Nook Partitioning Update

[ZodWallop]

Hmm... I still don't think I should experiment with the gift one. But I am wondering if I should purchase one for myself based on the promise of beta software.

The only reason I didn't buy myself one on Black Friday was the partitioning.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Hmm... I still don't think I should experiment with the gift one. But I am wondering if I should purchase one for myself based on the promise of beta software.

The only reason I didn't buy myself one on Black Friday was the partitioning.

Even with the partitioning it's an awesome reader. I hope if they open it up, it sells like pancakes...

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Tony1988

Even with the partitioning it's an awesome reader. I hope if they open it up, it sells like pancakes...

It would be nice, but I'd bet the partitioning barely effected sales. The ones that really care are e-reader nerds like us. On the other hand, nerds like us tend to buy more e-readers, so there could be an increase.

[raindog89]

The fact that they removed the partitioning so quickly makes it seem like they were on the fence about this to begin with. Especially since the specifications originally claimed the storage was shared.

I am still surprised an OTA update could remove the partition, so it almost seems that they were ready to release this originally, but after some internal debate went with the partitioned space.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by raindog89

The fact that they removed the partitioning so quickly makes it seem like they were on the fence about this to begin with. Especially since the specifications originally claimed the storage was shared.

I am still surprised an OTA update could remove the partition, so it almost seems that they were ready to release this originally, but after some internal debate went with the partitioned space.

Normally I'd say you're reading too much into the available info. But considering the last model wasn't partitioned and this one had no mention of it until the device came out, plus there's already official beta software removing the partition tells me you may be right.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by raindog89

The fact that they removed the partitioning so quickly makes it seem like they were on the fence about this to begin with. Especially since the specifications originally claimed the storage was shared.

I am still surprised an OTA update could remove the partition, so it almost seems that they were ready to release this originally, but after some internal debate went with the partitioned space.

I'm thinking it was from all the flack that B&N got that caused them to fix the partitioning.

[HLS]

Why is partitioning a big deal? it is still big enough to hold more books that you can read in a lifetime lol

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

Why is partitioning a big deal? it is still big enough to hold more books that you can read in a lifetime lol

1: The preceding model, Glowlight Plus wasn't partitioned. So the return of partitioning that particularly hurt the Glowlight feels like a return to badness from a company that really needs to earn reader's good will

2: When the Glowlight 3 was announced, it was touted as having 8GBs of internal storage. Even the Nook page on B&N's website wasn't updated until after the device was on sale

3: Because of B&N's many past mistakes, a fair number of users here like the device, but sideload their content. I have about 2GBs on the SD card of my Aura. If I bought the Glowlight 3 and had to decide what to keep and what to drop, it would suck. Someone wanting to upgrade from the previous model would have the same dilemma as me. The partition would keep the new model from feeling like an upgrade after all.

How happy would you be to find you could rent a six thousand square foot mansion for $500 bucks a month. How would you then feel if you found out you only actually had access to the guest bathroom?

[Fbone]

Can you retrieve the ebooks from the unpartitioned devices?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

Why is partitioning a big deal? it is still big enough to hold more books that you can read in a lifetime lol

Nope. It's not that big. It's slightly less than 1GB and from my testing, it's not that many books.

[dmevis]

Regarding memory size... I just looked at the NOOK information on B&N and here is what it says about the memory:

Holds thousands of books (8GB memory: 5.5GB for NOOK Store content and 1GB for side-loaded content).

So. It looks like we are loosing 1.5GB to the OS, or something. And are now loosing another 1GB as a result of the re-partitioning. Actually, it does not appear to be re-partioning at all, it looks more like they just changed the access on the existing partions. Now, they let us access the existing 5.5Gb partition and removed our access to the 1GB partition.

[tiltowait]

There are a few places the "missing" space can go: firmware, formatting, and the difference between base-10 and base-2. (Marketers usually refer to 1GB as 1000MB, where as computers usually define 1GB as 1024MB. The waters sometimes get muddled when it comes to flash storage and RAM, though.)

I really doubt the partitioning, even on the original Glowlight, has had much of an effect on sales. I'd be surprised if it were even noticeable. People on MR are much more focused on this kind of thing than just about anyone else. That said, removing the partitioning is having me reconsider getting the device. A far bigger issue, to me, is that B&N no longer has download links on their website. Nook PC still works, for the time being, but some day it will break.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by dmevis

Regarding memory size... I just looked at the NOOK information on B&N and here is what it says about the memory:

Holds thousands of books (8GB memory: 5.5GB for NOOK Store content and 1GB for side-loaded content).

So. It looks like we are loosing 1.5GB to the OS, or something. And are now loosing another 1GB as a result of the re-partitioning. Actually, it does not appear to be re-partioning at all, it looks more like they just changed the access on the existing partions. Now, they let us access the existing 5.5Gb partition and removed our access to the 1GB partition.

That's as it is now, but if you use the new beta software you'll have 6.5 for both Nook and side-loaded content. Hopefully the beta firmware will be the standard firmware soon. The 1.5 GB has always allocated for (I'm guessing) the OS.

[Tony1988]

Originally Posted by kcladyz

Why is partitioning a big deal? it is still big enough to hold more books that you can read in a lifetime lol

For the most part you are right. An average reader would probably do a decent sized novel a month. So 12 per year. In 20 years 240 books. But some will tell you they read one or two books a week or they need the storage for comics or PDFs (even though ereaders pretty much suck at both and tablets would be better options)

But for slower readers like me who only reads novels.... yeah I probably wouldn't notice or care. Plus I don't sideload ANYTHING. So if I were to get the nook (which i probably will eventually) anything new I want is pretty much in the nook store anyhow. So no big deal. But it apparently is for many.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by tiltowait

A far bigger issue, to me, is that B&N no longer has download links on their website. Nook PC still works, for the time being, but some day it will break.

I use Windows 10 and the Nook app from the Windows store and have been able to download using it.