# Nook Color +/-



## CraigInOregon (Aug 6, 2010)

I just had a chance to scope out the new Nook Color online and I'm disappointed.

It's backlit. That makes it a non-starter for me. If I wanted backlit, I'd just read on my laptop. Or my phone. Or something like that.

The appeal of an eReader is the non-backlit eInk display that delivers tremendous battery life. That's what I love about my Kindle 3.

So while B&N is following the lead of Apple (iPad), Samsung (Galaxy Tab), Borders (Cruz) and others in moving to backlit screens to jump on the color eReader bandwagon that much sooner...

...I really hope Jeff Bezos and Amazon resist the bandwagon effect and refuse to go color with Kindle until it can be done right... with a NON-backlit Mirasol screen, non-backlit Color eInk screen, or some similar technology.

Once that's available (and affordable) then I might eventually pick up a color eReader ... until then, I love my K3.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

ITA.  It has to stay small and light weight too.  (I do have an iPad if I want to read "in color".  It is too big and heavy to carry comfortably.)


----------



## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Folks, I'm going to move this to the Other Ereader board...

Thanks...


----------



## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

Personally, I think I've bought my last e-ink device as it seems like they're never going to figure out how to integrate a touch interface with an e-ink screen without sacrificing something along the way. I mean, the Wacom Penabled interface has the best stylus interface (that I'm aware of) but the stylus is required, there's no ability to use your finger. The resistive touch screen offered a good balance between stylus and finger, but it added an extra layer that reduces readability (I'm sure a capacitive screen would also require an extra layer). And there's the tech Sony is using in their new Readers. There's no extra layer but writing with the stylus is worse than with the resistive screen, which in turn is worse than Wacom, it's so bad that I don't even bother with it. Then there's the frustration of dealing with the inconsistencies when using your finger as sometimes everything registers just fine, and the next thing you know page swipes are bringing up the dictionary, attempts to highlight a word results in everything but what you're wanting to be highlighted, and sometimes just plain refuses to acknowledge you, and there doesn't seem to be a way to calibrate it. If I use a stylus for tapping and highlighting then everything works fine, but I never had to use it with my 600, except when I was writing, so having to use it with my 350 is simply unacceptable.

So, my choice is to continue to hope that someone will get it right, wait for a better screen tech that could work with a touch screen, or try a back-lit device.

I've looked at both the Cruz Reader and the Cruz Tablet, the first is cheap enough but uses a resistive touch screen (which is unacceptable to me), the other one uses a capacitive screen but is more than I want to spend, and they both look like they would be bulky.

The iPad, while tempting, is not something I'd consider 'cause if I'm going to spend out that much money I'd just assume get an Exo PC (albeit it would actually be a Ciara Vibe tablet as Exo PC isn't going to be building the hardware), but if I'm going to spend that much money I'd assume get a laptop, and quite frankly I don't need any of that.

The Nook Color costs more than I like, especially so soon after buying a 350, a cover, and a case, but the price isn't high enough where I'm going "I'd rather spend a little more and get this...". The form factor will definitely not compare to the 350 (as if anything could) but is better than any of the tablets that I've seen, and certainly better than the iPad. It should use a capacitive touch screen, which I'm rather curious to try.

I've had a K1, a DX, a PRS-600, and now a PRS-350, and I have not been happy with any of them, at this point I don't think that I have anything to lose with trying a back-lit device. If the reviews for the nook color go well enough then that will be what I'll be getting for Christmas.


----------



## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Selcien, that would be fine if you don't mind the back-lit screen.  It's not anything I would consider.  Whatever imperfections there are to e-ink, it's better than anything LCD/back-lit.


----------



## Selcien (Oct 31, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> Selcien, that would be fine if you don't mind the back-lit screen. It's not anything I would consider. Whatever imperfections there are to e-ink, it's better than anything LCD/back-lit.


I'm thinking that in between the options and the brightness control that it should be perfect for in home use. For reading on my breaks at work (I read in my car) I'll be sticking with the 350.

Between the two devices I should be happy, if not, well, bloody hell...

EDIT:

It's ordered.


----------



## KindleChickie (Oct 24, 2009)

I just had a chance to play with one on display.  I liked it more than I thought I would.  The only draw back I saw was the screen was very narrow.  When I adjusted the font to the size I would use on my Kindle, it looked bad.  Other than that, it was fun to play with.  Magazines looked good.  Web browsing looked good.  It sure was tempting!


----------



## Will Write for Gruel (Oct 16, 2010)

I played with one today and really liked it. Clearly, color is going to be the future of e-readers. I hope they figure out color e-ink, but for now the color Nook is a good alternative. It should be really great for things like graphic novels, comic books, magazines, etc. I looked at a National Geographic on it and was impressed. A kids book looked great too. 

The touchscreen interface is so nice to use. The color looks great. It displays web pages very quickly. It really feels like a smallish iPad. I think it will be a big hit. I'd get one before I'd spend at least twice as much on an iPad. I'd continue to use my PC for serious computing but the color Nook would be very nice for reading and doing a bit of web surfing. It also plays MP3s and can play audio books. 

Drawbacks compared to the Kindle and black and white Nook are: Price ($249), battery life (probably need to recharge it every couple of days if you use it a lot), and the lack of e-ink (which may not bother some but I feel that the e-ink of the black and white Nook is a bit softer on the eyes). 

I really thought it was a cool device, and putting the color Nook down to go play with the black and white Nook was a bit of a letdown.


----------

