New Nook Tablet Official News

[Blossom]

The new Nook Tablet is really nice. I have to ask how is Customer support? If you root the device does that void the warranty? Not that I can afford $273.28 at the moment but I guess I can dream.

[spellbanisher]

Originally Posted by jocampo

What's the weight? 1st gen NC is 16oz I think ...

14.1 ounces according to the B&N website. The kindle fire is 14.6 ounces.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by Blossom

The new Nook Tablet is really nice. I have to ask how is Customer support? If you root the device does that void the warranty? Not that I can afford $273.28 at the moment but I guess I can dream.

I have made up my mind. It is the Lenovo for me when Amazon gets them in.
Then it will be $200 period.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I have made up my mind. It is the Lenovo for me when Amazon gets them in.
Then it will be $200 period.

You might be waiting for awhile. They removed the pre-ordered price and it now says sign up to be notify when available.

[Grimm]

Originally Posted by jocampo

I am not planning to buy any of those, but I would wait and check performance.

What the SD card does is giving you extra space for additional content, but how much extra space a user will need and for what?

This is clearly marketed as a tablet, not a reading device. So for a tablet, I would expect solid and fast performance for video, browsing and screen response, with SD card slot like a nice bonus.

Having two iPad2, with no card slot at all and not using those as gaming devices, can certainly say I do not need an SD card slot, makes no difference. I thought I was going to miss it, but with so much cloud alternatives and most apps. managing info online, I don't see any reason for that.

Movies and music is probably what consume most space and would require an SD card, but on my personal case, I never download a movie to watch it later on my iPad2. I watch it via Netflix. And for music, I don't like tablets as mp3 player, too big, at least for me.

People would need tons or ebooks and several movies to use all Kindle fire space. Which again, with whispersync and Amazon's cloud service, I see no reason to be worried about it.

Sorry, maybe is just me, but I don't understand how people need more and more local storage for 5k+ books. We will need two or more life to read all that content; why carry on so many books an content on a single device? I just don't get it. Even when traveling, less than 1k books would be more than enough for the avid reader.

Except that cloud service REQUIRES you to be near wifi. An SD card does not.

[Grimm]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Right, but how frequent or common is that among users?

Also, analyzing the device as reading device, how important an SD card really is?

I'm not trying to dismiss the fact that a SD card or extra space is nice, just trying to see if that would be or not the #1 factor when considering a new tablet.

On my personal case, these would be those factors, in order:

-Device's weight
-Performance (including screen response and quality)
-Available apps or content (without side-loading, without rooting), like Kindle app, Nook app. etc.
-Battery life
-Price

Just 5, to keep it simple.

-Nook is lighter than Fire
-Nook has better specs, we'll see how it translates to the real world
-Fire has more available if you do not want to root; neither have full Adroid Market access
-Nook is listed as having better battery life; another we'll see about later
-$50 more but you get more in hardware, also to get the FULL Fire experience you need Amazon Prime which is $79 per annum, making the Fire realistically more expensive

[Rob Lister]

Originally Posted by Grimm

-Nook is lighter than Fire
-Nook has better specs, we'll see how it translates to the real world
-Fire has more available if you do not want to root; neither have full Adroid Market access
-Nook is listed as having better battery life; another we'll see about later
-$50 more but you get more in hardware, also to get the FULL Fire experience you need Amazon Prime which is $79 per month, making the Fire realistically more expensive

so really, it boils down to the nook being, spec wise, a far better machine for the money. the only unknown is content.

[Grimm]

Yup, spec-wise it is better. Real world operations are important too though so we'll have to see how it goes.

Honestly I think both devices are great, I just really don't like the small storage space and reliance on the cloud with the Fire. I prefer SD storage over wifi dependent and that's immutable for me.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Grimm

-Nook is lighter than Fire
-Nook has better specs, we'll see how it translates to the real world
-Fire has more available if you do not want to root; neither have full Adroid Market access
-Nook is listed as having better battery life; another we'll see about later
-$50 more but you get more in hardware, also to get the FULL Fire experience you need Amazon Prime which is $79 per month, making the Fire realistically more expensive

Amazon prime is $79.- per year, of course, not per month. And you could, presumably watch Amazon prime streaming videos on the Nook in a browser, you can do it on all flash capable tablets and phones made in the last 2 years.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Grimm

Except that cloud service REQUIRES you to be near wifi. An SD card does not.

You will always need wifi to download content, no matter what. You won't have wifi on the road, but easy to find wifi on USA almost everywhere. Not that will totally replace offline content, but not a big issue either.

Besides, for movies, which is one of the best features on Kindle fire, I would not expect someone to be using the Kindle fire all the time on the street. I think is safe to assume you will be at home, using the device.

An obvious exception is if you're traveling. No way to use wifi and offline content is basically a must. But how many people live traveling or travel so much that will be an issue? Also, most short or local trips on airplane require about 3 to 4 hours, which won't give you more time that what you really need for a simple movie.

But to be honest with you? I would prefer a 9 or 10 inches Kindle Fire. For a tablet which supposes to run movies or let you read full color magazines, I believe a bigger screen is a must, at least in my opinion. For that reason, I am planning to avoid the Kindle Fire altogether (for now). On the fence for a Kindle 3G touch though, need to feel it in my hands before getting rid of my beloved Kindle 3G keyboard.

[graff_king]

Originally Posted by Blossom

The new Nook Tablet is really nice. I have to ask how is Customer support? If you root the device does that void the warranty? Not that I can afford $273.28 at the moment but I guess I can dream.

Customer support from Barnes & Noble is hit or miss. I have had great experiences from my local store and the one phone support call I needed to make. As to rooting, yes it does technically void the warranty but if it is like the original Nook Color and boots from the SD card, there are no traces of root once the card is removed.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Blossom

The new Nook Tablet is really nice. I have to ask how is Customer support? If you root the device does that void the warranty? Not that I can afford $273.28 at the moment but I guess I can dream.

Technically speaking, it will avoid the warranty specially you brick the device. But chances are minimum.

I would not recommend making any comment to B&N customer support in case you face issues though. Rooting is totally unsupported by B&N.

On the ethical side point of view, I believe that it is kind of dual moral being a B&N supporter and buy a B&N device just for rooting. They basically make money with the stock device and rooting basically bypasses most ads and B&N features that help the store to make money, selling books. The stock device is not intended to run Kindle app. or Android market but B&N market. If the apps are good enough or not, that's a different story.

Anyway, you're 100% free or rooting your device or do whatever you want with it

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by graff_king

Customer support from Barnes & Noble is hit or miss. I have had great experiences from my local store and the one phone support call I needed to make. As to rooting, yes it does technically void the warranty but if it is like the original Nook Color and boots from the SD card, there are no traces of root once the card is removed.

Thanks! I am just weighing my options. I appreciate your answers.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Technically speaking, it will avoid the warranty specially you brick the device. But chances are minimum.

I would not recommend making any comment to B&N customer support in case you face issues though. Rooting is totally unsupported by B&N.

On the ethical side point of view, I believe that it is kind of dual moral being a B&N supporter and buy a B&N device just for rooting. They basically make money with the stock device and rooting basically bypasses most ads and B&N features that help the store to make money, selling books. The stock device is not intended to run Kindle app. or Android market but B&N market. If the apps are good enough or not, that's a different story.

Anyway, you're 100% free or rooting your device or do whatever you want with it

Well I wouldn't want to root it completely just be able to side load apps is pretty much it. The Market would be nice but I'd be happy with sideloading apk files working.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by spellbanisher

14.1 ounces according to the B&N website. The kindle fire is 14.6 ounces.

Interesting.

That's about the same weight of Nook 1st gen. I think. On paper sounds like will be a comfortable device. I would like to hold one to actually feel the ergonomics.