As part of our What the Tech Q&A series, technology contributor Vince Lattanzio offers his answers to viewer's burning technology questions. If you'd like to rack his brain, send in your question here.
I received this question from Rick about the new eReader Nook Color:
"What do you think about the nook color eReader from Barnes and Noble? Thanks Rick."
Hi Rick,
Choosing handheld electronics like an eReader can be tough and I'm sure you know a lot of the decision is subjective. So I took a look at the major features to try and help you draw comparisons to make the right decision.
After spending some time with the Nook Color, I was very impressed by its performance. Opening, reading and purchasing books is a snap. A great feature called LendMe allows you to share certain books with friends for a limited time. The only downside lies with the inability to read some books in landscape mode.
Speaking of lending books, the Nook devices allow you to read your books on a series of other platforms thanks to a Nook app. Amazon's Kindle offers a similar experience. Apps for the iPhone, iPad, Android OS, Windows and Mac allow you to read your books anywhere, which definitely takes away the buying jitters. If you switch devices, you'll still have your books.
From a physical standpoint, the Nook Color is slightly larger than it's sister device -- the Nook. The Nook Color has a 7-inch color touchscreen -- one-inch larger than the original. For an eReading device, the screen is surprisingly responsive and bright. No issues with swiping between pages or typing on the virtual keyboard.
The backlit display will also make it easy to read books in low or no light, an issue of contention for some -- including one of my producers. On the flip side, the glass that covers the vivid screen is prone to reflections, making it more difficult to read in direct sunlight.
When it comes to weight, the Nook Color is a little hefty. You may think that's because of the glass screen, but surprisingly the Color isn't too much heavier than it's black-and-white counterpart. Still, the added weight doesn't make it tough to hold.
The standout features of the Nook Color are centered around the color screen -- full-color magazines, children's picture books and web browsing -- but at least two of these could use some polishing.
Photos inside the magazines appeared crisp and clear, but text, at times, was hard to read. That's not because of the screen, but most likely the way the magazines were put together by the publishers. With that said, the Nook Color's ArticleView feature -- through which articles are highlighted and magnified with the click of an on-screen button was a nice experience. Magazines and newspapers are also offered through subscriptions, something that's offered on Amazon's Kindle but lacking on Apple's iPad.
The web browsing experience also could use some work. Instead of being able to use finger gestures to zoom, you're forced to use plus and minus icons to get closer to content. Loading time for pages is also a little slow at times.
While these are areas for improvement, they're not deal breakers and can easily be remedied with software upgrades in the future.
The Nook Color has filled the gap between traditional eReaders and tablets, making it an attractive choice for the avid reader who'd like to do more. Extras like music apps and games allow you shed your bookworm label without being overwhelmed with the full-app experience.
When it comes down to whether you should spend the extra 100 bucks to buy the Color, I'd ask yourself whether you're looking for a device that will allow you to do more than just read your stories. If not, stick with the original Nook or go for Amazon's Kindle.
The Nook Color sells for $249 and is only available in a WiFi version. Find more information here.
Now, if only I can find a digital copy of Disney's Imagineers book, I'd be a happy man!
