SUMMARY:
Nook and
Kindle each offer their own advantages. We like the nook’s user-replaceable battery, compatibility with ePub format, and in-store experience. But we strongly prefer Kindle 3 because its performance is zippier, its higher-contrast screen is easier to read, and it’s smaller and lighter so it is more portable and more comfortable to hold in one hand for long reading sessions.
*
Nook Color
Everything I wrote about the Nook in this review applies to the original Nook (which continues to be available), not the new Nook Color. To me, the Nook Color is in a different product category than the Kindle or original Nook. Nook Color has an LCD screen, like an iPad or most computer monitors. That’s a big disadvantage for people like me, who get headaches from reading a computer screen for long periods of time. Amazon’s Kindle product page has an informative section on e-ink vs. LCD displays.
But many people don’t have problems reading from computer screens, and the Nook Color is getting glowing reviews in the press and by owners. For the money, it offers a lot of functionality such as a good web browser and the ability to play games and watch movies. But keep in mind: it costs a lot more than the Kindle, it weighs nearly twice as much, it doesn’t come in a 3G version, and (unlike the original Nook) the Nook Color doesn’t have a user replaceable battery.