PDA

View Full Version : Barnes & Nobel Nook 3G



diluzio91
07-04-2010, 07:21 PM
I'll come out and say it. After 19 years I don’t like to do anything more than sitting down to a good science fiction novel or fantasy book. I love almost everything about books, except that they take up space. As a college student I have come to realize the value of space in a confined area. Knowing this I chose to seek out an E-Reader. There are quite a few on the market, but I chose to go with the Nook from Barnes & Nobles.

Opening the box.

The first thing you notice about opening the nook is it’s very Apple like packaging. Opening the nook brought on flashbacks of opening my first iPod, and my MacBook Pro. The box makes it look and feel like it’s high quality before you even see the product.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0743.jpg

After removing the top sleeve it becomes apparent that the box is separated into two sections.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0744.jpg

Upon opening the flaps we are greeted by : a manual which covers the charger and the usb cable, and the nook.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0745.jpg
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0754.jpg
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0755.jpg

The foam padding seems more than adequate, and is cut to match the contours of the reader.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0746.jpg

The Reader

The nook is visually striking, and the buttons on the sides are matte plastic rather than the glossy plastic that encases the rest of the screen. The touch screen is flush with the face of the reader, and the “n” or home key is a touch key that is used to turn the screen on when the reader turns it off during reading. The e-ink screen is slightly sunken into the reader, making the edge easily definable while you are holding the reader.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0747.jpg
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0752.jpg

The weight and size feels good in your hand, and the reader feels very sturdy. The back is plastic, but its coated in a thin layer of what seems to be rubber or pebbled plastic. Either way it is soft to the touch.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0748.jpg
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0749.jpg

The e-ink screen is gorgeous, and has the ability to display black and white pictures in addition to text. The resolution on the display is 800 by 600, and is quite sharp.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0764.jpg

The reader starts up from cold boot in about 60 seconds, but the reader works just as well when left in standby for a few hours.
The nook has one feature that is rare in e readers is a user swappable battery. It also supports micro SD, and micro SDHC cards (class 2, 4, and 6) to expand the memory (default 2gb, 1.28gb available).

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0766.jpg

The reader also offers web browsing via WIFI, the browsing experience is by no means any substitute for a net book or tablet. It is nice if you need to pop online and check something quickly though.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0767.jpg

The MP3 playback function is nice, however the built in speakers aren’t too impressive. If you are planning to use this as a media player headphones are a must.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0768.jpg

Features and Specifications

Size: 7.7x4.9x.05
Weight: 12.1 ounces
Touchscreen for Control
2GB internal Storage
Mp3 Play Back
Micro USB for charging/data connection
MicroSD support
Supports Epub, PDB, PDF, JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP, and MP3
Wifi and 3G, (in the 3G model)
Easy 3G access to the Barnes and Nobel Store on the Reader.
Free Books Through the Barnes and Nobel Store.
Battery Life : 5 hours with wifi. I have gotten 2 days off a charge, but my gf played with it when I fell asleep one night and choked the battery. The site claims 7 days, most other reviewers have seen 4.5- 6. I recommend turning on airplane mode if you don’t need the Wireless.

Conclusion.
The reader seems like a great buy, especially the WIFI model. Pages take less than a second to refresh, and books take about 2 or 3 seconds to load. The nook feels natural in your hand, and I recommend getting an Industriell cover for it, either the half cover (shown below) or the full. I like that its slim and easy to flip back around the book (half cover) and the connection method doesn't make you use any type of elastic band like the other covers.

http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0757.jpg
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0758.jpg
http://i838.photobucket.com/albums/zz302/diluzio91/IMG_0759.jpg

When it comes down to it the reader is dead easy to use, and by using Calibre to convert more stubborn files to epub the reader is a joy to use. The built in wifi and 3g, along with the addition of mp3 playback, and customizable wall papers are just icing on the cake. The relative newness of the reader in market penetration is in my opinion, only due to a late start. All in all I would give the reader a 5 out of 5. If you are torn between a kindle and a nook, my vote is with the nook.

blueonblack
07-04-2010, 09:04 PM
Nice review, +rep. I'm curious how the back comes off to access the battery and SD slot?


And thanks a lot, now I want one of these even MORE.

diluzio91
07-04-2010, 11:12 PM
There is a tab on the bottom of the Musb port, you can kind of see it in the photo, just pull back and it pops off

mDust
07-05-2010, 12:28 PM
Very nice review. I didn't want one before but now I do...I don't even need one.

Luthien
07-05-2010, 06:02 PM
It looks really nice. I looked into buying one, but I've ordered an Aluratek Libre. It's simpler, no touchscreen or wifi, but I know I wouldn't use those features much.

blueonblack
08-05-2010, 06:35 PM
I finally stole... er, saved enough money to buy the wifi-only version. All I can say is WOW. This thing is awesome! The web browser is clunky at best, but the since the browser is 100% bonus that's fine. The B&N website is easy to use, the downloads are fast, the display is clear and sharp, just awesome.