on it.

[orange!]

Originally Posted by kezza

I wouldn't mind improving the browser a bit just for something like wikipedia lookups from within books. Considering how the functionality is used for facebook and twitter, I think this wouldn't be too difficult to implement. Something to add to B&N's nook wishlist.

+1. Depending on what I'm reading, I sometimes do wikipedia quite a bit when I'm reading on my K3. Works okay, but it's laborious using the K3 joystick to select the word or phrase that I'm interested in.

Just got my STR on Sunday and I'm really diggin' it, but it would be wonderful if B&N added "Wikipedia" (and "Find", but that's another discussion) as another option on the menu at the bottom of the screen after you've selected a word.

Related newbie question--can you select a phrase by touching the screen somehow, or can you only select single words?

[kezza]

Originally Posted by orange!

Related newbie question--can you select a phrase by touching the screen somehow, or can you only select single words?

Yes, after selecting a word you can drag the selection along and hilight more stuff. One bug I've found with this: you can either go forwards or backwards from the original word selected, not both.
I should really start keeping a list of these little problems . . .

[afv011]

Originally Posted by kezza

One bug I've found with this: you can either go forwards or backwards from the original word selected, not both.
I should really start keeping a list of these little problems . . .

It's not a bug, it's listed in the nook user guide as working this way. So, it is a "feature", not a bug.

[kezza]

Originally Posted by afv011

It's not a bug, it's listed in the nook user guide as working this way. So, it is a "feature", not a bug.

If you can't, say, select a word in the middle of a sentence and then select the whole sentence, like you can on every other touchscreen ever created, it's a bug. Just because it's a bug they're aware of doesn't make it a "feature."

[RAH]

Actually, if they document something as working a certain way, and it does work that way, then technically it isn't a bug. Users may consider it a "shortcoming," or really terrible design, but it's not a bug, or even a "known problem" (another term often seen). I just wanted to mention this, just to be clear about programming terms.

Anyway, I agree they should improve it to allow both directions of selection.

[pdxreads]

I recently encountered a browser problem-- my work wifi is password protected. When I enter the URL the login box comes up, but the STR browser doesn't interface with it, i.e., the search box won't come up, and the box itself is not touch-screen fillable from the STR's screen.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by pdxreads

I recently encountered a browser problem-- my work wifi is password protected. When I enter the URL the login box comes up, but the STR browser doesn't interface with it, i.e., the search box won't come up, and the box itself is not touch-screen fillable from the STR's screen.

Proxied connections are supposed to automatically launch browser to complete authentication, you should not need to type an URL. That said I've had to manually launch the browser by typing an URL when SSL certificate is not valid. And I've yet to try a proxied connection that presents a login.

[voracious71]

Originally Posted by Shakenbake158

Yeah I understand what your saying, but the Color is not as nice to read on and the battery life is not two months.

I like my Barnes and Noble readers but IMO, if you want an e-ink device that has a workable web browser, you may have to go with a Kindle or even a Kobo Touch. I've used the browser on my K3 and it's fine for quick searches, or email. Ditto for the Kobo.

[EldRick]

if you want an e-ink device that has a workable web browser, you may have to go with a Kindle or even a Kobo Touch. I've used the browser on my K3 and it's fine for quick searches, or email. Ditto for the Kobo.

The Kobo browser works surprisingly well. The K3 browser drove me nuts, because the user interface using the arrow-pad is so horribly slow and difficult to use. The NT browser is massively underdeveloped, to be kind.

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by kezza

If you can't, say, select a word in the middle of a sentence and then select the whole sentence, like you can on every other touchscreen ever created, it's a bug. Just because it's a bug they're aware of doesn't make it a "feature."

Speaking as a technical writer, this.

Documenting a bug does not make it a feature. It IS good to document it so that the customer has a chance at realizing that the bad behavior is KNOWN bad behavior, but it is still a bug.

I think it very unlikely that the NC highlighting feature was implemented this way on purpose, with a specific use case in mind.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

...

I think it very unlikely that the NC highlighting feature was implemented this way on purpose, with a specific use case in mind.

I said the same thing when I was told it's in the user guide. Lazy b@st@rds in Development. What a sorry Group! Who is signing off on this mediocrity?

[anamardoll]

Originally Posted by SCION

I said the same thing when I was told it's in the user guide. Lazy b@st@rds in Development. What a sorry Group! Who is signing off on this mediocrity?

I've noticed that the Nook android app -- which I rarely use because OMG SLOW AND BUGGY -- seems to have updated the highlighting feature so that it's...different. Instead of having to land on the right place with your finger (tricky), you get a little "rear view mirror" to look at and gauge your stopping place.

This is STILL significantly less elegant than the Moon+ sliders (which I note Kobo has implemented now), and I find it awkward, but maybe they intend to flow it down to the NC?

[SCION]

Originally Posted by anamardoll

I've noticed that the Nook android app -- which I rarely use because OMG SLOW AND BUGGY -- seems to have updated the highlighting feature so that it's...different. Instead of having to land on the right place with your finger (tricky), you get a little "rear view mirror" to look at and gauge your stopping place.

This is STILL significantly less elegant than the Moon+ sliders (which I note Kobo has implemented now), and I find it awkward, but maybe they intend to flow it down to the NC?

Yeah, the Android app has always received props from me and others. The common sentiment is the NOOKcolor should've used that app as a foundation and increased functionality as a dedicated reader. Instead, it appears they just started from scratch and did a half-baked job.