A Review of Barnes And Noble Nook Color

Considering that book giant Barnes & Noble only introduced the Nook in the fall of 2009, many did not expect that it would be able to come up with the Nook Color just a year after. It's being promoted as the "reader's tablet" and we'll find out in this Nook Color review just how much of an ebook reader and a tablet the Barnes & Noble Nook Color is.

Design

If you're expecting an average-looking, run-of-the-mill ebook reader, then you'll certainly be impressed with the colored Nook, which could pass off as a tablet PC at first glance. Unlike the usual ereaders which use e-ink technology, this one comes with a 7-inch full color LED-backlit IPS display. This type of display is in fact, the same kind of display technology that Apple uses on the iPad and Mac. Barnes & Noble however, improved the IPS screen by using its VividView technology which laminates the screen coating and reduces the glare.

Size and Weight

Nook Color is slightly bigger and heavier than the e-ink Nook. It weighs 15.8 ounces, and is 8.1 inches in length, 5 inches in width, and 0.5-inch thick. The front portion of the device consists of hard plastic while the back has a smooth, rubber backing.

Performance

Inside the Nook Color is a program which has its roots from the Android version 2.1, an operating system popular with many of today's tablets and smart phones. In the Barnes & Noble ebook reader, the Android-based software delivers the goods.

Those who have actually used this color ereader report of a zippy performance, a responsive touch screen, fast page turns, almost picture-perfect images, and crisp text. Even browsing through PDFs and picture galleries are said to be a complete breeze.

What's New

As one of the first colored ebook readers in the market, this Barnes & Noble device has gained a lot of interest since it was introduced. Among the added functions that have been incorporated into the Nook Color are web browsing, email, video, and Pandora music streaming, and it's also designed to work with B & N's new features and technologies.

There's the new Nook Kids brand which promotes reading colored, illustration-packed children's ebooks on the Nook Color, NookFriends which lets users share heartwarming lines from books to friends and family via Facebook and Twitter. Nook Color also utilizes the LendMe feature, which allows lending of books between Nook users.

Nook Color Review: Is It a Value-for-Money Device?

The company has really gone out of its way to release an ebook reader that's not only sleek and feature-packed, but is reasonably-priced as well. For $249, you already get a gadget that let's you do not only ebook reading but a lot of other functions as well.

But of course, it's far from being a perfect device. Its battery life for instance, is too short for an ereader. It is said to last for 8 hours without recharge and this is peanuts compared to what other e-ink ebook readers can do. And don't forget that it uses an LCD display which isn't the best for ebook reading. You'd most likely have to deal with reflective glare and eye strain.

After all is said in this Nook Color review, it really depends on what you prefer. If glossy magazines and children's books are high up on your family's list of reading fare, then it's all worth the $249 you spend especially with the additional tablet features it has. However, for long form reading of mostly text ebooks, e-ink ebook readers are still the better choice.

Visit us for the detailed Nook Color review and see how it stacks up against the hottest portable ebook readers in the market.