Time to dump the NC...

Let's see I paid $250 for my NC and $250 for my Sony PRS-950. I'm a reader centric person who could care less about the toy apps available for iPad and Android (still just cellular OS). So I got the best of eInk and LCD reading for the same amount as an iPad. I can read outside in direct sunlight (950 only) or inside in low light. Plus I didn't pay the greedmeister at Apple any hard earned money!

I spent over 25 years in the software industry and in retirement I still spend most of the day in front of an LCD monitor, and yes the pitch sucks on LCD computer monitors and makes reading rough on my eyes. It is better on my NC because there is less pitch, less space between pixels (dots) because they took a resolution made for 10" and up monitors and squeezed it down to 7". This is much easier on my eyes and makes reading for long periods possible. The ipad gave me a headache within 30 minutes--yep I tried one. The high resolution on my iPod touch 4G is even better than the NC inch per inch, but a 3.5" screen is way too small for pretty much anything!

I really wish people would stop calling the NC a "tablet" altogether as it was designed for a reader and really doesn't have the stuff under the hood to make it a true tablet, nor the buttons nor the USB ports. It is a reader, and a reader by any other root is still a READER. It is not like Android is a true tablet OS either, and it won't even come close until at least 3.0. I hate Apple, but quite frankly a 7" iPad would blow the NC, Tab, and all the rest of the Android tablet wannabees out of the water.

As a reader the NC is okay, but just. B&N needs to greatly improve the PDF capability as well as add some ePub reader functionality that is basic to nearly every dedicated reader. I'll keep mine because at the price point nothing else comes close, but then again the only competition in its price range is from glorified digital photo frames! And yes, a photo frame by any other root is still a photo frame.

[Rocketime]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Let's see I paid $250 for my NC and $250 for my Sony PRS-950. I'm a reader centric person who could care less about the toy apps available for iPad and Android (still just cellular OS). So I got the best of eInk and LCD reading for the same amount as an iPad. I can read outside in direct sunlight (950 only) or inside in low light. Plus I didn't pay the greedmeister at Apple any hard earned money!

I spent over 25 years in the software industry and in retirement I still spend most of the day in front of an LCD monitor, and yes the pitch sucks on LCD computer monitors and makes reading rough on my eyes. It is better on my NC because there is less pitch, less space between pixels (dots) because they took a resolution made for 10" and up monitors and squeezed it down to 7". This is much easier on my eyes and makes reading for long periods possible. The ipad gave me a headache within 30 minutes--yep I tried one. The high resolution on my iPod touch 4G is even better than the NC inch per inch, but a 3.5" screen is way too small for pretty much anything!

I really wish people would stop calling the NC a "tablet" altogether as it was designed for a reader and really doesn't have the stuff under the hood to make it a true tablet, nor the buttons nor the USB ports. It is a reader, and a reader by any other root is still a READER. It is not like Android is a true tablet OS either, and it won't even come close until at least 3.0. I hate Apple, but quite frankly a 7" iPad would blow the NC, Tab, and all the rest of the Android tablet wannabees out of the water.

As a reader the NC is okay, but just. B&N needs to greatly improve the PDF capability as well as add some ePub reader functionality that is basic to nearly every dedicated reader. I'll keep mine because at the price point nothing else comes close, but then again the only competition in its price range is from glorified digital photo frames! And yes, a photo frame by any other root is still a photo frame.

Well said!!

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I really wish people would stop calling the NC a "tablet" altogether as it was designed for a reader and really doesn't have the stuff under the hood to make it a true tablet, nor the buttons nor the USB ports. It is a reader, and a reader by any other root is still a READER.

I respectfully disagree.

What makes a computer device a tablet is the main I/O port, which on those cases is the screen. In other words, tablets have a main LCD screen which uses touch as main input and usually there is a virtual keyboard instead of a physical one, and they are larger than cellphones. Devices which fall under that category are: iPad, Galaxy Tab, Nook Color, HP slate, Notion Ink, Pocketbook IQ, etc.

What's special about the Nook Color is the UI, which has been customized (or locked, depending of your point of view) limiting the user to what B&N install by default. Yeah, you can root it, alter that, etc, but the hardware is still the same.

Android is just the operating system, required on any computer device, but iPads do not run Linux and they are still tablets.

And I am not questioning your personal enjoyment or not with my statement, so don't get me wrong, but there is a technical difference between a tablet and a true dedicated e-reader, like a Sony, Nook 1st gen or even Kindle. Actually and if you want to take some distance from the technical point of view, we can say the Nook Color is a tablet that has been customized to be a dedicated e-reader, but that won't change the fact it uses LCD screen as main I/O anyway.

[=X=]

Funny, I think google does more to harm themselves than anybody else. There press releases are more designed for geeks but the media and compeditors take full advantage of it. When google said Android 2.2 is not ready for tablets everybody harppee on 2.2 not being ready. Google didn't say why and most people who echo this don't either. Those that do give a reason make up answers.

I guess by the same appropose a android 2.2 does not make a good reader OS because it's a phone OS, but we know that is not true.

The reason i agree with you that the nook does not make a good tablet is more because of the crippled software B&N put on it than what stock 2.2 provides. Naturally 3.0 will be a better experience but nookie is quite good. The folks over at XDA are doing a great job.

[volwrath]

I dont believe a 7" ipad would blow away a 7" android tablet. It has alot more quality apps, but the android tablet has openness and versatility. The browsing experience is better on android, albeit slightly. Ive had as much fun with my NC as I have had with my ipad, despite the same breadth of quality apps as ipad has.

That being said, if apple introduces a 7" ipad 2, I would surely take a close look at it. I'll be taking a close look at a 10" one for that matter.

[gtriever]

I'm waiting to see a WiFi only Xoom, or that most mythical of beasts, an actual working Windows tablet...

Originally Posted by =X=

Funny, I think google does more to harm themselves than anybody else. There press releases are more designed for geeks but the media and compeditors take full advantage of it. When google said Android 2.2 is not ready for tablets everybody harppee on 2.2 not being ready. Google didn't say why and most people who echo this don't either. Those that do give a reason make up answers.

I guess by the same appropose a android 2.2 does not make a good reader OS because it's a phone OS, but we know that is not true.

The reason i agree with you that the nook does not make a good tablet is more because of the crippled software B&N put on it than what stock 2.2 provides. Naturally 3.0 will be a better experience but nookie is quite good. The folks over at XDA are doing a great job.

The NC runs Android 2.1. The 2.2 update won't be here for a while. The folks at XDA do a job, but from reading all the threads on rooting and trying to make the so called NC tablet work as a tablet is way too complicated to consider it a tablet in my opinion. B&N calls it a reader and actually takes pains to keep the word tablet disassociated from it.

If it wasn't for the B&N software, I would not have bought the NC as Android is the biggest let down in an OS I've ever seen, and I've seen Windows ME and that crap Apple tried to pawn off as MacOS before they introduced OS X!

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by jswinden

If it wasn't for the B&N software, I would not have bought the NC as Android is the biggest let down in an OS I've ever seen

Hi Jack,

Can you please elaborate on your statement a bit more?

[volwrath]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Hi Jack,

Can you please elaborate on your statement a bit more?

A statement like that even if it is an opinion deserves some attempt at justification imo.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by volwrath

A statement like that even if it is an opinion deserves some attempt at justification imo.

? make your point, please ... he says Android is the biggest let down in an Os ... I would like to know why.

[volwrath]

Originally Posted by jocampo

? make your point, please ... he says Android is the biggest let down in an Os ... I would like to know why.

Exactly. I was agreeing with you. His statement deserves some attempt at justification

[slayda]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Android is the biggest let down in an OS I've ever seen, and I've seen Windows ME and that crap Apple tried to pawn off as MacOS before they introduced OS X!

It's a lot better than Windows 1, 2 or 3. Of course that was before Windows ME. It's also a lot better than a paper output & paper tape for input. I like it partly because the apps cost a most a few 10s of $$ & many are free. Sure they don't do as much as MS Word but they also don't cost hundreds of $$ either.

[jhempel24]

There's a reason it's gotten accolades as the best "dedicated ereader". Its not trying to nake or advertise itself anything that its not, I think people miss that point.

I myself have "almost" bought one. But Im having problems with LCD. I can read on my Android, but I think the bigger screen will hurt my eyes.

[dixieknits]

The original poster's complaint was that of eyestrain from a backlit device. I also sit in front of a computer all day and have found the opposite to be true. The backlit screen of my NC is much easier on my eyes than the glare of a clip on light on my Kindle at night. If the poster has different experiences he should return and purchase what he is comfortable reading on. The general attitude of the post and the subect line seem to be rather derogatory and "sour grapes" in nature and not very relevant.

[GreenMonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

The NC runs Android 2.1. The 2.2 update won't be here for a while. The folks at XDA do a job, but from reading all the threads on rooting and trying to make the so called NC tablet work as a tablet is way too complicated to consider it a tablet in my opinion. B&N calls it a reader and actually takes pains to keep the word tablet disassociated from it.

If it wasn't for the B&N software, I would not have bought the NC as Android is the biggest let down in an OS I've ever seen, and I've seen Windows ME and that crap Apple tried to pawn off as MacOS before they introduced OS X!

Having used an ipod touch for over a year, I gave it to my 3yr old for Christmas (she can't lose apps like she can Leapster or DS games).

I'm pretty happy in Android. Just got an LG Optimus on Virgin Mobile, been running the rooted Nook Color.

Honestly, I kind of like B&N's launcher though over stock android. I've left it in place on my Rooted NC. It feels a bit more reading-centric, which I like.

Overall, I prefer reading on the Nook vs the Nook color. I CAN read on the NC, and it's nice to not be looking around for my light at night.