nook tablet limited to 1 gig of non-b&n content

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by LoganK

The semi-official word seems to be that B&N was worried we might use the space, not have enough space for that 200MB magazine we want to purchase, and then decide not to buy. So we are protected from things like having to manage our media when making purchases.

Big brother knows best

[afv011]

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

Can you explain how what B&N has done is different than what Amazon has done? Because they don't have any division between purchased content and sideloaded, or apps vs. movies. Why couldn't B&N have taken the same route, then?

The only difference is the partition sizes, B&N decided to leave a lot of space for content they provide to ensure you are unlikely to run out of space for that content. The alternative would be to have a smaller data partition and a larger media partition, and update the apps to store the bulk of their data on the media partition. The this has disadvantages, for instance the media partition is vfat as opposed to ext3 or ext4, meaning that it doesn't support permissions and the data would be visible to all apps, a potential security risk. Also apps would have to be stopped when the partition is mounted, as apps would lose access to their data.

[apesmom]

I was just in the store playing with the thing. The rep told me they would repartition it for me in the store. That was surprising but she told me they've been doing it for the past year on the NCs. Still not quite believing, I asked "So if I want only 3 GB dedicated to B&N content and the rest available for side-loaded content, you'll do that?" Answer was "Yes".

[kjk]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I was just in the store playing with the thing. The rep told me they would repartition it for me in the store. That was surprising but she told me they've been doing it for the past year on the NCs. Still not quite believing, I asked "So if I want only 3 GB dedicated to B&N content and the rest available for side-loaded content, you'll do that?" Answer was "Yes".

That is pretty great service!

[basschick]

really? i'll have to head on over to b&n and see if they make the same offer...

Originally Posted by apesmom

I was just in the store playing with the thing. The rep told me they would repartition it for me in the store. That was surprising but she told me they've been doing it for the past year on the NCs. Still not quite believing, I asked "So if I want only 3 GB dedicated to B&N content and the rest available for side-loaded content, you'll do that?" Answer was "Yes".

[afv011]

Interesting read here: UMS on Ice-Cream Sandwich

Basically, with Ice-Cream Sandwich there is no longer a division between data and media, so future products should no longer have this 10Gb/1Gb split.

[soondai]

Originally Posted by apesmom

I was just in the store playing with the thing. The rep told me they would repartition it for me in the store. That was surprising but she told me they've been doing it for the past year on the NCs. Still not quite believing, I asked "So if I want only 3 GB dedicated to B&N content and the rest available for side-loaded content, you'll do that?" Answer was "Yes".

Please post back after they do this for you.

I actually asked if this could be done in store today (Westside Pavilion in Los Angeles) and they said they do not have the tools to do it yet, but it might happen in the future.

Given that and the fact they locked this sucker down, they sold me a 250 dollar boomerang thats coming right back at 'em in 13 days unless something changes.

I tend to think the loophole that allows you to side-load apps will probably be patched with the first update.

They're bungling this.

[speakingtohe]

Interesting read here: UMS on Ice-Cream Sandwich

Very interesting.
Thanks

[carld]

Originally Posted by geertm

This is not some kind of big secret. It has been clearly mentioned on the Nook Tablet specs page from November 7 on.

Not a secret as such, but I'd bet it's a real surprise to almost all the casual buying public who are comparing the Nook Tablet to others this shopping season. I follow the tablet market myself, and it was a surprise to me.

[hardick]

Originally Posted by geertm

This is not some kind of big secret. It has been clearly mentioned on the Nook Tablet specs page from November 7 on.
As $10 will get you a 8GB micro-sd card, and $20 a 16GB one, this is a non-issue.

There is a very good reason for this partitioning model. All apps have to be installed in the hidden B&N partition. Those interactive books and childrens books are apps that can be 100MB or more in size. The original NC had only 1 GB for apps, and 5 GB for other B&N content and sideloaded content. People were running out of space to install apps. That is why they changed the partitioning model on the NC to 5 GB for all B&N content, and 1 GB for non-B&N content. And that is reason for the partitioning model of the Nook Tablet.

If they would allocate more space for non-B&N content they would limit the amount of B&N content that you could store on the Nook Tablet. With apps (books) of 100MB, and with a rumoured video store coming next year not a good idea, and sure to anger customers.
I do not want B&N to limit the amount of B&N content that can be stored, just because some users do not want to pay $10 for an micro-sd card.

I wonder if these 2 problems are true, if so, NT is a great gadget:

1. All apps installed and with their data stored on the hidden partition?
2. Can we store our own content to the SD card and no other app data would be stored onto the SD card?

My last Android phone was a Moto Defy (with a C10 SD card), after using it for a while, I was so annoyed by Android's stupid data storage arrangement. Every time I installed an app that requires data storage on SD card, it will create a folder on that card. Eventually there was more than several dozens of app data folders which buried my own content folders like images and music and e-books. Why is it so difficult that they won't create just one app-data folder like "Program Files" in windows, or "Applications" in Mac, and store all the various app-data folder into it, so that there will be a very clean and beautiful folder structure for me to browse.

This issue troubles me so much that I finally gave up Android, switched to Windows Phone 7.

If the app-data could be unseen (stored on the hidden partition) and I can have all my own content stored at my wish on the SD card, it would be perfect.

[geertm]

Originally Posted by hardick

I wonder if these 2 problems are true, if so, NT is a great gadget:

1. All apps installed and with their data stored on the hidden partition?
2. Can we store our own content to the SD card and no other app data would be stored onto the SD card?

My last Android phone was a Moto Defy (with a C10 SD card), after using it for a while, I was so annoyed by Android's stupid data storage arrangement. Every time I installed an app that requires data storage on SD card, it will create a folder on that card. Eventually there was more than several dozens of app data folders which buried my own content folders like images and music and e-books. Why is it so difficult that they won't create just one app-data folder like "Program Files" in windows, or "Applications" in Mac, and store all the various app-data folder into it, so that there will be a very clean and beautiful folder structure for me to browse.

This issue troubles me so much that I finally gave up Android, switched to Windows Phone 7.

If the app-data could be unseen (stored on the hidden partition) and I can have all my own content stored at my wish on the SD card, it would be perfect.

Yes, that is the way it works. All B&N content (including apps and apps data) is stored in the hidden partition. The 1 GB user space and the SD-card are only used for your own content.

[Kali Yuga]

Is adding content to the SD card a transparent process, i.e. something Grandma can do?

[geertm]

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Is adding content to the SD card a transparent process, i.e. something Grandma can do?

The SD-card shows up as another drive-letter on your PC.
So you can just drag and drop files to it.

[MV64]

Originally Posted by robko

This is an I have no idea what the answer is question: is there a reason they have to be installed there or that a B&N choice that there has to be this hidden partition that the apps have to be installed on (i.e. is there a general technical reason or is this a B&N decision)?

When the Color came out there was no partitioning, and people were having lots of errors and issues with the apps. The partitioning was meant to ensure smooth application use. I'm not aware of any restrictions on the micro-SD slot. You should be able to pick one up and load whatever you want on it.

[MV64]

Originally Posted by carld

Not a secret as such, but I'd bet it's a real surprise to almost all the casual buying public who are comparing the Nook Tablet to others this shopping season. I follow the tablet market myself, and it was a surprise to me.

Which is worse, having to pony up 10 bucks one time for a micro-SD card for extra storage, or pay 80 a year for Amazon's cloud storage?