Nook Vs. Nook Color
There are many entries in the eBook reader market, and the Nook is one of the few pioneer devices around. The Nook Color is a newly released and upgraded version. Don't be fooled by the simple moniker, into thinking it's simply a colored version of the previous one. In this article, take a detailed look at both the Nook and the Nook color, and how they match up in our Nook vs Nook Color debate.
What Is a Nook?
The most famous eReader arguably, is the Amazon Kindle, which was released in 2007. Not to be outdone, the American publishing house, Barnes & Noble developed an eReader of their own called the Nook, released in 2009. It has the distinction of being the first Android eBook reader. The Nook has a black and white display, and a smaller color touchscreen below, for navigation and input. There are two small arrow keys on the each side of the device to turn the pages. You can download the eBooks from the Barnes & Noble site, and browse them at leisure on the Nook. It also plays mp3s and displays image files. It has Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can connect to the store through your own wireless network or a free At&T 3G network. The Nook has a "Lend Me" feature, where you can "lend" your eBook to someone else for up to 2 weeks. You can also access your local library eBooks and free Google books, with the ePUB format. The Nook has 2 versions, a Wi-Fi+3G and a Wi-Fi only model. The Nook was anxiously awaited in electronic gadget circles, as a worthy competitor to the Kindle, and Times listed it as one of its "Top 10 Gadgets of 2009". It also won the TechCrunch Best New Gadget Crunchie award for 2009 . But it faced some criticism as well, for certain technical and usability issues. Its page turning speed and screen refresh rate was very slow and sluggish. But thanks to software updates from B&N, the page turning speed improved rapidly, and new features were added such as games (chess, sudoku), pre-order books option, "My Shelves" feature for organizing the user's eBook library and Go-To-Page ability.
What Is a Nook Color?
A great effect of competition is that it encourages self-improvement. The Nook Color is a good example of that effect. Don't dismiss the Nook Color as just a newer version of the Nook. There are so many added features, that we might as well be talking about a completely different device. It was released in Nov 2010. Gone is the small input color screen, and lo and behold, a 7 inch, vibrant and bright color touchscreen. It has a built-in web browser and media player. Barnes & Nobles has specific apps which can be downloaded and installed onto the Nook Color, like crossword puzzles, Pandora radio, and a media gallery. The old file formats of the previous Nook remain supported, with added Microsoft Office (Doc, Xls, Ppt) format support. The speed and performance is greatly improved from its predecessor. You can also view newspapers, magazines and children's books, in full color. There's a "Read to Me" option available, where some children's books have a voice actor that reads the story out loud. There are so many features in the Nook Color, that it can be easily confused as a tablet PC, and for half the price and size.
Physical Comparison
An actual Nook vs Nook Color review cannot be understood, just by listing out their respective features. To truly understand the difference between the Nook and Nook Color, here are 2 tabular comparisons.
| Factor | Nook (WiFi&3G) | Nook Color |
| Weight | 11.6 oz,12.1 oz | 15.8 oz |
| Display Size | 6 inch | 7 inch |
| Dimensions | 4.9 x 0.5 x 7.7 inch | 5 x 0.48 x 8.1 inch |
| Navigation | 3.5 inch touch screen | 7 inch touch screen |
| Contrast | 16 level grayscale | 16 million colors |
| Adjustable Text Size | 6 text sizes, 3 styles | 6 text sizes, 6 styles |
Functionality Comparison
| Feature | Nook (WiFi&3G) | Nook Color |
| Release Date | Nov 2009 | Nov 2010 |
| Hard disk | 2 GB | 8 GB |
| Expansion Slot | Expand up to 16GB | Expand up to 32GB |
| OS | Android | Android 2.1 |
| Battery type | Lithium polymer, replaceable | Lithium polymer |
| Battery Life | 10 days, wireless off | 8 hours, wireless off |
| Text Formats | EPUB, PDF | EPUB, PDF, DOC, TXT |
| Image and Media Formats | PNG, JPEG, BMP, GIF, MP3 | PNG, JPEG, BMP, GIF, MPEG-4, MP3, AAC |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi b/g, 3G | Wi-Fi b/g/n |
| Price | $175, $199 (3G) | $249 |
Some additional features of the Nook Color are:
- Built-in dictionary
- Audio books
- Full color magazines and newspapers, delivered wirelessly
- Books can be read on multiple devices like iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, etc.
- Share updates on Facebook and Twitter
The Nook Color wins this round, of the debate, as it has surpassed its predecessor in leaps and bounds. The Nook was an innovative attempt into the eReader market, and the Nook Color just improves upon it, with the support for more formats and page reading speed, not to mention color screen. Here's where the Nook Color scores one over the Kindle, which is neither touch nor colored. Also, the amount of eBooks available from Barnes & Noble is infinite, and the audio books make it kid friendly too. So, if you are a bookworm, looking for a classy, light and easy way to transport all your books around, check out the Nook Color!
