Nook 1.5 or Kindle 3?

[johnnyb]

If somebody worries about geo restrictions, get a fake address and register with the Sony store, works anywhere in the world regardless of where your credit card is from...
And concerning the discussion: I think what one is trying to say that books with geo restrictions are always restricted (which is true) while the other was actually pointing out that geo restrictions don't matter so much for a format like ePub that is more universal, because there is more likely to be a store that will carry the title you're looking for anywhere in the world, regardless of device (like, you cannot buy from B&N in UK but you will just simply the same book available from Waterstone), something which is not possible on the Kindle platform (and btw. also not in the Appleverse)...

[ApK]

To the OP, both the Nook and the Kindle are now available in places where you should able to actually try them out for a bit. Find them, handle them, read for a bit on them, browse their bookstores, and try their other features.

For us, the Kindle won by a wide margin over the Nook because of features and ease of use. I personally use the Kindle as much if not more for checking email and looking things up on-line as I do for book reading, so the free 3G web browsing (which wasn't even an option on Nook at the time) and hard keyboard were a big plus for me.
Plus, We like shopping at Amazon eBook store better better than B&N...we always seem to be getting free Amazon gift cards from various sources.
My wife is the big-multi-book-per-week reader, and she probably would have been happy with either device.

I probably should not mention that most of the books we read on our Kindle are not from the Amazon store but from libraries and other sources, because it may interfere with my master plan.

ApK

[Tattncat]

I have three readers, two Sonys and my Nook. I checked out the Kindle each time I bought a new reader. I just don't like the Kindle. With my Nook I can read anybody's ePub, includong sony's drm ePub's. I find the Kindles to be restrictive. I buy my eBooks from many different sources, and require eReaders that allow me to do this.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by johnnyb

If somebody worries about geo restrictions, get a fake address and register with the Sony store, works anywhere in the world regardless of where your credit card is from...
And concerning the discussion: I think what one is trying to say that books with geo restrictions are always restricted (which is true) while the other was actually pointing out that geo restrictions don't matter so much for a format like ePub that is more universal, because there is more likely to be a store that will carry the title you're looking for anywhere in the world, regardless of device (like, you cannot buy from B&N in UK but you will just simply the same book available from Waterstone), something which is not possible on the Kindle platform (and btw. also not in the Appleverse)...

If you're going to suggest that someone break the rules to get around geo restrictions, then why not also suggest they simply strip DRM, then they can read any book from any of those sources on the Kindle too. If you're going to ignore officially supported restrictions, then it's simply incorrect to say it's not possible on the Kindle.
Oh wait, I forgot my Master Plan again.
Must...suppress...urge...to give...accurate...info....
Never mind.

[catsittingstill]

To the original poster:

It sounds like you're leaning toward Nook. The Kindle is going to get the lending feature, but if your friends have Nooks, that's still a point on Nook's side since cross-device lending doesn't exist yet. Also if you want to read library books (I don't remember whether this was important to you or not) most libraries are more likely to have e-Pub than mobi (and library mobis require some computer fiddling to be read on a Kindle anyway) so that's another point on the Nook's side.

I would also suggest that you try each reader hands-on before making a final decision, but unless the screen or the user interface of the Kindle appeals to you really strongly, it sounds like you have a winner.

And I say this as a Kindle owner who loves her Kindle and who is no more locked in than anyone else who sometimes buys books with any kind of DRM.

[Kitabi]

Originally Posted by rmc4139

I've been completely unable to make up my mind as to which ereader I want to purchase. While I don't have any trouble or discomfort reading on backlit LCDs, I do find the e-ink screen to be almost relaxing to view in comparison. With that in mind, I narrowed it down to the Nook and Kindle 3. I really love the screen on the Kindle 3, but I've read that with the 1.5 update that the Nook's text appears bolder than on previous firmware. I like the LendMe technology of the Nook, and two of my friends have Nooks so that would be nice. I have also read that Kindles will soon be getting a similar feature, but that doesn't do much for me when I don't know any Kindle owners.

Any suggestions?

You need to explore your needs and habits a bit more before making a decision. Do explore options for your geographic location - B&N does not sell books at all outside the US (You can circumvent this - read other threads on how if you are interested) and Amazon's selection size varies from country to country.

Both these readers have a lot going for them and I too had a tough time deciding. Even thought I liked the Kindle a lot, I finally went with the Nook and here were my top 2 reasons - hope this helps.

1. Library borrowing - I do not buy every book I want to read and so this was a biggie for me. Even when buying, I tend to buy books which either come highly recommended or those that I borrow from the library and know I would read again and again. Libraries are not an option with the Kindle at this time.

A lot of Kindle owners are into buying all they read or are willing and able to break DRM on a library book and convert it to Kindle's MOBI format.

A lot of Kindle owners would tell you that library collections are meager at this point and so it does not matter. However, this is only half true. Some library systems have fairly large collections and almost all libraries I know are growing their collection of ebooks. There are libraries like the Free Library of Philadelphia that would give you membership for $15 a year if you are not a resident. ALL libraries lend ebooks in the EPUB format which Nook (and Sony, Kobo...) support but the Kindle does not.

2. Compatibility and Lock-In - Amazon does not license its format at this time. So, books you buy from Amazon are only readable on the Kindle unless you bought DRM free books or broke the DRM. In either case, you would have to convert to EPUB format to read Amazon bought books on a different ereader device.

Members who are pointing at B&N's proprietary DRM have missed or are overlooking news that B&N reached an agreement with Adobe to build its DRM into future releases from Adobe. So, inability to read B&N's DRM'd books on other EPUB readers is only a temporary handicap (like Kindle's lack of lending feature). At any rate, you are not compelled to buy from B&N to read books on the Nook. Books bought from sellers like Sony, Kobo etc can be read by Nook AS IS.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Kitabi

So, inability to read B&N's DRM'd books on other EPUB readers is only a temporary handicap (like Kindle's lack of lending feature). At any rate, you are not compelled to buy from B&N to read books on the Nook. Books bought from sellers like Sony, Kobo etc can be read by Nook AS IS.

It is not temporary, it is a fact! And basically put B&N books on the same Amazon's predicament: you cannot read Amazon or B&N books outside of their own world, not without removing DRM protection. So it is the same thing, just seeing from a different perspective or lens (Amazon or B&N)

The point is not just epub, mobi, azw, the main thing is buying from an online bookstore where you can find all or most of your favorites titles.

So yes, a "universal" ebook format would awesome for customers and will get rid of the switching ereaders and buying books problem, but that is not happening right now and pushing ePub as a format would be the same as pushing azw, after all, Amazon is #1 seller in books and ereaders. So, why we should push ePub for 2 or 3 ereaders that have just a minor share of the market and not pushing for azw?

[Care]

Originally Posted by Kitabi

Members who are pointing at B&N's proprietary DRM have missed or are overlooking news that B&N reached an agreement with Adobe to build its DRM into future releases from Adobe. So, inability to read B&N's DRM'd books on other EPUB readers is only a temporary handicap (like Kindle's lack of lending feature). At any rate, you are not compelled to buy from B&N to read books on the Nook. Books bought from sellers like Sony, Kobo etc can be read by Nook AS IS.

Wow, I did not know that. So all ADE DRMed books like Sony and Kobo will have B&Ns DRM as well?

[Kitabi]

Originally Posted by jocampo

It is not temporary, it is a fact! And basically put B&N books on the same Amazon's predicament: you cannot read Amazon or B&N books outside of their own world, not without removing DRM protection. So it is the same thing, just seeing from a different perspective or lens (Amazon or B&N)

Did you miss the part where I said one does not need to buy from B&N to read a book on the Nook? Books from Sony and Kobo can be read AS IS by the Nook. Can the Kindle do that?

Also, you have chosen to ignore the subtle point I inserted about ongoing developments for each platform. If you go by facts as they stand now, the Kindle does not support any book lending whatsoever and this is an important feature for the OP.

The point is not just epub, mobi, azw, the main thing is buying from an online bookstore where you can find all or most of your favorites titles.

On the contrary, format is very much the point. Amazon is locking customers (many of them unsuspecting) into it's proprietary ecosystem. Theoretically (and I am not claiming Amazon would do this), these customers can be later milked at will. There is precedence for this kind of thing - MS Office with it's proprietary file formats for instance.

So yes, a "universal" ebook format would awesome for customers and will get rid of the switching ereaders and buying books problem, but that is not happening right now and pushing ePub as a format would be the same as pushing azw, after all, Amazon is #1 seller in books and ereaders. So, why we should push ePub for 2 or 3 ereaders that have just a minor share of the market and not pushing for azw?

Universal book format would be great! With the exception of Amazon everybody is on board with EPUB. Once Amazon joins the EPUB club, it would be a universal format. As for pushing EPUB vs pushing AZW, the problem is precisely that Amazon is doing nothing to push AZW. I don't much care which format wins as long as as everybody is using it. Amazon is neither sharing it's own format, nor using the format everyone else uses.

Technically, since Amazon has not been releasing it's sales numbers, your claim about it being # 1 is conjecture.

[Kitabi]

Originally Posted by Care

Wow, I did not know that. So all ADE DRMed books like Sony and Kobo will have B&Ns DRM as well?

The DRM applied would be a choice between Adobe's ADEPT and B&N's social DRM - currently, other vendors use ADEPT only. I don't think it makes sense for a vendor to apply 2 types of DRM to the same book.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Kitabi

Did you miss the part where I said one does not need to buy from B&N to read a book on the Nook? Books from Sony and Kobo can be read AS IS by the Nook. Can the Kindle do that?

Also, you have chosen to ignore the subtle point I inserted about ongoing developments for each platform. If you go by facts as they stand now, the Kindle does not support any book lending whatsoever and this is an important feature for the OP.



On the contrary, format is very much the point. Amazon is locking customers (many of them unsuspecting) into it's proprietary ecosystem. Theoretically (and I am not claiming Amazon would do this), these customers can be later milked at will. There is precedence for this kind of thing - MS Office with it's proprietary file formats for instance.



Universal book format would be great! With the exception of Amazon everybody is on board with EPUB. Once Amazon joins the EPUB club, it would be a universal format. As for pushing EPUB vs pushing AZW, the problem is precisely that Amazon is doing nothing to push AZW. I don't much care which format wins as long as as everybody is using it. Amazon is neither sharing it's own format, nor using the format everyone else uses.

Technically, since Amazon has not been releasing it's sales numbers, your claim about it being # 1 is conjecture.

Here we go again ...

I am tired of repeat to "anti Kindle" folks, that Amazon customers are not tied up to Amazon bookstore. That is just a perception and have spread all over the internet. We can buy for several other MOBI stores without converting anything. I have no issues with other users and if they are having a nice experience with their readers or not, but saying we are locked out it is simple untrue. I do have prc, azw, mobi, converted ePUb, you name it, everything on my Kindle 3.

Amazon will release lending features in a few months/weeks.

Amazon is the #1 online retailer in USA and the world. They revealed the gross numbers for their income, not number of books sold, and you measure the success and profitability of a company according to gross and net income. For 2010, the Kindle 3 has sold 6 million of units, followed by B&N with 2 million. There is no other ereader surpassing those sales numbers now.

Meanwhile B&N is struggling to stay alive and its bankruptcy is closer. They are in conversations to join/buy Borders because they both, separate, have not being making any profit recently.

[ProfCrash]

Every article I have read regarding e-books lists Amazon as the #1 seller of e-books in the US and by a very large margin. When the IPad came out there articles written about how Amazon's e-book sales picked up due to IPad users using the Kindle for IPad application. The numbers cited in these articles tend to be between 75% and 80% of the market share belonging to Amazon.

[Care]

There is no doubt in my mind that Amazon is the top seller of ebooks for a single store. They have HUGE sales in the Kindle and their ebooks, especially since people use their Kindle apps for their phones, tablets, pc, etc... I don't think anybody is really arguing that, I think they mean (and I could be wrong) that if you add up all of the epub books sold compared to the azw files, the results may be different. There is no proof or way to figure this out as far as I know, so it is just a guess.

Why do sales matter? All that matters is what the owner of the reader thinks. For the most part people that choose Kindle love their Kindle, people that choose Sony love their Sony, and people that choose Nook love their Nook...

The way I see it is, if somebody wants library support and likes to shop around for their ebooks, an epub supported device would be best. If somebody wants access to one store with the largest selection and great international support, a Kindle would be best. Then you have all the personal tastes to consider, but at least it give somebody a place to start.

[Kitabi]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Every article I have read regarding e-books lists Amazon as the #1 seller of e-books in the US and by a very large margin. When the IPad came out there articles written about how Amazon's e-book sales picked up due to IPad users using the Kindle for IPad application. The numbers cited in these articles tend to be between 75% and 80% of the market share belonging to Amazon.

Note that I said "Technically". jocampo was trying to go all factual on me so I returned the favor.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by Care

There is no doubt in my mind that Amazon is the top seller of ebooks for a single store. They have HUGE sales in the Kindle and their ebooks, especially since people use their Kindle apps for their phones, tablets, pc, etc... I don't think anybody is really arguing that, I think they mean (and I could be wrong) that if you add up all of the epub books sold compared to the azw files, the results may be different. There is no proof or way to figure this out as far as I know, so it is just a guess.

Why do sales matter? All that matters is what the owner of the reader thinks. For the most part people that choose Kindle love their Kindle, people that choose Sony love their Sony, and people that choose Nook love their Nook...

The way I see it is, if somebody wants library support and likes to shop around for their ebooks, an epub supported device would be best. If somebody wants access to one store with the largest selection and great international support, a Kindle would be best. Then you have all the personal tastes to consider, but at least it give somebody a place to start.

If Amazon has 75% of the e book market in the US then all of the other bookstores in the US cannot match Amazons sales. Given that most of the articles I have read put Amazon at the 75% mark, if not higher, it is safe to say that E Pub sales are less then 25% of the market. Why less? BEcause there are bookstores where you can buy Non-DRMed Mobi books to load onto Kindles and I know people who do just that.