Nook vs Kindle

tsagona said:
I'm sorry if this is a silly question but after reading this thread I'm considering a kindle or a nook for my DIL for Christmas. Do either of these e-readers come with any books? Is there a charge to "borrow" from the library. Is there a charge for every book? I guess I'm asking because she recently graduated from vet school and she is still interning and doesn't make a lot of money and really can't afford to buy books. I don't want to give her something that is going to cost her money to use. Are there e-book gift cards like there is itunes gift cards?

Thanks for your help.
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Tracy, my Nook came with several books already loaded on - a little freebie. You can get a lot of classics for free. Just be aware of a couple of important things. You CAN'T check out books from your local library on the Kindle. The only file types the Kindle will accept are Amazon ebooks. With the Nook you can use your local library (assuming they have this capability) to download books. It's free. The Nook accepts a wider number of file types.

As far as I know you can use a gift card to buy ebooks. I do know that the Barnes & Noble membership thing doesn't get you any goodies in the Nook world. I don't have a membership and don't plan on getting one.
 
story1267 said:
Tracy, my Nook came with several books already loaded on - a little freebie. You can get a lot of classics for free. Just be aware of a couple of important things. You CAN'T check out books from your local library on the Kindle. The only file types the Kindle will accept are Amazon ebooks. With the Nook you can use your local library (assuming they have this capability) to download books. It's free. The Nook accepts a wider number of file types.

As far as I know you can use a gift card to buy ebooks. I do know that the Barnes & Noble membership thing doesn't get you any goodies in the Nook world. I don't have a membership and don't plan on getting one.
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It's only a matter of time before lending will occur on the Kindle so I wouldn't necessarily make that a major issue. There are other articles about future library loaning capabilities on the Kindle.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...value_of_kindle_with_new_lending_feature.html

I think all the e-readers are wonderful devices. You really can't go wrong.

As for free books, The Gutenburg org has hundreds (http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page). As for the kindle, amazon posts the free ones daily and changes them fairly often. Heck, I have so many books on my "to read" list I don't even bother downloading the free ones anymore....so I'm not sure "free books" would end up being a big issue for anyone. There are so many.

Enjoy!! It's all good.....whatever device you choose, you won't be disappointed.
 
FYI....I just downloaded both "Project Gutenberg" and "Nook" on my iPad...very easy to do and quick! I put 0.00 in the search box of Nook & it brought up a ton of free books from a large variety of catagories. I already had Kindle downloaded and it offers many freebies too. I love the iPad...the only downside is being able to read in bright sunlight. It's cool though how many free apps you can download!
 
I have a comment and a question.

My comment is that I tried the Color Nook at B&N and it really is the worst of all worlds. Unlike the original Nook or the Kindle, the screen has a shiny glare to it. It fails as an e-reader, and as tablets go, it may be the cheapest, but everything else on the market is much better. B&N threw something together in time for Christmas, and it really shows.

My question is about library book borrowing on the Nook. How does it work, mechanically speaking? I love the idea of it and think that if you can get even a fraction of the books you want to read from the library, the Nook (original of course) might be the way to go.

By the way, I own a Kindle and love it, but the price of books sure does add up. I think the Kindle is a higher quality device, and I personally prefer a real keyboard to the Nook touchscreen, but I think it might be worth buying a Nook if it could save me some money on books.
 
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NancyAZ said:
The process for borrowing a library book is detailed on the previous page of posts.
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Thanks. But how does it work as a practical matter? Why can only one person borrow an ebook at a time? Is it because the publishers just decide to license it that way? I guess that makes sense, because who would ever buy a book if you could get all you want from a "library". Okay, here's my question to Nook users: what percentage of the books you want to read are you able to borrow from the library on your Nook?
 
Nancy, I think it really depends on your local library and how techno-friendly they might be. I live out in the boonies and my local library lets me check out 3 ebooks at a time.

I haven't yet figured out if it's possible to "return" an ebook before the time limit is up. I know that Nancy AZ said you can via the Adobe Digital Editions but I haven't tried it yet.

My library offers a lot of books that I'm not particularly interested in - but I think they are starting with the most popular titles - lots of romances, and vampires, and murders and those just ain't my thing.

OTOH. I was able to find some interesting titles so I feel hopeful about the future. And I would think that demand would help in making future additions to the collection more diversified.

And you do have to wait if all the copies are checked out (I imagine there are more than one copy of the popular ones) but you can put your books on a wish list and be notified when they are available.

I think it's a question of what does your library have? I would imagine that a more metropolitan location would have a bigger collection.

A lot of words to say....I think it's worth it to try. Check your local library, look at their collection and go from there. I personally would do nothing BUT read if I could and I still think I'd be ok with the library and freebies.
 
Thanks, Suzanne. My taste is very mainstream, so that may be in my favor. I like all the popular mystery writers. I must have spent an hour yesterday reading the Brooklyn Public Library website and I still came away with no clue as to which books are available as e-books. I'll see if the NY Public website is any better.
 
Hi Nancy,

As Suzanne mentioned, it depends on your library. My library lets me have 5 books out at a time. When I saw that Nancy said you could return early on Adobe Editions I was able to do it. I bought my Nook last August and when I looked at my library's ebook list, they had 60 titles. Now it is well into the hundreds of books available. My library tells me how many people are waiting for the book so I know when I put a "hold" on the book I have an idea of how long of a wait I may have depending on how many people are ahead of me. Right now from the library I have John Grisham's The Confession, Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher book and the Cookbook Collector. I am very happy with my Nook.

Tracy
 
Nancy, try this.....

I googled your library and found this....

http://digitalbooks.brooklynpublicl...-4533-80A6-96A83B169EA7/10/340/en/Default.htm

In the software and apps section on the left is the Adobe Digital Editions. You'll need to download that in order to check out books.

Looks like you can have 15 titles checked out at a time.

You can use the search feature at the top of the page to search for just eBooks rather than the audio books.

Right now it looks like your library has 3,486 just of the Adobe epub type. You should be able to find a few things to read. :)
 
Sorry I was gone for a day or so, but it looks like all of the questions that were directed to me were answered.

I've been very pleased with the library feature. I also keep close tabs on the B&N Free Fridays. So I, too, have quite a few books loaded and ready to read. I need to stop putting books on reserve at the library!:rolleyes: I did just get Ken Follet's Fall of Giants, the first in his new trilogy, from the library, so that will be my exclusive reading to get it done since it's over 700 pages. I read pretty quickly, so it wouldn't ordinarily be a problem, but with the holidays -- well, you know. I sure would hate to get toward the end and have to return it and wait in line to get it back again since you can't renew when there is a waiting list! I already know, though, that theoretically I could go to a B&N store and sit and read it there for free (haven't tried this yet).

Good luck and have fun!
 
Nancy and Suzanne, I'm going back and forth with investing in the NookColor. I think it would be great for reading magazines! Was wondering if I can get any fitness mag or does it just offer a limited few? My other question is, the Nookcolor 3G, does it mean you can surf the net anytime without a subscription from AT&T or from Best Buy, and does that include social networks such as FB and what about forums, such as Cathe? Just wondering. I've been to BB and they are not much help, well at least the store I went to. Thanks in advance! My son keeps telling me I should just get the Ipad, but it's much bigger and I would have to pay to pay an extra 100 bucks for 3G and a monthly fee to have internet access.

Thanks,
Sandy
 
Hi Sandy, I can answer some of your questions now that I've had my Nook for a few weeks.

There aren't all that many magazines available and maybe one fitness mag. Some people don't like the "article view" that opens a window with just the text of the article. I do like it.

The Nook 3G includes the AT&T network free. But that's the black and white version. Facebook is on the Nook Color. But the web is the web so I don't understand why it wouldn't work on the black and white one. Maybe it's more clunky.

When I go on facebook on my Color it "knows" that I'm using a touchscreen - it shows in the address.

It all comes down to what you want it to do for you. It really is like a poor-girls iPad as far as I'm concerned. I don't need all the bells and whistles the iPad offers and I sure don't need the expense (especially since I'm considering a smartphone!).

I love it. Be warned though, if you have trouble reading small print you'll be doing a lot of screen adjusting to re-size. You get used to it but it's something to consider.

HTH!
 
Thanks Suzanne! That helps and yes just what I was thinking it's the poor girl's Ipad. I keep telling my son that. LOL! I have an iphone so I don't see the need to get the Ipad. I was hoping the Nook Color would have more options of fitness mags, but that's not a huge deal. That's another reason I was asking about accessing the web, a guy at BB told me I could only search sites like Amazon and Barnes and Noble, couldn't get FB or anything like that. I wouldn't mind checking FB on it, even though I have it on my iphone and I have the FB app for it, and I an see it fine, but was hoping it would show more of a full page on the Nook Color.
Thanks for helping me out, still haven't made a decision. Oh and when reading a book will it be in very small print?

Thanks,
Sandy
 
Hi Sandy, we've got wireless at home and I actually use my Color to surf the web when DH is home and using our computer. I do expand the size of the pages and page-parts a lot but I find it's pretty easy to get used to doing that.

The books are very easily readable in the factory-set font. I do know that you can easily adjust the size of the font with just a couple of taps.

DX just got a Kindle for Xmas and wow, I was really underwhelmed by it. Very easy to get spoiled with the Color.

I guess it depends on your use. If you already have a smartphone then you can access the web if you're out and about. If you have wireless at home, and if you would use your Color in places that were likely to have WiFi - for my $$ I'd take the Color over the 3G just for the fabulosity of it.

But....fabulosity is in the eye of the beholder...:p
 
Thanks again! I think you've ansewered everything I need to know. I just may be going with the Nook Color!!! I have WiFi at home too, so it wouldn't be a problem.

Now I know this is going to sound crazy, but I can access the books and mags without 3G or wifi?

I'm thinking that would be the reason it's an Ereader, as you can see I have NOT a clue about these gadgets! I'm learning something new about my iphone every week! :)
 
The Color is only WiFi. It doesn't have 3G.

You don't NEED to be connected to the interwebs...but you should be. I basically leave mine on all the time. It goes to sleep. I charge it about once a week.

B&N puts out software updates and periodically a new book appears as if by magic - they must send them out.

I do a lot of checking books out of the library. For this you need your home computer and your Color charger cord. You download the book and "side-load" it onto the Color via the cord.

I think you can do the same thing via the B&N website - shop on line, download what you buy and side-load it.

It's easier to just shop from the Color. It has a handy-dandy shop button, of course! LOL.

So, anything that you have already loaded onto your Color you can access wherever you are without connecting.
 
Yes, the 3g is definately worth the extra $50 - it is a one time charge - and if you don't have access to wifi - like if you are on vacation and need another book to read - you have the 3g so you can download without connecting to a computer which you might not have access to either. I have the Kindle - newest generation (3rd I think) and I am loving having an e-reader. I thought I would miss physical books, but I don't and I think - know I am reading faster. For some reason the e-ink is even easier on my eyes than paper - I find my eyes fatique much less. As for which one - I did the research and wound up with the Kindle - you can now lend books to others as with the nook - this was put in place Dec 30th - as far as I know still can't do library stuff though. I went with the Kindle because I keep reading that both Barnes and Nobles and Borders are having financial issues and was not sure how that would effect the e-readers they sell.
 
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