A Barnes & Noble Nook Review

The Barnes & Noble Nook was introduced in late 2009 and back then, it didn't get a lot of positive feedback, with most Nook reviews citing issues with the device's overall performance. Heeding these calls, B & N then hastened to make upgrades to its hardware to bring the Nook up to standard. After a couple a version updates, let's see just how much better the device has gotten in this 2011 Nook review.

Overall Design and Size. Not much has changed with the Nook's design since it was first introduced. The Nook's frame is a 7.7 by 4.9-inch white plastic bezel with a shiny finish on the front and a rubber-like material on the back. At the top of the gadget is found the Power/Sleep button, while the bottom part is where a small USB port, headphone jack, and a couple of speakers are situated.

This ereader is just half an inch thick and weighs 12.1 ounces. It may not be as light or as compact as the popular Kindle 3, but still the Nook color is still comfortable enough to use read with for long periods of time.

User Interface and Display. The Nook is unique in that its display area is composed of two parts. A 6-inch e-ink screen for reading occupies the upper and the bigger portion of the display area, while underneath it is the 3.5-inch colored LCD for navigation purposes. The LCD infuses a nice touch of color into an otherwise "dull" greyscale e-ink screen. But are these screen types any good in terms of functionality?

So far, e-ink has been considered as THE technology for ebook readers as it is designed to be glare-free and eyestrain-free even for long form reading. The Nook's e-ink screen, which uses 16 shades of gray and is adjustable to 3 font sizes, is simply perfect.

On the other hand, navigating within the device using the LCD touch screen can be a bit difficult. You'd have to remember to confine your touches to the lower part of the screen and this is not easy especially if you're used to full touch screen devices like smart phones and tablets.

Battery Life. The latest Nook boasts of a battery life that can last 10 days with the wireless off. This is already pretty good and would prove to be quite useful when traveling for short periods. But this battery life still lags way behind the performance of the Kindle which can go as long as 30 days on a single charge.

Storage. The Nook has 2G of internal memory which can store up to 1,500 books. If more is needed, then it's easy enough creating extra storage via the microSD slot which can accommodate up to 16GB of added memory.

Nook Review: The Conclusion

With access to more than 2 million titles and exclusive B & N features and technologies like LendMe, Stay in Sync, My Shelves, and Password Protection, the Nook now offers more value for money than before. You won't regret shelling out $199 for the Wi-Fi with 3G model or $149 for the Wi-Fi only edition.

It can't be denied that the Kindle still has the edge over it especially where battery and design are concerned, but from what we've seen up close in this Nook review, the Barnes & Noble Nook is now one of the best handheld ebook readers in the market today.

Visit our site for a more indepth Nook review. You can also find reviews of other portable ebook readers to help you find the device that is best for you!