Nook Color. Android tablet for $250?

[Bryf50]

Barnes & Noble just revealed the new Nook Color. Its using a 1024 x 600 ips display and running android all for $250. Although its meant to be an e-reader it seems like it could make a pretty nice tablet depending on the hardware specs.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/26/barnes-and-noble-nook-color-revealed/

 

[shortylickens]

My understanding is most of these off-brand tablets will have no marketplace or gimped marketplace, amiright?

 

[Narmer]

Interesting. If they make the web browsing decent it could give Apple and other tablet makers a good run for their money. That price will make people take a hard look.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Very interesting. If it can be rooted and installed with a custom ROM, I might grab one for that price.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

they got the pricing right, but what makes all the manufacturers think that people want android tablets with 1024x600 rather than 800??

 

[dougp]

they got the pricing right, but what makes all the manufacturers think that people want android tablets with 1024x600 rather than 800??

Wonder if it has to do with cost, as 1024x600 is common in the netbook world, and probably cheaper to product than a 7" 1024x800 screen.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Wonder if it has to do with cost, as 1024x600 is common in the netbook world, and probably cheaper to product than a 7" 1024x800 screen.

theyre probably just saving them for the next upgrade wave so we'll then go out and buy what we really wanted in the first place

 

[zerocool84]

they got the pricing right, but what makes all the manufacturers think that people want android tablets with 1024x600 rather than 800??

Umm because it's an eReader first and foremost. I'm sure the browsing experience isn't going to be great as it's not blazing fast device.

 

[MrX8503]

Why does an ereader not have an e-ink screen?

 

[zerocool84]

Why does an ereader not have an e-ink screen?

There's other eReaders without eInk screens. It doesn't have the horsepower to rival any tablet. If they're trying to compete in the tablet market then I don't see it cus it's definitely not a powerful machine.

 

[Bateluer]

Why does an ereader not have an e-ink screen?

Because they want to compete with the iPad, which has color. Not sure how many people can read on an LCD screen for more than brief periods at a time though. I definitely prefer the e-ink screen.

 

[gorcorps]

While I appreciate the attempt at innovation here, this IMO is an even smaller niche product than normal e-readers. If/when it gets rooted, as stated it doesn't have the power to compete in the tablet world. Color screens are good for textbook diagrams and such, but those still are rarely in an easy to find electronic version in any store. I don't really see a huge market for it, but if it gets hacked there's plenty of android fans that would love to tinker with it.

 

[MagickMan]

I've not seen specs on it's power. Anyone have a link?

 

[shortylickens]

While I appreciate the attempt at innovation here, this IMO is an even smaller niche product than normal e-readers. If/when it gets rooted, as stated it doesn't have the power to compete in the tablet world. Color screens are good for textbook diagrams and such, but those still are rarely in an easy to find electronic version in any store. I don't really see a huge market for it, but if it gets hacked there's plenty of android fans that would love to tinker with it.

At 250 bucks its competitive. So long as you can still do most of the Android things besides phone calls, its worth it. I'd rather have a cheap Android tablet (even with some missing features) than an expensive iPad which really isnt much more useful anyway considering I'd still need a real computer.

 

[ViRGE]

Too slow to be a tablet, too short lived to be an e-reader. What's this thing supposed to do again?

 

[Dulanic]

Too slow to be a tablet, too short lived to be an e-reader. What's this thing supposed to do again?

That's easy.... someone goes to BB for an ereader. Mommy goes OHHHH but this one is color!!!! This person will have no idea that the glare is going to be a lot worse and that what they are buying isn't a true ereader.

I own a kindle, I love my kindle. Both of those facts would QUICKLY change if it wasn't a eink screen I could read anywhere without glare.

 

[MrX8503]

People buying this as an e reader is gonna have some eye strain. Maybe a super cheap e reader is in order.

 

[randomlinh]

People buying this as an e reader is gonna have some eye strain. Maybe a super cheap e reader is in order.

eventually the kindle will get there. kindle book sales are climbing still it seems. all they have to do is undercut paperback books and boom, even the $140 kindle will be worth it to more people.

But I'd gather the wifi kindle hits 99 by holiday season 2011. Or even less if the flood of android tablets really hits. e-ink alone is worth it as a stand alone device.

 

[Dulanic]

eventually the kindle will get there. kindle book sales are climbing still it seems. all they have to do is undercut paperback books and boom, even the $140 kindle will be worth it to more people.

But I'd gather the wifi kindle hits 99 by holiday season 2011. Or even less if the flood of android tablets really hits. e-ink alone is worth it as a stand alone device.

Well they tried the undercutting thing. The publishers said oh no no no no you can't do that. We don't care if you are the one taking a loss by lowering the prices, if you keep doing this we won't give you the rights to the ebooks. Amazon fought and fought but due to competitors like Apple giving in, it was a fight they couldnt win.

 

[Bateluer]

Well they tried the undercutting thing. The publishers said oh no no no no you can't do that. We don't care if you are the one taking a loss by lowering the prices, if you keep doing this we won't give you the rights to the ebooks. Amazon fought and fought but due to competitors like Apple giving in, it was a fight they couldnt win.

Publishers are idiots in this matter. They save a fortune with ebooks, and still want to charge the same or more for the book. Its retarded.

However, B&N and Amazon do have their 'self-publishing' services. Wonder how these will take off as people upload and sell their own work. Heck, J.K. Rowling was turned down by several publishers before she got the first Harry Potter published.

 

[Dulanic]

Publishers are idiots in this matter. They save a fortune with ebooks, and still want to charge the same or more for the book. Its retarded.

However, B&N and Amazon do have their 'self-publishing' services. Wonder how these will take off as people upload and sell their own work. Heck, J.K. Rowling was turned down by several publishers before she got the first Harry Potter published.

I would love to see it take off as Kindle becomes more and more popular. It is a GREAT way for writers who don't have the big cash investment it takes for normal publishing. The downside is there could be some great books that never overall sell that many copies due to the limited release to Kindle only. The publishers are selfish greedy asses who will end up digging their own grave if they don't get on board.

 

[shortylickens]

Publishers are idiots in this matter. They save a fortune with ebooks, and still want to charge the same or more for the book. Its retarded.

However, B&N and Amazon do have their 'self-publishing' services. Wonder how these will take off as people upload and sell their own work. Heck, J.K. Rowling was turned down by several publishers before she got the first Harry Potter published.

The sad thing is I am almost certain every New York Times bestseller is available on PDF over torrents. They need to learn the same lesson the RIAA and MPAA have been trying to deny.

 

[DivideBYZero]

If you truly love reading, why would you need anything more than the cheapest Kindle?

 

[shortylickens]

If you truly love reading, why would you need anything more than the cheapest Kindle?

Some of the cheap ass ones have unpleasant screens. If you truly love reading you wouldnt wanna mess up your eyes.
But your point is correct. Get an ereader for reading and computer for everything else. If you can get the power of a computer in your cell phone and are willing to deal with the small screen, go for it.

In Japan many people dont even have personal computers, they do everything on their phones.

 

[Bryf50]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/28/nook-color-processor-revealed-arm-cortex-a8-based-ti-omap3621/
Cortex A8 processor. Good so far. Now we just need to know how fast its clocked and how much memory it has.