Barnes & Noble Unveils the Nook eBook Reader, Smirks at Kindle

The day has finally come when an ebook reader can truly challenge the Kindle. As you can see on the ebook reader review site, there are many devices out there, but none really come close to offering the same range of features as the Kindle. All that changes today with the introduction of the Nook from Barnes & Noble.

Announced today in a special press event, the Nook looks to change the way ebook readers operate by including a color LCD touchscreen below the electronic paper display that is found on all dedicated ereaders. The problem with the electronic paper displays is that they refresh slowly and navigation is difficult. Sony tried to make a touchscreen electronic paper display, but that didn’t work well.

The addition of a touchscreen LCD below the traditional display on the Nook makes it possible to see your library in full color, easily navigate your books and menus with the flick of a finger, follow links, browse the web and view other media in color. It rewrites a lot of the rules that dictated how ebook readers operate.

An equally game-changing feature of the Nook is available from no other ebook reader: the ability to loan ebooks to friends. This is a huge development in an industry beset with fears of book piracy. Instead of getting even more restrictive about where you can use your books, Barnes & Noble lets your friends borrow books you’ve purchased, just like you do with the books on your real shelf. Friends can read a book you purchased, unhindered by restrictions, for 14 days. And the person doesn’t even need to own the reader; you can send your books to anyone running the Barnes & Noble app on their smartphone (iPhone, iPod Touch or BlackBerry) or computer.

Also interesting is the fact that the device runs on the Android operating system most commonly seen in smartphones. The OS lightweight and customizable, so it could open up a way for the device to use Android apps or special mods to increase functionality.

Aside from that, the Nook appears to be very similar to the Kindle. There’s a 6-inch e-ink screen, a wireless connection via 3G cell networks (through AT&T whereas the Kindle runs on the Sprint network). The device gives you unlimited access to the bookstore and other resources through that connection, however the Nook upstages the Kindle a little by including a Wi-Fi antenna in the device. That means you can use it anywhere there’s a Wi-Fi hotspot, but you’ll probably end up sticking with the 3G connection because it’s more ubiquitous.

The Barnes & Noble ebook store could surpass the Kindle store as far as content. Barnes & Noble claims to have millions of ebooks ready to download, including nearly 500,000 free titles (all older works that are out of copyright). The library appears to be as extensive as that of the Kindle store, with bestsellers available for $9.99 and other books at cheaper prices than their dead-tree counterparts. It would take far too long to compare they inventory of the two stores side-by-side, but it appears that Barnes & Noble has at least as good of a selection as the Kindle Store, but most likely better.

The Nook charges by USB cable or wall charger, and a 3.5 hour charge will get you 10 days of use with the device (that’s with the wireless turned off). There’s also a built-in MP3 player and a screensaver function that lets you load your own images.

If you want the detailed specs, here they are:

Comes with:

• Nook device, Micro-USB 2.0 cable
• Quick Start Guide
• AC adapter
• Rechargeable battery (installed)

Specs:

• Height: 7.7 inches
• Width: 4.9 inches
• Depth: 0.5 inches
• Weight: 11.2 ounces (317 grams)
• Free wireless from Barnes & Noble via AT&T, the nation's fastest 3G network.
• Wi-Fi ( 802.11 b/g) (Free Wi-Fi in all Barnes & Noble stores)
• Load your own photos to create personal screensavers (JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP)
• Supported formats: PDF, MP3, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP
• 2GB internal storage (approximately 1500 eBooks)
• Expandable microSD slot
• MP3 player
• Built-in mono speaker
• Universal 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack

All this comes at a price similar to that of the Kindle, $259, but considering the larger library, better features and easier navigation, the Nook looks to be a better deal for your money. The Nook is up for pre-order right now (get a free Malcolm Gladwell book if you do pre-order) and the Nook will be ready for delivery on November 30.

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