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mwilczek

Barns and Noble Nook or Amazon Kindle

So i think it is time for an e-reader, but the big question is which one?
Do I go with the B&N Nook, or Amazon Kindle touch?
I hear the Nook has a batter display and is more responsive but I feel the Kindle has a better industry backing.

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4 replies
jmcphers

The Nook's display is not better. Both products use the same part from the same manufacturer--an E-Ink Pearl display.

The major advantage of the Nook is that it supports lots more file formats (including EPUB, which is favored by non-Amazon bookstores and libraries), and it has dedicated page-turn buttons. The Kindle only supports Amazon's format, and does not have page-turn buttons.

I chose the Kindle because of the simple elegance of the Kindle ecosystem and Amazon's commitment to "making the device disappear"--read a few of the Kindle Touch reviews that are out today on Engadget and friends. Also, I think the Nook Simple Touch is sort of ugly. :-)
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mwilczek

I am actually reading those now, I am new to the whole e-book reader area so the fact that kindle only supports kindle formart bothers me a bit, but then again I do not know what to expect from the rest of the world in terms of e-books. Will I get e-books from other sources, will newspapers and magazines be equally distributed?
Honestly the other option is to get a tablet (something I been planning on doing) but then there will be the added eye strain on non e-ink display for books.
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jmcphers

Don't forget battery life! No backlight, no processor heavy tasks such as video playback => super long battery life in most E-Ink products. In my mind an e-book reader and a tablet are totally separate devices with totally different purposes, form factors, and technologies, but it's really a personal choice.

Oh and one other advantage the Kindle has over the Nook is a built-in MP3 player so you can listen to music while you read. The Kindle will also read (most) books to you and supports audiobooks (the Nook doesn't).
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mwilczek

I think I am leaning towards the Kindle, mainly due to my investment in Amazon.
99% of the books I purchase now a days are via Amazon anyway with the 1% being from Brick and Mortar B&N stores or other book stores.
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