B&N announce new Nook: The Simple Touch Reader

[gorcorps]

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp?PID=35699

This 6" b&w e-ink touchscreen device will be released June 10 at a price of $140. That is for a wi-fi only version, with no hint there will be a 3G at all (similar to the Nook Color).

My question: why decrease screen size and offer this odd form factor? I guess it'll help slightly with portability but doesn't seem like it'd help THAT much.

 

[Red Storm]

Looks very nice! Touch screen means no keyboard needed. If I didn't already have a Kindle I would definitely get it.

 

[gorcorps]

Looks very nice! Touch screen means no keyboard needed. If I didn't already have a Kindle I would definitely get it.

I had an original Nook, and it had a small color touchscreen below the main e-ink screen. That was used for keyboard stuff, though it didn't work all that well. Having touchscreen on the actual screen that's displaying everything will be worlds better.

That actually explains the odd form factor, as without that lower touchscreen the Nook loses a chunk of its height. Makes more sense now.

 

[Kabob]

I kinda like it. I know that everyone was hoping for an even better NookColor but this is definitely pretty sharp.

 

[Deeko]

I feel like turning pages with the touch screen would be irritating, unless there's a touch button on the side (like the existing Kindle and Nook have with real buttons). Swiping to change pages would get old quickly.

 

[gorcorps]

I feel like turning pages with the touch screen would be irritating, unless there's a touch button on the side (like the existing Kindle and Nook have with real buttons). Swiping to change pages would get old quickly.

I assume it'll at least be like the NC, where you can swipe to turn the pages or you could just tap the side of the screen like a button. Tap the right to go forward, tap the left to go back, and tap the center to bring up options.

However all of that is moot, as the features page mentions page turn buttons:

Immersive Reading Experience
NOOK has 80% smoother page turns and minimized flashing compared to other eReaders—so it’s easy to lose yourself in your latest read. And with Fast Page™, you can scan easily through any book, magazine or newspaper. Just touch and hold the page turn buttons to get to where you want to read quickly.

If you look at the pics closely you'll notice 2 vertical lines on each side of the bezel. I assume these are where the buttons are located just like the original Nook.

 

[Bateluer]

Might be interested in this.

 

[Dulanic]

Obviously, this is a book device as it's e-ink. Being the same price as the kindle, I think I might have still gone kindle. Why shrink the screen and then on top of that add touch screen which is mostly useless for a e-reader? I could see if it was the same screen size... but this makes no sense.

 

[Bateluer]

Obviously, this is a book device as it's e-ink. Being the same price as the kindle, I think I might have still gone kindle. Why shrink the screen and then on top of that add touch screen which is mostly useless for a e-reader? I could see if it was the same screen size... but this makes no sense.

The nook has a 6in screen as well, screen is the same size. This is the refresh to the e-ink nook, not the nook Color remember.

 

[gorcorps]

Obviously, this is a book device as it's e-ink. Being the same price as the kindle, I think I might have still gone kindle. Why shrink the screen and then on top of that add touch screen which is mostly useless for a e-reader? I could see if it was the same screen size... but this makes no sense.

If you owned the original Nook, and was as frustrated with the non-responsive and fairly awkward controls then you can see where having a touchscreen for navigation will greatly help usability of an e-reader. It has the same size screen as the Nook and Kindle, but takes off the part at the bottom that each uses for controls (either via touchscreen on the Nook or buttons on the Kindle).

It means you get the same control, same screen real estate, and upgraded e-ink display in a slightly smaller (shorter) package. I still don't like how large the bezel is, but it's kind of necessary for an ereader.

 

[Bateluer]

If you owned the original Nook, and was as frustrated with the non-responsive and fairly awkward controls then you can see where having a touchscreen for navigation will greatly help usability of an e-reader. It has the same size screen as the Nook and Kindle, but takes off the part at the bottom that each uses for controls (either via touchscreen on the Nook or buttons on the Kindle).

It means you get the same control, same screen real estate, and upgraded e-ink display in a slightly smaller (shorter) package. I still don't like how large the bezel is, but it's kind of necessary for an ereader.

Was going to say the same thing myself. The bezel looks huge in relation to the display, but you'll need a non-touch sensitive surface to hold onto while you read.

Anyone want to guess why its using Android 2.1? I guess they really aren't using the full ability of the OS, since its an e-reader.

 

[gorcorps]

Was going to say the same thing myself. The bezel looks huge in relation to the display, but you'll need a non-touch sensitive surface to hold onto while you read.

Anyone want to guess why its using Android 2.1? I guess they really aren't using the full ability of the OS, since its an e-reader.

Yeah being an e-ink device there's little reason to use much else. I'm sure it'll get rooted as well, but really only for some UI tweaks and such.

 

[xSauronx]

Obviously, this is a book device as it's e-ink. Being the same price as the kindle, I think I might have still gone kindle. Why shrink the screen and then on top of that add touch screen which is mostly useless for a e-reader? I could see if it was the same screen size... but this makes no sense.

one of the things putting me off from a kindle is a physical keyboard...but then, i want to take notes easily, and doing that on a kindle looks like a huge pain in the ass...then having (as i understand it) to move that from a text file on the device.

im semi interested, but i think really ill get a nook color. if i put full android on one of those with my mobilenoter/onenote app i can copy, paste, and sync my notes pretty trivially, and i dont expect itll be that easy with the new nook.

 

[gorcorps]

one of the things putting me off from a kindle is a physical keyboard...but then, i want to take notes easily, and doing that on a kindle looks like a huge pain in the ass...then having (as i understand it) to move that from a text file on the device.

im semi interested, but i think really ill get a nook color. if i put full android on one of those with my mobilenoter/onenote app i can copy, paste, and sync my notes pretty trivially, and i dont expect itll be that easy with the new nook.

Plus w/ a Nook Color you can use whatever keyboard you want to download. There's a number of good ones better than stock.

 

[xSauronx]

Plus w/ a Nook Color you can use whatever keyboard you want to download. There's a number of good ones better than stock.

yeah thats another thing, is there swype or something similar for it? i probably would have returned my desire if i didnt have a swype keyboard, that thing is *great*

 

[gorcorps]

If you can find a download for it, you can put swype on any android device. Once rooted the nook can do the same thing with a bit of trickery.

 

[xSauronx]

i thought it was resolution dependent, i seem to remember trying swype for a galaxy s and it beeyotched about my desire, but then i found one fit for the desire, and all was well with my cell phone

/older version, maybe that has changed now

 

[Red Storm]

Plus w/ a Nook Color you can use whatever keyboard you want to download. There's a number of good ones better than stock.

Color Nook doesn't compare to the Kindle though. If you want a reading device, e-ink is far, far superior to an LCD. This new Nook is proper competition.

 

[Dulanic]

Color Nook doesn't compare to the Kindle though. If you want a reading device, e-ink is far, far superior to an LCD. This new Nook is proper competition.

Agree. I can sit outside in the sun on my deck and read easily like it is paper. I love my kindle.

 

[xSauronx]

Agree. I can sit outside in the sun on my deck and read easily like it is paper. I love my kindle.

yeah...thing is, i dont want to just read casually, im a student, so if i have a device to read on, i want to be able to take notes or clips and keep up with them easily and get to them on other devices

i can take notes on my pc/laptop, throw stuff in one note, and sync it to my phone (and vice versa) and its pretty trivial to deal with. i want that ease of use and info transfer to a tablet/reader/whatever, so what can a kindle do there? or what can the new nook touch do?

 

[gorcorps]

Color Nook doesn't compare to the Kindle though. If you want a reading device, e-ink is far, far superior to an LCD. This new Nook is proper competition.

That wasn't the point. The guy I was talking to specifically mentioned the Nook Color for notetaking, so I added to that thought. Wasn't trying to compare it to this or the Kindle.

 

[Red Storm]

That wasn't the point. The guy I was talking to specifically mentioned the Nook Color for notetaking, so I added to that thought. Wasn't trying to compare it to this or the Kindle.

Yeah I didn't notice the guy you quoted was talking about note taking.

The Kindle and the E-Ink Nook are dedicated reading devices. They have one purpose and they do it exceptionally. Additional functionality can be found with tablets (and a higher price).