Nook GlowLight Updated

[fjtorres]

Improved lighting, HD screen (about 1024x768), but no physical page turn buttons.

About time! CNET slideshow on new Nook GlowLight:

Engadget article.

TechCrunch article.

It is supposed to go on sale today, but so far no sign of it at the Barnes & Noble web site.

[Marseille]

http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/30/nook-glowlight/

Looks like an embargo lifted. I was just about to post.

No page turn buttons

[fjtorres]

No SD card slot.
And only 500MB free for user content--the rest is for the OS and Nook-store books.
Regal waveform yes, Carta no.
Capacitance touch instead of neonode.

Even more locked down than ever.

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/20...ow/#more-59444

The new Nook Glow is still running Android 2.1 and it has an 800 MHz CPU, which is undepoweredin comparison to the 1GHz CPU found in the Aura, Aura HD, and the new Paperwhite. And to make matters worse, the new Nook Glow is missing the card slot and page turn buttons found on last year’s model.

Oh, and it has a white shell which will attract fingerprints while making the E-ink screen look gray. This is the exact opposite of Amazon and Kobo, both of which went with a gray and them black shell because black makes the E-ink screen look whiter (this is ereader design 101).

Yes, Barnes & Noble has basically thrown away everything that made the Nook Glow special and better than its competition while at the same time releasing a device that is on par with what Amazon and Kobo released last year.

[charmian]

The slightly lighter weight is attractive. The rest just doesn't seem like an advance on the competition. I wonder why the weight is less?

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

No SD card slot.
And only 500MB free for user content--the rest is for the OS and Nook-store books.

Did Nate edit his original article? It currently says the new Nook will come with 4gb of user space. That would be enough for me.

Nate has a way of exaggerating things, but if this new Nook only comes in white, then I think that is a mistake. I would never buy one.

I actually prefer reading on tablets now because of the higher contrast, but I find e-ink still interesting, especially the lighted models, and they have their obvious advantages with better battery life and readability under the sun. So I wouldn't rule out buying another one in the near future, especially a lighted screen that is perfectly uniformly lit. But I won't buy one with a white frame.

--Pat

[meeera]

Lighter weight and (possible?) ruggedisation is pretty appealing, but they've dropped their point of difference, page turn buttons, and blimey it really is hideous to my eyes. The low available storage might be a blow in the potential-switcher market, too.

[tubemonkey]

Don't these manufacturers know how to name products? What's with this penchant for naming last year's Product X, the New Product X? Talk about confusing the product line! What happens the following year? Do we get the Newer Product X, followed by the Newest Product X, then the Mostest Newerest Product X?

What happened to simplicity?

Product X --> Product X.2 --> Product X.3 --> etc

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by PatNY

Did Nate edit his original article? It currently says the new Nook will come with 4gb of user space. That would be enough for me.

--Pat

It's in the briefing doc chart, page 2:

http://www.the-digital-reader.com/wp...ison-Chart.pdf

After the OS and Nookstore reserves, there is a whole 500MB for user content.

Remember, the thing is ADEPT compatible so they can't let you fill it with Kobo or Sony books.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by charmian

The slightly lighter weight is attractive. The rest just doesn't seem like an advance on the competition. I wonder why the weight is less?

Because it's white. Black absorbs light and heat, and that weighs it down.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by PatNY

Did Nate edit his original article? It currently says the new Nook will come with 4gb of user space. That would be enough for me.

Nate has a way of exaggerating things, but if this new Nook only comes in white, then I think that is a mistake. I would never buy one.

--Pat

I have clarified this point in the post. Thanks for calling it out.

[PatNY]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I have clarified this point in the post. Thanks for calling it out.

Nate, what is not clear is what part of the 2.5gb remaining after the OS will be open to sideloaded books. If it's just 500mb, then that is a big mistake by B&N. If it's the full 2.5gb, then that is sufficient for most users.

But, oh, that design! Whoever designs their bezels doesn't understand high tech and modern design. Even on my HD, as much as I love its operations and screen, the bezel leaves a lot to be desired. The HD+ is a lot better. They need a new product designer. But this might be their last hurrah.

--Pat

[dordale]

Not too interesting to me--I don't like the white and think limiting storage available to the user to only 500mb is a big mistake. At least on the older version, you could use a micro SD card to add more storage space.

[charmian]

PatNY: But doesn't the comparison chart read "2.5 GB of content, of which 2GB is reserved for Nook Store content"?

Not sure what this could mean other than that only 0.5 GB is available for non-Nook Store content?

[tubemonkey]

B&N should offer free black skins to cover the ugly white bezel.

[Dopedangel]

They pulled most of the things that I liked about the device. No Sd Card, No side buttons, old version of Android. Its like they knew what people wanted from the new nook and decided to not give them to us.
Anyway can someone recommend a eink device with HD screen, Front Light, Android ver 4 and side buttons. Thats what I was hoping for now have to look for other manufacturers.