Earlier we wrote about the Barnes & Noble Nook eBook reader that suddenly was being made available today. Scanning over their website we see that the information has now been made official and that a colour eBook reader is now available for pre-order. Although the eBook reader does have some element of colour, it is important to know that the reading pane is just regular e-ink, but the device does have a seperate LCD colour navigation area below the screen that acts like a touch-pad.
The Nook measures 7.7″ x 4.9″ x 0.5″ and weighs 11.2 ounces. The main screen/reading pane uses advanced E Ink Vizplex that allows you to read eBooks like a printed page. This allows you to read in sunlight as well as clearly while used in your home. The text size can also be adjusted to suit your needs.
Below the e ink screen is the colour touchscreen that measures 3.5 inches and allows you to scroll through the covers of your eBook and select the one you want to read.
Connectivity wise the Nook uses both Wi-Fi and AT&T’s 3G wireless network to connect to the internet and Barnes & Nobles online eBook store. The wi-fi part connects at either 802.11b or g.
For storage the Nook has 2GB built in that allows you to store about 1500 eBooks to read. If that isn’t enough storage capacity for you then you can also use the microSD slot to add another 16GB capacity for storing a hefty 17,500 eBooks in total.
As the device uses e ink for the primary display, battery life (as expected) is good at 10 days or so. Charge time will see it fully ready for reading in 3.5 hours.
For audio the Nook can store about 26 hours worth of MP3 files which can be played back over the single speaker or through the 3.5mm headphone jack for better quality.
On to the eBook side of things Barnes & Noble allow you to download free samples of books to the Nook so you are sure you purchase a book you want. The Nook allows you to mark up pages and store bookmarks which are also synced with other eReader devices that use the Barnes & Noble software such as an iPhone. if you leave the eBook at home then load the book up on your phone and carry on reading where you left off. It’s not an earth shattering feature but still quite handy!
Barnes & Noble have also included a share with friends option that allows you to lend books to friends for up to 14 days. You can allow those you know to read the eBooks on computer, iPhone or the Nook.
The Nook is available for Pre-order over at Barnes & Noble and costs $259.
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