In defense of the new nook.

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

I disagree. Color e-ink is a dead end technology. It will never be able to do video.

Of course.... not http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ne/8610962.stm

[mcooke66]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

Of course.... not http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...ne/8610962.stm

I agree color eInk is on the way and with video, the problem is is it will be expensive to start off and is not here now. B&N are producing a device today because the market needs it today.

If they waited for color eInk it would be many months away (maybe 6) and cost more and deliver less resolution and color saturation compared to all the tablets I keep hearing the NC will compete with.

I cannot fault this business decision from B&N, if the device works well and ships on time or close to on time I think it will be a success. More importantly for B&N they will be at the forefront of content providers with lots of color content.

[AdrianM]

Originally Posted by mcooke66

I agree color eInk is on the way and with video, the problem is is it will be expensive to start off and is not here now. B&N are producing a device today because the market needs it today.

If they waited for color eInk it would be many months away (maybe 6) and cost more and deliver less resolution and color saturation compared to all the tablets I keep hearing the NC will compete with.

I cannot fault this business decision from B&N, if the device works well and ships on time or close to on time I think it will be a success. More importantly for B&N they will be at the forefront of content providers with lots of color content.

I'm sure B&N will sell some but whether they will sell enough is another matter. To me it seems like it's just a crippled tablet and there are other tablets out there now (iPad) that are better and more flexible and many others which are about to be.

I hear people say that it will be awesome for the magazine and comic readers but for most people I think it'll be considered just too small for that.

And as a novel reader, it falls short of eInk becasue it has a back lit reflective LCD which we all know is crap for reading anywhere where there are a lot of direct light sources. Yes, it's colour but you don't need colour for novels which the vast majority of people want an e-Reader for.

I hear people say that it's cheaper than the iPad. Of course, but it's still $250 and those that are very much cost concious will be looking towards the even cheaper tablets (that aren't crippled and will allow them to run all reading apps).

So yeah, it's okay, but it's less flexible than any other tablet, more expensive than some competition, too small to be really good at displaying colour magazines and comics... and on top of all of that it has an awful battery. So what does it do better than others exactly...?

As for the colour eInk - I'd be very surprised if Amazon isn't looking towards that tech with a mind to releasing something next year.

[sbtx99]

Originally Posted by boswd

ahh but theres the beauty of it running a high end android os, if the market calls for it, BN can open it up and basically run like a Galaxy S Tab minus the camera.

so it's not like they painted themselves in a future corner.

And if B&N opens it up then I could download the Kindle app to read books from Amazon and unencrypted mobi files. And epub reading apps like Aldiko and FBReader which handle side-loaded epubs better than the nook. For me, that would be the main advantage of having a high end, fully functional Android tablet for a reader. The ease of adding content from different retailers. Though, I'm not sure B&N would agree with me.

[mcooke66]

Originally Posted by AdrianM

And as a novel reader, it falls short of eInk becasue it has a back lit reflective LCD which we all know is crap for reading anywhere where there are a lot of direct light sources. Yes, it's colour but you don't need colour for novels which the vast majority of people want an e-Reader for.

I am not arguing that as a tablet option it may only do well as a niche product. However you never seem to address the broader business move from B&N which is to be the content provider of choice for color. I am NOT claiming they are that today, but going in that direction makes really good business sense.

I also disagree that that the “vast majority” of people who want ereaders are novel readers exclusively. For one thing folks who want or need color for 25% of their reading may be a hugely untapped market, waiting for the right device (No I am not claiming this is it, but something is). I think the iPad showed there is a real market for color. I think that the majority of ereader owners are focused on novels because that is all they do well today. Maybe you have done more thorough market research the B&N

My wife wants color because she reads a lot of magazines and about a novel a week. She does not want 2 devices and battery life is not the biggest concern, checking email and editing word docs are not either. Priced at 250.00 she can have a product that focuses on what she wants just like eInk focuses on what you want.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by mcooke66

I think that the majority of ereader owners are focused on novels because that is all they do well today.

Bingo! But a device that will let me play games in color, access the Web in color, read periodicals and illustrated books in color, still fit easily in my purse, and not break the bank--suddenly it looks really appealing to me.

[Reeses]

Originally Posted by ColdSun

LCD reading devices existed before eink and were quite good (rca or ebookwise). There is no law saying a company can't extend the technology of LCD reading devices. Just because it is LCD doesn't mean it has to have all the tablet capabilities. Some of us, specifically those who like reading in dark places, love LCD reading devices and have been waiting a long time for them. Like I said before, you have tons of eink devices to choose from, let those of us who enjoy something else have a turn with a new device.

Well said!