The Nook™ by Barnes & Noble is the newest e-book reader on the market (though another may claim that crown by the time you read this review).  This Android-powered device has some key advantages over Amazon’s Kindle™.

They share the same 6-inch easy-to-read E Ink® Vizplex™ electronic paper display (though the Kindle DX has a 9.7-inch screen), but the Nook also has a separate 3.5-inch color touch screen LCD that provides one-touch control and navigation; you simply swipe to browse your library which is displayed as full-color book covers.  The touch screen is also used to search, purchase e-books, and change settings and performs various other tasks.

The touch screen does take some getting used to and you’ll find yourself tempted to touch the reading screen instead. Visually, the screen does look a lot like the page of a book, but despite claims it is not 100% glare-free though a slight tilt of the device eliminates the occasional glare.  The touch screen is bright and therefore a little distracting as you first start to read (the touch screen goes dark after a few seconds).  The gray scale is easy on the eyes, but it seems that full color support will be a must in future versions.  The reason color is absent is there is no back lighting on the reading screen.  That’s so it reads more like a book and is easier on the eyes.  While the rationale is sound, it’s still a little strange to hold an electronic device and have to worry about being in decent lighting conditions to use it.  It doesn’t take long, however, to get used to it and the trade off is probably worth the reduced eye fatigue.

In addition to AT&T wireless data service, the Nook also includes Wi-Fi/802.11b/g.  The Nook improved upon the Kindle’s 2GB internal memory/storage (up to 1,500 e-books) by adding, in addition to 2GB internal memory/storage, a Micro SD expansion slot.  The Nook is a little smaller, but also a little thicker and it weighs about an ounce more than the Kindle.  Unlike the Kindle, the Nook has a replaceable lithium ion battery.  Plus, the Nook’s back cover comes off and you can replace it with designer back covers.  Back covers and protective cases are available, but must be purchased separately.  Some sort of cover is highly recommended.

The base price is the same as the Kindle ($250), but look for those prices to drop in the coming months because let’s face it; the real money is in the content they sell you.  Once Kindle and the Nook have exhausted the early adopters, they will lower the price to attract a whole new category of customers.  Its reasonable to assume the Kindle and the Nook will collectively own 80% of the market for many years to come.   

That’s true for one main reason – content.  Barnes & Noble is planning extras tied to their brick-and-mortar stores and website and, of course, Amazon has an impressive catalog of products to sell through their device.  Look for the two to be on par, constantly trying to one-up each other (like the Nook’s “lending” feature).  It will be fun to watch and should improve the value of these devices.  It’s impossible to report on all the bells-and-whistles to come from Barnes & Noble and Amazon, so plan on visiting their respective websites to see what they offer in way of “features” and “content.”

The bottom-line is the Nook is just as good if not a little better than the Kindle.  The real differentiator will be the content, services, features, etc. that Barnes & Noble makes available through the device, something that will take time to evolve.  It’s a plus that it has an Android operating system, making it more likely to offer free apps down the road.  It’s worth pointing out that as good as these devices are they are not the same as reading a book.  Eventually, the old-timers will move on and more technologically-inclined generations will see to it that physical books will be no more; just like greeting cards and CDs.  So if you think you’ll sit there reading your Nook and not know the difference between that and a book, don’t fool yourself.  These devices have come about as far as they will ever come to resembling a book, now it’s their goal to use this basic familiarity to bridge the gap between the reading experience of old and what reading will “feel” like in the future.

The Nook gets 4 out of 5 stars in this review.  Based on research that seems consistent with users reviews overall.  The Kindle generally gets about the same.

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