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Topic: Question about reading on a Nook color

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Clarinda avatar
Subject: Question about reading on a Nook color
Date Posted: 5/23/2012 12:53 PM ET
Member Since: 7/13/2005
Posts: 5,201
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I used to have an Ipad with the Nook app on it.  I found that reading books on the backlit pad srceen really tired my eyes out quickly. Well the Ipad died an untimely death and I don't think I'll get another one.  I'm considering a Nook but am undecided on which one.  I like the Simple Touch due to its portable size and E Ink screen.  But I'm also leaning towards a Nook Tablet - but the backlit book reading still makes me hesitate.  So I'm asking anyone who has a Nook Tablet - especially if you've also read an E Ink screen - is the reading experience on the tablet the same eye-straining backlit screen as an Ipad or computer?  Or is it more like the E Ink of the Simple Touch?

booklover6 avatar
Date Posted: 5/23/2012 5:36 PM ET
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The Nook Color, and all the tablets, have the same LCD backlit screen. I haven't used an ipad, but I have read on the Nook Color and the Kindle Fire. I personally am not bothered by the back light. I like the small, portable size. And the back light can be dimmed, and also you can use a variety of back grounds, like parchment, or even black back ground with white text.

But e-ink, such as the Nook Touch, is really ideally suited for reading books. And the battery life is a LOT longer with e-ink over LCD.

gingerkitty avatar
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Date Posted: 5/23/2012 9:08 PM ET
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I have an eink Sony reader and a Nook Color.  I keep the Nook Color in my purse and I read on it during my lunch break at work so it's like half an hour at a time.  Haven't noticed any eyestrain from that.

For reading for longer periods of time, I definitely prefer the Sony eink screen.

If the backlit screen of the Ipad bothered your eyes, chances are the Nook Color or Tablet will as well.  I'd go with an eink screen.

rainbowbrite98 avatar
Date Posted: 5/24/2012 3:00 AM ET
Member Since: 8/13/2008
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For reading, eink is always going to be better. I had the Nook Color and ended up selling it because when I wanted to read, I picked up my eink device. (Right now, it's the NST with glowlight...fantastic device, by the way.) When I wanted to play a game or do something on the internet, I picked up my iPhone or the laptop. So the Nook Color essentially ended up being useless for me. I absolutely had the eye strain from reading on it, so I just didn't. Eink is so much more comfortable and with the glow light NST, you can read in bed with no lights on and it doesn't hurt your eyes a bit because it's not backlit. Best of both worlds!

mamadoodle avatar
Date Posted: 5/24/2012 8:53 AM ET
Member Since: 2/24/2006
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It's all going to be in what you prefer.  I loved the eink screen on the 1st edition Nook, but I don't like the square size of the current eink Nook.  (Alternatives, besides Kindle anyone?)

The Nook Color has a variety of background options.  A lot of times I use the "nighttime" setting which is a black background with white lettering.  Doesn't bother my eyes at all, and I sit at a computer 10 hours a day for my job.

DuskyRose avatar
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Date Posted: 5/24/2012 11:20 AM ET
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I loved the eink screen on the 1st edition Nook, but I don't like the square size of the current eink Nook.  (Alternatives, besides Kindle anyone?)

Sony prs-T1, Kobo Touch.

My favorites are the Sony's, then the Nook. The Kobo was okay, but slow and I didn't like the interface as much as I liked the others.

xengab avatar
Date Posted: 5/24/2012 12:19 PM ET
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I've been able to try out both the Nook color and the Nook e-ink.  YES the backlit screen made my eyes get tired, the e-ink did not.

If you need something to read on, then get an e-ink reader.  If you are wanting to watch movies or play games then I;d get the tablet.

gingerkitty avatar
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Date Posted: 5/24/2012 7:23 PM ET
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For an eink ereader, I LOVE my Sony.  When the current one I have dies, I'll get another Sony. 

mamadoodle avatar
Date Posted: 5/25/2012 8:48 AM ET
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Can you directly load Nook books to the Sony or do you have to convert them first?

Clarinda avatar
Date Posted: 5/25/2012 10:36 AM ET
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Thanks for the helpful info everyone, looks like I'll go for the E-ink.

gingerkitty avatar
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Date Posted: 5/25/2012 7:23 PM ET
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Nook books are EPUB, you should be able to sideload them on a Sony.  I don't know if the DRM would matter or not.

I'd try it but I don't have a Nook application on my computer, I put all my Nook books into Calibre and strip the DRM from them so I can put them on my Sony.

mamadoodle avatar
Date Posted: 5/26/2012 7:05 PM ET
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thanks Sarah.  ;-)

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Date Posted: 5/26/2012 11:15 PM ET
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Have you looked at the new Nook ST's w/Glowlight?  They're pretty nice.

Catspaw avatar
Date Posted: 6/6/2012 10:56 PM ET
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I just got the Nook with Glowlight.  I've mostly used it for daytime reading, but did use the glowlight a couple of nights ago.  It definitely works well, and gives pretty even lighting over the entire reading screen.  I put it on a very low light setting for reading in a dark room.

When I loaded my Sony books onto the Nook, I got a 'device not enabled' message.  I had to register the Nook on my Adobe Digital Editions account in order for the DRM'd books to become readable.  Non DRM books transferred over without any problem.

 

booklover6 avatar
Date Posted: 6/7/2012 7:57 AM ET
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Sherri, the Sony T1 is really nice! And if you can find one in your area, the Sony PRS-350. (You might be able to find it on the Sony website too). That is discontinued so it can be found for lovely low prices. (Not the PRS-300...the 350 is much better, from all accounts. Walmart has the 300 on clearance in many stores--so don't bother looking there).

The 350 has no wifi, no card slot.....so if those are important to you, then look for the T1 instead. The ideal price would be $99 but no one has it for that right now (that I know of). The T1 has wifi, and you can put some android stuff on it if you want. It has a card slot, so it can hold ***thousands**** of books, it has a touch screen, AND it has buttons. I use both! It can be modified in different ways, or used stock, both ways are great. overall this is a quality piece of hardware with quality software and all the functions one could want! (Except for 3G) You can put dropbox on it and access your books wirelessly if you want. I find it easier to plug it in and use Calibre.

mamadoodle avatar
Date Posted: 6/7/2012 11:07 AM ET
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I love Dropbox and Calibre.   I don't know if anyone else is aware of this.  Probably are - I'm so behind the times with Calibre.  But today I downloaded Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh from Diesel ebooks.  It came in the ACSM file for ADE.  So what I did was downloaded the file to my PC.  I imported it into ADE and then closed ADE.   Then I pulled the epub file from My Documents/MyDigitalEditions folder, then imported it into Calibre.  I moved it to my Nook Color without having to use ADE and it opened up perfectly.



Last Edited on: 6/7/12 11:08 AM ET - Total times edited: 1
booklover6 avatar
Date Posted: 6/7/2012 11:17 AM ET
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Yes Sherri, that is how I deal with adobe drm also. I mainly have to do it with Kobo books. Sometimes with library books.

mamadoodle avatar
Date Posted: 6/7/2012 11:46 AM ET
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I really despise ADE.  Not that it's hard to work with, just aggravating.  Of course, I hate DRM to start with.

gingerkitty avatar
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Date Posted: 6/7/2012 7:23 PM ET
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Yes, when I download from Kobo, I have to open the book in ADE first so it actually downloads.  Then, I can get it into Calibre to strip the DRM and put it on my Sony.