Kindle 2 Vs Nook
This review will help you make an informed decision about which of these ebook readers is better for you, and which one deserves your money. These devices are also known as e-readers and they are rapidly changing the way in which people read their books today. They look like small electronic books and you can store thousands of books on them.
People still prefer the touch and smell of a real book, but there is no doubting the fact that these e-readers are revolutionizing the publishing industry, as more and more companies are selling ebooks. Their ease of convenience, storage capacity and fancy looks can make a believer out of pretty much anyone. Just because you own an e-reader does not mean that you have given up on the real books altogether, so there are many technology freaks who have decided to purchase one of these for their convenience.
Amazon's Kindle
This is the first such device that was released to the world in 2007, and there have been several more models released subsequently. The Kindle 2 was a revamped version of the original device and it was released in October 2009, and in July 2010, Amazon even released the Kindle 3. You can even access the Internet with this device, send emails, store 1500 books and also store various newspapers and magazines on it. You even have a Global Wireless feature that allows you to stay connected, no matter where in the world you are.
Barnes & Noble's Nook
This e-reader was released by Barnes & Noble in November 2009 to tackle the ebook market, and it has worked wonders. The device allows you to surf the Internet, it is 3G enabled, and it also contains a smaller touchscreen at the bottom of the main screen that serves as an input device.
Comparison Between Kindle 2 and Nook
The first thing that we need to know is the differences in the screen of the 2 devices. This will make a world of difference because this is the part of the machine that matters the most, as far as such devices are concerned. They both use the same e-ink electronic displays which makes the text resemble real life text as closely as possible. This makes sunlight visibility extremely good in both machines. The size of both the screens is 6 inches, so there is not much to distinguish between them here either.
The smaller touchscreen on the Nook works slightly slower though, due to hardware limitations and this can be a major deterrent. The screen allows you to browse through book covers though, but if this should come at a cost of slower reactions is debatable. Hopefully, a firmware upgrade can solve this problem in the near future. The Kindle 2 has a keyboard as an input device, and we leave it to you to decide which is better because this is a matter of personal preference. The Kindle software can be used for various platforms like the PC, a Mac and on Android as well.
An obvious advantage of the Kindle 2 is the text to speech feature. It's a wonder that the Nook left out this feature, and it does make a pretty big difference. Due to the presence of the touchscreen, navigation is quite difficult. The Kindle 2 has a 5 way controller and this makes all your tasks very simple to perform. Be it browsing through the Kindle book store, or highlighting parts of the text you're reading. The Nook's navigation is far inferior in comparison.
Another advantage of the Kindle 2 is the Global Wireless feature, which means that you can download books from the Kindle store no matter where you are in the world. It goes without saying that the web browsing capabilities of the device will be disabled outside the United States. The Nook does have wi-fi connectivity though, but this will rarely be used. It comes with an AT&T carrier and their coverage is pretty sturdy, so the need for a wi-fi hot spot is really quite rare. With all the factors seen so far, the Kindle 2 is faring better in this comparison. But there are certain areas where the Nook is superior to it as well. You can also read this Kindle DX Review, which tells you about the Kindle DX which was released in May, 2009.
The only downside of the Kindle 2 is the memory space. It comes with a 2 GB memory and this cannot be extended. The previous version of the Kindle had a microSD card slot, and why Amazon got rid of it is a mystery. This means that you can store a maximum of 1500 ebooks in it. The Nook also comes with 2 GB memory, but this can be expanded to 18 GB by making use of the microSD card slot which can accommodate a 16 GB card. This means you have access to about 15000 ebooks.
Another advantage of the Nook is the Book Lending feature. Through this feature, you can 'lend' an ebook that you have purchased to a friend for a maximum of 14 days. If your friend uses this device, an Apple iPhone, an Apple iPod Touch, a BlackBerry smartphone, an Apple MacBook or a Windows PC, then he can view this lent book for 14 days before it is deleted. This means that you have access to far more book titles through it.
Apart from all this, the dimensions of the Kindle 2 are 8 inches x 5.3 inches x 0.36 inches, and it weighs 10.2 ounces. The Nook weighs 11.2 ounces, and its dimensions are 7.7 inches x 4.9 inches x 0.5 inches. The battery life is longer in Kindle 2, but the battery cannot be removed and replaced by you. If you change it in the first year it is free, otherwise it will cost you $59. The Nook, on the other hand, has a battery that you can remove and replace on your own. Also, it costs $189 in the market today, while the Nook costs $199.
The Verdict
It is hard to decide which among these is the better e-reader because they are both quite similar, and have their own share of disadvantages. The touchscreen on the Nook and its low battery life can deter people from it. Inability to use it outside the United States is a big factor. The Kindle 2 has no expandable memory and the battery cannot be removed by you. Ultimately, it will come down to your personal choice.
If you want to choose between the two, we suggest you pick the Kindle 2 simply because it has been around longer. The competition from the Nook will only force Amazon to improve their product further.
