Amazon Kindle Fire Vs Nook Tablet Analysis

Barnes & Noble introduced the whole new tablet called Nook Tablet to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire. The new Nook Table is priced at $249 which is $50 more expensive than Kindle Fire. This raises the question – which is the better device while comparing Amazon Kindle Fire Vs Nook Tablet?

Why is Nook tablet $50 better?

If you are looking for a straight answer, the New Nook Tablet has more internal storage and faster memory which they use as a justification to charge the extra $50 premium over the Kindle Fire.  A lot of opinions for Amazon Kindle Fire Vs Nook tablet will not just end here.

What about other features? Do you really think these specs will matter on user’s experience?

Not very likely, what is more important here is the user facing stuff that really matter. Tablets are primarily content based device. Amazon has a great content library whereas Barnes & Noble has to depend on third party like Netflix and Hulu to stream content.

With Nook Table there is no store to download your favorite music and movies and store it natively on the device. You can’t buy music and video on the device. You are required to stream everything and you can’t store natively unless you downloaded it from some other store and side-loaded from your computer.

On the other hand, kindle Fire not only allow users to rent or purchase videos and MP3 but they are stored online for free without wasting the storage space on the device. It doesn’t seem Barnes & Noble is wining this game here which is even more evident with the recent announcement of Amazon Kindle Fire getting Netflix app at launch.

For many users the extra specs won’t be that important because Amazon Kindle Fire is already efficient enough for function such as watch movies, listen to music, play games, read books, surf websites, etc. If someone needs a more capable tablet they would consider high-end tablet like iPad 2, instead of comparing Kindle Fire Vs Nook Tablet.

What about Apps Store?

Amazon is already working with Android and apps developer to expand their horizon. Barnes & Noble certainly is working with apps developer but their store is comparatively a lot smaller than Amazon store.

Amazon Kindle Fire Vs Nook Tablet comparison chart

Amazon Kindle Fire Vs Nook tablet summary

The question of choice between Amazon Kindle Fire Vs Nook Tablet will largely depend on the choice of platform to access content rather than the spec differences. The extra storage capacity and faster memory of Nook Tablet won’t play much role as deciding factors.

For reading, both the tablets have equal and similar features with no one imposing an advantage over other, the same goes for streaming music with both tablets offering apps for Pandora, MOG and Rhapsody. Nook Tablet will have an edge over Kindle Fire for streaming videos for its Hulu Plus support. But Kindle Fire is over the top for On-Demand Media with the ability to rent and purchase videos and MP3 straight from the device.

Kindle Touch Vs Nook Touch – Confused again?

If you had read Nook Vs kindle post earlier most of the comparison is still valid even in the context of Kindle touch Vs Nook Touch. The battle for supremacy as the leading online retailer and e-reader manufacturer continues between Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

They both offer good e-readers and excellent platform to access millions of books. In most cases, while comparing Kindle Touch Vs Nook Simple Touch the decision is entirely a matter of personal preferences, and not necessarily the overall value of the devices.

Nook Touch Vs Kindle Touch – Features and specifications

Why we still choose the new Kindle Touch over Nook Touch

Price Factor

When you compare Amazon Kindle Touch Vs Nook Touch, one of the primary deciding factors is the price difference. Amazon offers kindle with special offers where you pay $40 less for receiving related sponsored ads. Without the special offers, both kindle Touch and Nook Touch is priced at $139. Since the ads are non-intrusive while reading it is often recommended for users who like shopping on Amazon, and based upon Amazon sales stats the ad version is more popular among kindle fans.

Ads are displayed only at the bottom of the home screen and as a screensaver while your kindle is idle.

X-Ray Feature

Amazon described this new “X – Ray” feature as the feature that lets customers to explore the “bones of the book”. This feature works like a search engine that scans across the book and returns specific information such as fictional characters, historical figures, places or topics. You just need to tap the word, name or phrase with the x-ray to get information you need.

In addition from the information it pulls up from the book, it also returns more detailed descriptions from Wikipedia and Shelfari wherever available. As of now, x-ray is only available with Kindle Touch.

Whenever we buy books, Amazon would include a side file preloaded with relevant information as of the day on interesting phrases including characters names, locations and so on. All the information is delivered instantly when we check them without the need to connect to internet.

New – EasyReach

There is no page turning buttons like the Nook Simple Touch or the previous kindles. This is because kindle Touch comes with EasyReach feature which allow you to just tap to turn pages and not swipe. You can comfortably hold kindle Touch in one hand and turn pages effortlessly by tapping on most of the screen area which turn to the next page. This is because you will need to go to the next page more often than the previous page. When you tap near the left edge of the device it turns to the previous page.

3G Connectivity

There is no 3G option for Nook Simple Touch which is clearly a disadvantage for people who want 3G convenience. It is a known fact that Wi-Fi is not as efficient as 3G to download books or access internet on the go. Moreover, 3G is free with Amazon kindles which is definitely a plus while comparing Kindle Touch Vs Nook Touch.

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Battle for supremacy: Nook touch Vs Kindle

Nook Simple Touch was released on 10 June 2011. This is the 2^nd generation of Nook eBook reader by Barnes & Nobles and popularly known as Nook touch. There are some significant improvements over the first generation and a lot of people are comparing Nook touch Vs Kindle 3 for their preferred e-reader. Which one is better Kindle or Nook 2011? If you are looking for a quick answer then Nook touch is preferable over Amazon Kindle 3 in some major aspects. However, Nook Simple touch is not necessarily a better e-reader than kindle 3 for everyone.

Technical specs comparisons of Nook touch Vs Kindle

Nook touch Vs Kindle 3 Analysis – What’s better with Nook touch

The touch screen interface of Nook Special touch is definitely an advantage over Kindle 3 though not as swift as iPad. You will find the Nook touch opening books and turning pages decently fast.

You can either swipe or tap the right or left margin to page forward and page back. Apart from that, you can also use the two slim buttons each on the sides of the device to turn pages. On the other hand, Kindle use only buttons to turn pages but it is equally fast to turn pages like Nook touch if that’s what you are wondering.

And because of the inclusion of touch screen interface there is no keyboard or buttons with Nook touch which actually makes the device look clean and smooth. The new Nook touch is indeed a major improvement to its predecessor in every important aspect for an ideal dedicated e-reader.  It is easy to use, reliable and responsive.

The E Ink technology is not very fast when it comes to refresh rate and it may lag slightly owing to this reason. But it isn’t so bad and something that you will get use to it without any attempt. Overall, the touch screen is nicely done and an excellent experience.  The new Nook touch shares some distinct similarities with Sony Pocket Edition Reader and Kobo touch edition.

The Nook touch is lighter than kindle by an ounce with just 7.48 ounce of weight. It is much shorter than Kindle 3 with the absence of keypad. You can easily slip into a jacket pocket or any carry bag making it more portable than kindle 3.

The battery life last up to two months with the wireless off and supposedly Nook touch has the longest battery life of any e-reader. Barnes & Nobles claimed that the new Nook touch offer double the battery life of Kindle though Amazon has now rated up the battery life of kindle officially at up to two months.

The Nook Friends feature is a cool way of sharing books or recommending books for people who love to read. You can create your own group to lend or borrow books among friends and integrate with social media networks like Facebook or Twitter to like or recommend a book.

At the bottom of the screen there is an “n” button to bring up Nook primary menu where you can access Home, Library, Shop, and setting. You don’t need to look hard for those things that you use most often.

Nook touch support EPUB file format and you can borrow books from your local library which is a feature that will not be available with Kindle until this fall.

Why some would still prefer Kindle 3

Kindle 3 is available in 3G option which is crucial for locations where Wi-Fi is not easily accessible or available. You will find Kindle to be more functional than Nook touch with web browser such as Webkit to do basic internet surfing. There is no web browser with Nook touch.

The absence of audio playback with Nook touch would also means missing features of Kindle 3 like MP3, Text-to Speech and inability to play Podcast and audiobook. Kindle offer twice the storage capacity with 4GB as against 2GB of Nook touch.

Amazon had recently introduced Kindle with special offers which discounted $25 for Wi-Fi only and $50 for 3G version.  The new deals reduce the price of kindle Wi-Fi to $114 and kindle 3G to $139. Moreover, 3G is free with Kindle globally. Considering the fact that Kindle is still a superb e-reader there is no reason why someone looking for a cheaper device shouldn’t go for kindle 3.

The primary advantage that we see when we compare Nook touch Vs Kindle 3 is the touch screen. Apart from that, other features were already there when kindle was taking the lead as the best E Ink reader on the market. At the moment, Nook touch is undeniably getting more preference from buyers. But if you are buying Nook touch just for the touch screen you might as well wait for the release of Kindle touch screen which may arrive in the month of August.

Nook Color Vs Kindle

Before we discuss our preferences on Nook color Vs Kindle as an e-reader, please note that Nook color is a tablet device powered by Android 2.1 operating system and a passable e-reader. It is not a dedicated e-reader like Kindle and hence has different purpose. Nook color is design for more than reading. You can check mail, surf websites, listen to music, play games or stay connected to social media networks just like any other tablet computer.

There is no point comparing Kindle Vs Nook color as an overall device. Kindle is a dedicated e-reader to give the ultimate reading experience for book lovers, where as nook color is more like a test for possible cheaper version of iPad or Galaxy tab. If you read less with more other computer activities, then Nook color is your device but not for pure reading.

Let’s look at some of the advantages where Nook color outshines Kindle.

Nook Color Vs Kindle – Where Nook Color Wins

• The 7 inch vivid view color touch screen with 1025×600 pixels.
• Colorful screen display for magazines, newspapers and kids’ picture books.
• You can surf web, play games, listen to music, watch video and stay connected better.
• Internal memory of 8GB and expandable MicroSD card slot for up to 32GB.
• The ability to lend books with Barnes & Noble’s LendMe App feature.
• The benefit of getting more Android based App store as compared to one Kindle App store.
• It support EPUB format and Microsoft office formats.
• It is priced at $249, good value for money for a device that can be used as Android tablet and e-reader.
• The ability to read books for free at B&N’s store for up to one hour in a day.

We can clearly make it out that Nook color is a tablet computer from what it can do. Barnes & Noble did a wonderful job to charm casual readers from Kindle and people who want a cheaper tablet like iPad. But, nook color is not mean for serious reader and will soon turn out to be a disappointment for buyers if the purpose is to read books. Nook color battery life last only up to 8 hours with reading only and sits heavy at almost a pound of weight (15.8 oz), clearly not meant for long-form reading. Nook color doesn’t read non-western PDF books which is bad for international market unless they make the changes. The improved LCD screen looks colorful but suffer the same handicap of getting eyestrain while reading for long hours.

Areas where Kindle remains supreme:

Nook Color Vs Kindle – Where Kindle Wins

• Kindle is a dedicated e-reader with every single design decision meant to optimize reading.
• The use of E Ink Pearl technology for screen display that looks like paper print.
• No glare in the bright sunlight unlike the LCD screen.
• No eyestrain even when you read for long hour sessions.
• Kindle 3 battery life last up to a month with the wireless off as compared to 8 hrs of Nook color.
• Kindle weighs only 8.5 oz for the Wi-Fi model and Nook color (Wi-Fi) weighs an aching 15.8 oz.
• Kindle is more compact, lighter and thinner than Nook color and a better potable device.
• Amazon’s Kindle store has better and larger selection of books than Nook store.
• Kindle Wi-Fi is cheaper by $110 and Kindle 3G by $60.
• The Text-to Speech feature of Kindle is very useful to go hands free.
• Kindle 3 has 3G option, a great deal where Wi-Fi hotspots are not available, especially in rural areas or while traveling.

Kindle and Nook color are two different devices, you can’t substitute Kindle for Nook color and vise versa. If you want to do more than reading, Nook color is the best Android tablet till date. However, if you expect nothing less than ultimate reading experience with your device, Kindle is the present answer. As long as you prioritize your needs and requirements you can’t go wrong with your Nook color Vs Kindle verdict.

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Nook Vs Kindle

Nook and Kindle are the choice of millions of people who love reading with eBook reader. But not many people would like the idea of buying both the devices to see which one is better. Nook and Kindle has a lot of similarities and if you are buying an E-Reader for the first time, it can be even more confusing to choose.

Nook was released 30^th November 2009 for $259 month after the released of Kindle 2 (International) on October 19, 2009. The original Nook has both Wi-Fi and 3G wireless connectivity just like Kindle 2 international which was also priced at $259. Barnes and Noble reduced the price of Nook to $199 and announced the launched of Nook’s Wi-Fi only model for $149 on June 21, 2010.

On 28 July, 2010, Amazon announced the Kindle 3 versions: kindle Wi-Fi and kindle Wi-Fi + 3G for $139 and $189 respectively with some significant changes with the screen display, design, battery and experimental browser.

Nook Vs Kindle 3 Charts

	Kindle 3G+Wi-Fi	Nook 3G+Wi-Fi
Operating System	Linux	Android
Electronic Paper	E Ink “Pearl” (2nd Generation of E-ink)	E Ink (1st Generation)
Grey Shade	16	16
Weight	8.7 oz	12.1 oz
Touch Screen
Text-to-Speech
Integrated Dictionary
Directory Organization Capability
Internal Memory	4GB	2GB
Card Reader		MicroSD (upto 16GB)
Battery Replaceable
Web Browser		(Firmware 1.3)
Library Compatible
.mp3
.epub
.pdf

Advantages of Kindle 3 over Nook

1. Kindle 3 incorporates E-ink “Pearl”, the latest generation of E-ink. Perfect for long-form reading without eyestrain. If your primary objective is to read books and care less about color, than you will not find a better screen that really looks like a book page. Amazon claims 50% better contrast than Kindle 2 that uses 1^st Generation of E-ink.
2. Kindle 3 is lighter than Nook by more than 3 ounces. This makes Kindle easier to carry around with you and read for longer periods.
3. Kindle 3 is Smaller and thinner than Nook.
4. The color capacity touch screen of Nook has a negative impact on the battery life. It can give only 7 – 10 days of battery life with the wireless turn off. Kindle 3 gives up to one month of battery life with the wireless turn off.
5. Kindle operates on Linux while Nook is based on Android platform. Nook consumes more time to load books and navigation is slower whereas Kindle’s navigation and page turning is incredible fast. Kindle uses waveform and font technology to make pages turn faster and fonts sharper.
6. There is no glare while reading from kindle in the sunlight. It doesn’t reflect light like LCD screen and almost make reading experiences like reading from a book page in the sunlight.
7. You can let Kindle to read books, newspaper, magazine, etc. with the Text-to-Speech feature of Kindle 3. It comes with the ability to switch back and forth between reading and listening from any spot. It is totally hands-free and will turn pages automatically.

Advantages of Nook over Kindle 3

1. The separate color LCD touch screen that allows users to navigate content and use virtual keyboard is appealing and trendy. This is one major reason to opt for Nook by the younger generation.
2. The facility to lend certain eBooks to friends and families for 14 days who have Nook or other compatible device for reading. When you lend out a book it will not be available to you. Kindle is introducing this feature later this year.
3. Nook support EPUB formatted books which are a free and open eBook standard by the International Digital Publishing Forum and you can download free books from DRM free sources.
4. If you want additional storage capacity Nook has MicroSD expansion slot for up to 16 GB.
5. The battery is user-replaceable with Nook.
6. The ability to browse complete eBooks for 1 hour in a day when you visit Barnes & Noble store.

Conclusion

Nook may be the best alternative to kindle with some key additional features such as the touch screen LCD and the ability to stream books while in a Barnes & Noble stores. It support ePub format and Nook is stylish and trendy.

However, if reading is your primary objective to buy an eBook reader especially novels and non-fiction there is no alternative to Kindle 3 as yet. It is nice to have additional features with your eBook reader but they are far from replacing other devices like iPod Touch, iPad, game console and smart phones. So, go for standalone dedicated e-reader which is Kindle 3.

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