Barnes & Noble demonstrates Nook Color digital book reader
Barnes & Noble Introduces the Nook Color: A New Multifunctional E-Reader
Barnes & Noble has entered the e-reader market with a new contender, the Nook Color. Priced at around $249, the Nook Color is set to challenge the iPad and low-budget tablets with its color touch screen display.
The Nook Color, running on Google Android 2.1 OS, boasts a 7-inch full-color touch screen and offers a vibrant viewing experience with up to 16 million colors and a resolution of 1024×600. Unlike the original Nook 3G, the Color model does not use e-ink technology, a choice that might affect some e-reader patrons who have already purchased the Nook WIFI or the Nook 3G.
One of the key differences between the Nook Color and the original Nook 3G is the operating system and interface. While the original Nook 3G is primarily an e-reader device with a focus on ebook reading and a more basic interface, the Nook Color provides a tablet-like experience with the ability to access apps, integrate social media, and use enhanced software.
The Nook Color also offers more storage than the original Nook 3G, with 8GB of internal storage, accommodating more content and apps. It comes with built-in WIFI (802.11b/g/n) but lacks built-in 3G support at launch.
The Nook Color supports a variety of ebook formats, including EPUB, PDF, TXT, and Microsoft open office formats. It comes pre-loaded with a full Web browser, free word games and chess, Pandora, internet radio, Quickoffice, and more.
The device also supports MP3 audio files and MP4 video files, allowing users to enjoy multimedia content. Michael Kozlowski, who has written about audiobooks and e-readers for twelve years, has noted that the Nook Color's internal battery is said to last for around 8 hours of use.
The Nook Color's launch opens up a new market for Barnes and Noble. It will be available at Shop e-Readers, Best Buy, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble stores. Barnes & Noble also offers a large selection of ebooks, magazines, and newspaper subscriptions.
Moreover, Barnes & Noble is offering a new program called Nook Kids, which will provide a dedicated library of interactive children's books. The Nook Color allows users to customize their e-reading experience, including changing fonts, text size, margin size, background color, and more.
However, the Nook Color will not have access to the Android market. Instead, Barnes and Noble is releasing an SDK called Nookdeveloper, which will allow developers to create and distribute apps specifically for the Nook Color.
Michael Kozlowski, who resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has expressed his thoughts on the Nook Color, stating that it could potentially challenge the iPad and low-budget tablets due to its competitive pricing and multifunctional capabilities.
In summary, the original Nook 3G is a dedicated e-ink e-reader with 3G support, optimized for reading, while the Nook Color is a multifunctional Android tablet with a vibrant color touchscreen but no 3G connectivity. This makes the Nook Color suitable for reading color-rich content plus apps and multimedia, trading off the e-ink display's battery life and outdoor readability advantages.
- Michael Kozlowski, a expert on audiobooks and e-readers, believes the Nook Color could challenge the iPad and low-budget tablets due to its competitive pricing and multifunctional capabilities, making it suitable for reading color-rich content, apps, and multimedia.
- Unlike the original Nook 3G, the Nook Color does not use e-ink technology, which might affect some e-reader patrons who have already purchased the Nook WIFI or the Nook 3G.
- Besides supporting a variety of ebook formats and multimedia content, the Nook Color integrates with smart-home-devices through an SDK called Nookdeveloper, allowing developers to create and distribute apps specifically for the Nook Color, expanding its gadget functionalities and entertainment options.
