Do you really like reading on this? - Page 2

jswinden · 03-08-2011, 10:29 AM

I mostly use mine for reading ePubs and occasionally PDFs. I also view PPT presentations. However, I had to install the anti-glare screen protector to cut down on the glare and I have to be careful not to have overhead lighting as it will reflect on the screen like a mirror. Even a desk lamp runs the risk of causing my eyeglasses to reflect in the screen. So basically I would say that I use it for reading when in a dimly lit room. You cannot beat the NC as a reader device in that circumstance. I tried it outside but not in direct sunlight and it was totally unreadable.

Mine is not rooted (as I don't care for Android or toy apps). Unfortunately the stock ePub reader app is not very good. It marginally suffices and is way behind most reader apps in functionality. Ditto for the PDF reader and the Office docs readers. But this is a fairly new product and I think B&N will improve the apps as time progresses. Alternatively you can root and use third-party apps.

For brightly lit rooms or outside, I use my Sony PRS-350. To be honest, my Sony gets more use than my NC.

However there is one thing for which the Nc is great yet I haven't seen much discussion on: The NC is great to take to a meeting if you need to view Office docs but don't want to lug around a laptop or even a netbook. But this is if you want to view ONLY, as it won't natively edit Office docs without rooting.

DiannaInVA · 03-08-2011, 12:41 PM

I bought mine last week when it was on sale for 200. I figured even if I didn't like it as a reader, I would have a fun toy to play with after I rooted it.

As for reading...I'm afraid to say I don't use it for that. It's too heavy. My classic nook is as heavy as I can go when reading--esp if reading for hours. If I'm in a chair with my knees up and I can prop the color nook on my knees then it's not too bad. But for sitting on the train for 1.5 hrs each way during the commute, I need to be able to hold it easily (I guess my hands are weak

).

Plus it seems too much like a monitor when staring at it for over an hour at a time (even with brightness and background modified). Technically with monitors you should never stare at it for that long without looking away every now and then. But that's not how I read. With my classic nook, I have no problem staring at it for long periods of time...and the classic nook is great on the beach.

However, I love my nook color and have been having lots of fun with the web browser and the apps. But then I don't have a smart phone so this type of device is all new to me. I'm glad I got it for $200--it makes a great inexpensive tablet.

Grimm · 03-08-2011, 01:01 PM

I read more on my Nook Color than I did on my Kindle 3 or my Nook Classic. The screen is so sharp it makes reading a joy. I can set the brightness to wherever I want, use multiple readers (mine is rooted), and as far as weight, I guess I'm weird in that even though it's heavier than those other devices, I could never classify it as "heavy" in any real sense of the word.

WS64 · 03-08-2011, 01:49 PM

I read about 2 pages on it. Then I returned to my Kindle 3 for reading.
Too many fingerprints and mirroring. Funny enough that is not so much of a matter when I do other things on it. But as a book reader the NC does not work for me.
If I would not know the Kindle I actually might have liked the NC as a reader too. But now I know that eInk is way better for reading than LCD screens. But eInk still could get a little "whiter"...

waffleman · 03-08-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarich

I know a lot of people have rooted this device. I realize a lot of people are not using it as a reader. Many still have a e-ink reader on the side. Which in some ways makes me feel like B&N failed to make a competitive reader. So I am wondering if anyone truly enjoys reading on it.

Yes, I read more now than I've done in a long time.

jhitesma · 03-08-2011, 03:02 PM

After I bought my nook classic I found I was reading a lot more than I was before. (Mainly because instead of having to go to the store or library for a new book I could get a new one without even getting off the couch.)

I just got a color on Saturday and have found that I'm using it more than I've been using my eInk...but I'm reading less.

I really don't enjoy reading on the color at all. The screen is great, but too bright for me to read on, and with the brightness turned down the contrast also goes down and it gets harder to read. Plus even on the smallest font the text is still larger than I prefer on the books I've tried on the color. I got a few magazines to try (Rolling stone and food network) and so far am not very impressed by them either. Having to zoom to read I really don't like since once I'm zoomed in I have to pan to follow the article (and article mode kind of defeats the point of a full color magazine) but when I pan I keep accidentally flipping pages. I also miss the hardware page turn buttons of the eInk.

So while I love my color nook as a great budget tablet it's definitely NOT replacing my eInk nook for reading. The lighter weight, eInk and page buttons on the classic just make it a FAR FAR better reader in my opinion.

LaurieGator · 03-08-2011, 03:14 PM

I have both an e-ink reader and a Nook Color. My Nook Color is rooted.

For my NC usage, I would say it is 85% reading books and 15% web surfing. Granted, I use B&N for my magazines and Kindle for Android for 98% of my books. Kindle for Android was the main reason that I rooted my Nook in the first place.

Elric · 03-08-2011, 05:17 PM

Wow, you sure read a lot into the popularity of rooting. Like others, I've rooted but my #1 use is eReader.

MsCG1 · 03-08-2011, 09:41 PM

I have a rooted Nookcolor, and I use it exclusively for reading. Magazines, comic books, blog stories, etc.

I didn't root so I could get a cheap tablet, I rooted to improve reading functionality on the device.

I read books mostly on my eink Nook, but I now read novels on my Nookcolor exclusively at night. I'm thrilled to be able to retire book lights all together. The best part, is that I store all of my books on my boxnet account, and if I'm reading a book on my eink Nook, I can go straight to the boxnet app, open it up, and download the same book instantly.

I also read all library books exclusively on the Nookcolor as well, because I can keep the library books stored on my device, and can open them whenever I need to.

boswd · 03-08-2011, 10:17 PM

LOVE reading on the nook color

drv · 03-08-2011, 11:37 PM

My NC is not rooted. I read about 50% of the time and listen to and watch audio and video podcasts the other 50%.

Of the 50% reading, about half of that is (so far) free ebooks from Gutenberg and other sources. The other half is various articles I get off the web and convert to MS Word docs. (Using MS Word permits reading in landscape and zooming to a size that is easy to read. You can also get graphics to zoom with Word docs, unlike ePubs.)

Lemurion · 03-09-2011, 10:03 AM

Speaking for myself, I think one of the big reasons for rooting is that B&N's default reading app on the Nook Color just isn't very good. It doesn't support either landscape mode or volume button page turns.

Perhaps the most telling point for me is that I've never read an entire book on the device using the stock app. I've read books using both the Kindle app and Aldiko, but not with the stock B&N app.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 03-09-2011, 11:44 AM

I haven't rooted mine. I read ebooks and emagazines on it, many sideloaded, and I'm satisfied with it just the way it is (though I'll certainly take a better PDF viewer, and if a few good functionality apps come along...)

dmunsil · 03-09-2011, 12:28 PM

I rooted it mostly to have access to other apps, like Dolphin Browser and Kindle, but I spend most of my time reading. I use the stock reader because I mostly prefer reading in portrait anyway. I like the screen a lot, significantly more than the Kindle 2 screen. And I like having color illustrations and covers. That's not to say that it couldn't be better, but I'm pleased with it right now.

Features I'd like to see:

- Landscape reading mode with two columns
- Pinch-zoom (or at least a few zoom levels and scrolling) for images in books
- Much better library features, especially for sorting and organizing.

wxgeek96 · 03-09-2011, 01:58 PM

Yes, I mainly read on the NC. PDFs, epubs, library books, etc. I tend to do a lot of reading at night in low light situations, and the NC works great for that.

Considered e-ink for a while, but then decided that one of my uses (reading PDFs from scientific journals) would really benefit from color.

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03-08-2011, 10:29 AM	#16
jswinden Nameless Being	I mostly use mine for reading ePubs and occasionally PDFs. I also view PPT presentations. However, I had to install the anti-glare screen protector to cut down on the glare and I have to be careful not to have overhead lighting as it will reflect on the screen like a mirror. Even a desk lamp runs the risk of causing my eyeglasses to reflect in the screen. So basically I would say that I use it for reading when in a dimly lit room. You cannot beat the NC as a reader device in that circumstance. I tried it outside but not in direct sunlight and it was totally unreadable. Mine is not rooted (as I don't care for Android or toy apps). Unfortunately the stock ePub reader app is not very good. It marginally suffices and is way behind most reader apps in functionality. Ditto for the PDF reader and the Office docs readers. But this is a fairly new product and I think B&N will improve the apps as time progresses. Alternatively you can root and use third-party apps. For brightly lit rooms or outside, I use my Sony PRS-350. To be honest, my Sony gets more use than my NC. However there is one thing for which the Nc is great yet I haven't seen much discussion on: The NC is great to take to a meeting if you need to view Office docs but don't want to lug around a laptop or even a netbook. But this is if you want to view ONLY, as it won't natively edit Office docs without rooting.

03-08-2011, 12:41 PM	#17
DiannaInVA Enthusiast Posts: 38 Karma: 66666 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Nook	I bought mine last week when it was on sale for 200. I figured even if I didn't like it as a reader, I would have a fun toy to play with after I rooted it. As for reading...I'm afraid to say I don't use it for that. It's too heavy. My classic nook is as heavy as I can go when reading--esp if reading for hours. If I'm in a chair with my knees up and I can prop the color nook on my knees then it's not too bad. But for sitting on the train for 1.5 hrs each way during the commute, I need to be able to hold it easily (I guess my hands are weak ). Plus it seems too much like a monitor when staring at it for over an hour at a time (even with brightness and background modified). Technically with monitors you should never stare at it for that long without looking away every now and then. But that's not how I read. With my classic nook, I have no problem staring at it for long periods of time...and the classic nook is great on the beach. However, I love my nook color and have been having lots of fun with the web browser and the apps. But then I don't have a smart phone so this type of device is all new to me. I'm glad I got it for $200--it makes a great inexpensive tablet.

03-08-2011, 01:01 PM	#18
Grimm DRM killer Posts: 471 Karma: 793120 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Just northeast of Atlanta, GA Device: ASUS Transformer Prime (Sold: Nook, Kindle 3, Nook Color, Nook STR)	I read more on my Nook Color than I did on my Kindle 3 or my Nook Classic. The screen is so sharp it makes reading a joy. I can set the brightness to wherever I want, use multiple readers (mine is rooted), and as far as weight, I guess I'm weird in that even though it's heavier than those other devices, I could never classify it as "heavy" in any real sense of the word.

03-08-2011, 01:49 PM	#19
WS64 ♫ Posts: 661 Karma: 506380 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Germany Device: Kobo Aura / PB Lux 2 / Bookeen Frontlight / Kobo Mini / Nook Color	I read about 2 pages on it. Then I returned to my Kindle 3 for reading. Too many fingerprints and mirroring. Funny enough that is not so much of a matter when I do other things on it. But as a book reader the NC does not work for me. If I would not know the Kindle I actually might have liked the NC as a reader too. But now I know that eInk is way better for reading than LCD screens. But eInk still could get a little "whiter"...

03-08-2011, 03:02 PM	#21
jhitesma Member Posts: 22 Karma: 14 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Nook Classic & Nook Color	After I bought my nook classic I found I was reading a lot more than I was before. (Mainly because instead of having to go to the store or library for a new book I could get a new one without even getting off the couch.) I just got a color on Saturday and have found that I'm using it more than I've been using my eInk...but I'm reading less. I really don't enjoy reading on the color at all. The screen is great, but too bright for me to read on, and with the brightness turned down the contrast also goes down and it gets harder to read. Plus even on the smallest font the text is still larger than I prefer on the books I've tried on the color. I got a few magazines to try (Rolling stone and food network) and so far am not very impressed by them either. Having to zoom to read I really don't like since once I'm zoomed in I have to pan to follow the article (and article mode kind of defeats the point of a full color magazine) but when I pan I keep accidentally flipping pages. I also miss the hardware page turn buttons of the eInk. So while I love my color nook as a great budget tablet it's definitely NOT replacing my eInk nook for reading. The lighter weight, eInk and page buttons on the classic just make it a FAR FAR better reader in my opinion.

03-08-2011, 03:14 PM	#22
LaurieGator Crazy Cat Lady Posts: 96 Karma: 13662 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Arizona Device: Kindle 2i, Nook Color (Rooted)	I have both an e-ink reader and a Nook Color. My Nook Color is rooted. For my NC usage, I would say it is 85% reading books and 15% web surfing. Granted, I use B&N for my magazines and Kindle for Android for 98% of my books. Kindle for Android was the main reason that I rooted my Nook in the first place.

03-08-2011, 05:17 PM	#23
Elric Member Posts: 12 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: nook color	Wow, you sure read a lot into the popularity of rooting. Like others, I've rooted but my #1 use is eReader.

03-08-2011, 09:41 PM	#24
MsCG1 Zealot Posts: 142 Karma: 38391 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Nook Classic, NookColor, HTC Rezound, Sony PRS-505, ICS Touchpad	I have a rooted Nookcolor, and I use it exclusively for reading. Magazines, comic books, blog stories, etc. I didn't root so I could get a cheap tablet, I rooted to improve reading functionality on the device. I read books mostly on my eink Nook, but I now read novels on my Nookcolor exclusively at night. I'm thrilled to be able to retire book lights all together. The best part, is that I store all of my books on my boxnet account, and if I'm reading a book on my eink Nook, I can go straight to the boxnet app, open it up, and download the same book instantly. I also read all library books exclusively on the Nookcolor as well, because I can keep the library books stored on my device, and can open them whenever I need to.

03-08-2011, 10:17 PM	#25
boswd Banned Posts: 2,391 Karma: 1001781 Join Date: May 2010 Device: The Nook, Nook color and Droid X	LOVE reading on the nook color

03-08-2011, 11:37 PM	#26
drv Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 142 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Nook Color	My NC is not rooted. I read about 50% of the time and listen to and watch audio and video podcasts the other 50%. Of the 50% reading, about half of that is (so far) free ebooks from Gutenberg and other sources. The other half is various articles I get off the web and convert to MS Word docs. (Using MS Word permits reading in landscape and zooming to a size that is easy to read. You can also get graphics to zoom with Word docs, unlike ePubs.)

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03-09-2011, 10:03 AM	#27
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	Speaking for myself, I think one of the big reasons for rooting is that B&N's default reading app on the Nook Color just isn't very good. It doesn't support either landscape mode or volume button page turns. Perhaps the most telling point for me is that I've never read an entire book on the device using the stock app. I've read books using both the Kindle app and Aldiko, but not with the stock B&N app.

03-09-2011, 11:44 AM	#28
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I haven't rooted mine. I read ebooks and emagazines on it, many sideloaded, and I'm satisfied with it just the way it is (though I'll certainly take a better PDF viewer, and if a few good functionality apps come along...)

03-09-2011, 12:28 PM	#29
dmunsil Member Posts: 11 Karma: 2700 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Kirkland, WA Device: Kindle; Nook Color	I rooted it mostly to have access to other apps, like Dolphin Browser and Kindle, but I spend most of my time reading. I use the stock reader because I mostly prefer reading in portrait anyway. I like the screen a lot, significantly more than the Kindle 2 screen. And I like having color illustrations and covers. That's not to say that it couldn't be better, but I'm pleased with it right now. Features I'd like to see: - Landscape reading mode with two columns - Pinch-zoom (or at least a few zoom levels and scrolling) for images in books - Much better library features, especially for sorting and organizing.

03-09-2011, 01:58 PM	#30
wxgeek96 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 536 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: PA Device: NookColor, iPod Touch (1G)	Yes, I mainly read on the NC. PDFs, epubs, library books, etc. I tend to do a lot of reading at night in low light situations, and the NC works great for that. Considered e-ink for a while, but then decided that one of my uses (reading PDFs from scientific journals) would really benefit from color.