Out of the Three New Readers we have gotten from B&N, Amazon and Kobo..

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

...I have to say The NOOK is the most appealing hardware. The form factor and size is the best, you get four page turn buttons etc ...sadly their software needs work for Library usage and a few other things. But I think they nailed it for hardware.

Nook has done a good job on hardware for years. I thought the Nook ST w/Glowlight, Glowlight Plus (2015) and Glowlight 3 were all better than what the competitors offered as hardware.

But the software is just too bland (and on the Glowlight 3, buggy).

I wish I could slap some Kobo firmware on my Nooks.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Nook has done a good job on hardware for years. I thought the Nook ST w/Glowlight, Glowlight Plus (2015) and Glowlight 3 were all better than what the competitors offered as hardware.

But the software is just too bland (and on the Glowlight 3, buggy).

I wish I could slap some Kobo firmware on my Nooks.

Is it less buggy on the new glow-light plus??? I really don't mind the blandness. I am not too much into fonts, margins or 2 dozen text sizes....

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Kobo Forma with an 8" screen size is 6.3"x6.99"x0.33" at 197g. The waterproofing is 1PX8.

The Nook Glowlight Plus with a 7.8" screen is 8.3"x5.9"x.34" at 279g. The waterproofing is IPX7.

The Tolino Epos with 7.8" screen is 8.2"x5.5"x.32" at 260g. The waterproofing is (I think) IPX7.

The Kindle Oasis 3 with 7" screen is 6.3"x5.6"x.13"-.33" at 188g. The waterproofing is IPX8.

The Nook Glowlight Plus has 19 LEDs (10 white, 9 orange) which is better than the Tolino Epos (at 13 LEDs, 7 white and 6 orange). The Kobo Forma has 17 LEDs (I assume 9 white and 8 orange). The new Kindle Oasis 3 has 25 LEDs (13 white and 12 amber.) So, all things equal, the Oasis 3 (with its smaller screen and higher LED density) should have better quality screen lighting. I haven't seen a Forma or Oasis in the wild, but I own an Epos and have seen a Glowlight Plus and, for screen quality, I would have to give the nod to the Glowlight between these two. (The Epos is good though.)

At any rate, for what it's worth.

[Pajamaman]

The Nook light is the nicest for me. Its so dark its almost red dwarf red. At night in reverse mode is gentle on the eyes but still crystal clear. But I did that with alreader. I wouldnt use the default UI. The FW is flaky. Its the screen and light and Android that attract me. And the price.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

Is it less buggy on the new glow-light plus??? I really don't mind the blandness. I am not too much into fonts, margins or 2 dozen text sizes....

I don't have a Glowlight 3, but from what I've read here, the new Glowlight Plus is indeed less buggy.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

Is it less buggy on the new glow-light plus??? I really don't mind the blandness. I am not too much into fonts, margins or 2 dozen text sizes....

From my very limited experience, the only Nook with buggy firmware is the Glowlight 3.

I have a couple of Nook ST w/Glowlights, a Glowlight Plus (2015) and a Glowlight 3 and the only one that is buggy is the 3. The Plus and the 3 run the same (or near identical) firmware and the Plus isn't buggy at all.

For example, if I sideload books on the 3, once I eject it I have to wait a good ten or fifteen minutes before I use it. If I mess with it too quickly after ejecting, it will forget which book I was currently reading and won't find books I search for. I believe it rebuilds its database from scratch every time it ejects and it is slow.

With my Plus, I just eject it and that's it, just like any other reader I've ever used. I only wish I had more than 2.5GB of hard drive on the Plus, but that's because I store too many books on my reader.

rcentros has also recently purchased a 2015 Plus. I think he's had some issues, but I believe they're with large (and possibly poorly constructed) ePubs. He can give you better details there than I can.

I haven't used the 7.8" Plus, but there don't seem to be constant reports of issues like there still are with the poor 3.

[azayn]

I also think the Glowlight Plus is the most compelling offering from the 3 companies. The Libra and Oasis 3 were incremental improvements from Kobo and Amazon. That said, I still chose to upgrade to the Oasis 3 because IMO, it had the best performance overall.

I’ve played around with the Glowlight Plus in the store quite a bit. While I like the form factor and size, to me the glitchy software really kills it. And it’s just slower overall as compared to the Oasis. I don’t really like it’s asymmetrical design, but I can live with my Kindle because it’s software, even lighting, and speed makes for a better reading experience.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by azayn

I also think the Glowlight Plus is the most compelling offering from the 3 companies. The Libra and Oasis 3 were incremental improvements from Kobo and Amazon. That said, I still chose to upgrade to the Oasis 3 because IMO, it had the best performance overall.

I’ve played around with the Glowlight Plus in the store quite a bit. While I like the form factor and size, to me the glitchy software really kills it. And it’s just slower overall as compared to the Oasis. I don’t really like it’s asymmetrical design, but I can live with my Kindle because it’s software, even lighting, and speed makes for a better reading experience.

So what is glitchy about the software?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

The Nook light is the nicest for me. Its so dark its almost red dwarf red. At night in reverse mode is gentle on the eyes but still crystal clear. But I did that with alreader. I wouldnt use the default UI. The FW is flaky. Its the screen and light and Android that attract me. And the price.

You have the 2019 Glowlight Plus and the comfort light is red? It's orange on mine...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

My Libra should arrive next week. Then I can compare all three directly.

So far, I slightly prefer the Oasis 3 to the new Nook, because it's faster, bug-free and has more options. The screen quality is about the same. I'm very interested how the Libra does in comparison to them.

My wallet is not at all happy this year. I can hear its mournful wailing...

In terms of firmware, I'd rank the three in this order...

3. nook
2. Kindle
1. Kobo

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

In terms of firmware, I'd rank the three in this order...

3. nook
2. Kindle
1. Kobo

I agree.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I agree.

Pretty much, though I admit I have a fondness for the Kindle firmware, having used Kindles for 8 years.

In terms of hardware, it's very difficult to rank the 2019 Glowlight Plus, Kindle Oasis 2019 and Kobo Libra. They're all very good. I actually have no preference for any of them over the others, hardware-wise. The Libra is the most comfortable to hold, the Nook has the largest screen and buttons on both sides, the Oasis has the most even frontlight. The screen quality and the quality of comfort light is very similar in all three. Really, all three are excellent readers from the pure hardware viewpoint.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Pretty much, though I admit I have a fondness for the Kindle firmware, having used Kindles for 8 years.

In terms of hardware, it's very difficult to rank the 2019 Glowlight Plus, Kindle Oasis 2019 and Kobo Libra. They're all very good. I actually have no preference for any of them over the others, hardware-wise. The Libra is the most comfortable to hold, the Nook has the largest screen and buttons on both sides, the Oasis has the most even frontlight. The screen quality and the quality of comfort light is very similar in all three. Really, all three are excellent readers from the pure hardware viewpoint.

But the Kobo and Kindle don't need buttons on both sides as the screen can be rotated. And remember, Kobo has an 8" screen in the Forma.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But the Kobo and Kindle don't need buttons on both sides as the screen can be rotated.

They don't need them, strictly speaking, it's just even more convenient to have them on both sides. With the lopsided design (which I generally like) you can't put them on both sides, of course.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And remember, Kobo has an 8" screen in the Forma.

Yep, I was comparing the new devices of this year (as was stated in the original post of this thread). If you compared the flagship devices of all three companies, then it would be the Forma instead of the Libra. Not sure if anyone on MR owns or has personally tried out/handled all three premium readers (the Nook 2019, the Oasis 2019 and the Forma).

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

rcentros has also recently purchased a 2015 Plus. I think he's had some issues, but I believe they're with large (and possibly poorly constructed) ePubs. He can give you better details there than I can.

I like the 2015 Glowlight Plus. My "issues" with it are 1) For some reason it will jump back to the Home Screen (with a library syncing message) on the two self-published books I've read on it so far, 2) Calibre doesn't want to work with it on my main desktop computer and 3) I can't install my own fonts (which I knew going in). Otherwise I like the "feel" (build), and screen quite a bit.

I'm beginning to think the first issue may be hardware related (something to do with memory and corruption). I can go a day or two of steady reading without this issue and then, once it starts doing this, it becomes annoyingly repetitive, but I can "fix" it by rebooting — and then I'm good to go for another day or two. So, I don't think it's firmware. It may still be the "luck of the draw" on the first two books I've read. I'll know more as I go. This also may be why this particular Glowlight Plus (2015) was on sale at Shop Goodwill.

The second issue (not syncing with Calibre) turns out to be a problem on one Linux computer, so (I'm guessing) it's an issue with MTP and the way Linux Mint 19.1 (doesn't quite) handle it. Works fine on my laptop using Linux Mint 18.3., but I have an older version of Calibre on that computer. I still have to look further into this. (Honestly, dropping the book into the books folder works fine.)

As for the third "issue," not being able to install custom fonts, Georgia on the "thicker" setting is clear and dark. I would prefer Constantia or Deja Vu Serif E-ink but, as I said, I knew this going in.

As for the simplicity of the interface... personally I like the Nook's interface. It's a lot like the Tolino's firmware... sparse but "clean" when reading. (The Tolinos are my favorite readers.)

It kind of goes against consensus here, but I'm not a huge fan of Kobo's firmware. For a couple reasons (and they're personal, nothing against Kobo or those who like its flexibility or all the choices Kobo gives you). For me there's too many ways to tweak it — and, if it's tweakable I've got to tweak, and I can never quite "get it right." Also (in my opinion) there are too many upgrades and too many of them seem rushed out without any real testing. Too often there will be bugs that will either need reverting to an earlier release or require patching — or just living with it until the next upgrade. It's probably not fair to compare my Kobos with my other readers because the newest Kobo I currently own is a Touch 2.0. (I should add that, the fact you can patch Kobos so easily is a huge plus — if you enjoy the process. I liked experimenting with Kobos and appreciate the fact you can do all these things, I'm just at the point I don't want to bother with it any more.)

Kindle's firmware used to always be rock solid, but the latest few releases seem to have introduced some instability with "Send to Kindle" documents — at least on my Kindle Basic 7th Edition and Paperwhite 2 (not yet on my "new" Voyage, however?). Kindle's dictionary and features seem to be the "slickest" feature-wise, and the hardware and Amazon infrastructure is solid. If Amazon wasn't Amazon with a near monopoly of eBooks in the U.S. I would probably wouldn't look at other choices so much.

I've rambled again. I do that.