Tablet Decision time: Nook Tablet or iPad Mini

[Shykat]

I admit I had no idea that the Nook Tablet had an HD release out already.

I looked at the iPad Mini today ($329 for 16 gig wifi only) and it really was nice. Would be nice to have in addition to my iPhone 4S. Same games and apps could be on both.

BUT.....

I'm very picky in my ebook readers as there is ONE major feature that is a must for me: The ability to sort my ebooks in the order I load them onto the device. Plus I don't want the book I'm currently reading to be moved to the top of the list, I want it to stay in the order with the rest of the books. I know, a crazy feature that not many people want but it's the OCD in me and it's what I want.

Does the Nook reader do that?

I've already looked at the Nook reader for the iPhone and it says that it will Sync between the iPhone and the Nook which would be a second important feature.

Yes, I've read that the Kindle and the kindle software for the iPhone does the syncing but Kindle does NOT sort in the order you put the books on the device plus, I don't want to have to convert all the epub books that I already have.

I seem to remember that the Nook is based on the Android platform. Is that correct? I have an Asus Transformer and, like the iPad, it's big and heavy and my hands get very tired of holding it when I am trying to read which is why I'm looking for something smaller.

How are games and watching movies on the Nook? If I remember right, you can watch NetFlix on the Nook. Is that correct?

Any help, suggestions and information you all can share is greatly appreciated.

[NickyWithNook]

I don't think the Nook Tablet sorts like that either. Once you've read a book, it shows up at the first. Maybe there's a way to override that? If there is, I'm not aware of it.

You can watch Netflix and you can play games on the Nook Tablet. Also, it has an SD card slot, and we bought an N2A card which turns the Nook Tablet into an Android tablet. If you reboot it, it becomes a Nook again. Turn it off and on again, it's an Android tablet again.

I think if sorting is a big deal for you, you might prefer keeping your library on a program on your computer, like Calibre. You might post in "Which One Should I Buy" and see if any of them have an option to keep the books in the order you bought them. I think my Nook Simple Touch does, but honestly this is not something my ADHD brain would even probably notice. I see that when I select my library, an option for sorting is "Most Recent" and the most read books are not the first I see - it appears to be sorted by most recently purchased. However, books I've side loaded are separate - so it goes through all the ones purchased from B&N in order with most recently purchased first, and then after ones I've gotten from Project Gutenberg or other places start in order most recently sideloaded first.

I just opened my iPad Nook app and it puts the most recently opened one first. The Kindle app does the same.

[oj829]

Originally Posted by Shykat

I seem to remember that the Nook is based on the Android platform.

Loosely based. Android is "under the hood" of the Nook HD, but the user experience/interface has been designed by B&N, and your experience with an "Android-based" Nook HD is not going to be anything like your experience with your existing Asus Transformer running Android.

I have an Asus Transformer and, like the iPad, it's big and heavy and my hands get very tired of holding it when I am trying to read which is why I'm looking for something smaller.

Device weight is the first thing I look at, and in my book, once a 7" tablet reaches 11 ounces, it's starting to get a little piggy, and had better have a nice personality to compensate.

The Nook HD and iPad mini are two of the lightest-weight 7" devices you can get, short of illegally importing one of those Japanese ones made by NEC, or sacrificing important features. The original iPads were about a pound and a half! Even the original Nook Color closes in at about 14 or 15 ounces. Too heavy for me, too. (And the weight is the sole complaint my husband has about his original Nook Color).

Fast forward to today, and according to B&N, the weight of the new 7" Nook HD is 315grams, or 11.1 ounces. That's noticeable, and sweet. The iPad mini is 308grams (WiFi only) or 312grams (Wifi+Cellular).

Those are dreamy numbers, and if I were in the market for a new toy, my credit card would be in danger. I realize the Nook HD lacks (for example) a camera, and reviews have complained of a certain sluggishness, but at that price, screen resolution, and weight, I'd be personally be all over it, if I used a Nook at all.

For the 16GB models, the price war is $229 for the Nook HD, and $329 for the iPad mini w WiFi.

There's a lot more to be said about both of these items, but I just always enjoy screaming: "Under 300 grams! Under 300 grams, damnit!!"