Kindle Versus the Nook

I've been wanting to buy the Kindle since it first rolled out, but I've been hesitant all this time because of the bugs as well as the pricetag. The big thing for me was that I couldn't see buying it, sight unseen, despite the positive reviews I read about for the K2. Then the nook came out, and Amazon dropped the price in order to compete. I researched both devices and had a hard time deciding which one I wanted to get. The deal-breaker came when I was able to go into my local B&N store and try out the nook.

While I've been enjoying that ereader for four months now, I get frustrated when I find a book that I want to read but it's not available for the device. So, I talked my husband into getting me one as an anniversary gift. So far, I'm very impressed. I spent an entire morning reading a book from cover to cover. The text is very crisp. As with the nook, I can adjust the font size. But as far as I can tell, only one font is available.

Buying books is an easy process. I liked how I can delete the samples as soon as I'm finished reading them. I like the fact that I have more options when buying books. Thanks to their latest software update, I can now organize my books on the Kindle.

I love how light the Kindle is. For people who suffer from carpal tunnel or arthritis, this is a definite benefit. The nook feels almost too heavy by comparison. I also like the screensavers that are installed on the device. They are varied, interesting and have a cleaner look than the default screensavers for the nook.

Once I figured out how to get to the web browser, I tested that out and found that it was too basic. That's okay, because I use the Kindle and the nook for reading books, not websurfing. That said, this feature is nice to have in the event that I find myself somewhere where I don't have access to a computer. I haven't tested the audio because I have no interest in playing mp3's or listening to audio books.

Interface

The keypad and the 5-way controller takes some getting used to, especially if you are used to using the touch screen technology. This is one thing I don't like about the Kindle, but I knew that when I bought it. Another issue I had was with the Previous Page button on the left side of the device. I have to press down hard in order to get it to work. The Next Page buttons work fine. Pages turn the second you press the button, and the refresh rate is faster than on the nook.

The interface on the nook is drop-dead simple. I especially appreciated the touch interface, which I've grown accustomed to since I bought my iTouch. You can set the sleep mode to however many seconds or minutes you want. You are not limited to the touch screen when turning pages, however I would be especially gentle when using the arrow keys on the bevel, as it is known to crack after repeated pressings.

Battery Life

When I first got both devices, I found myself charging them every night because the battery would drain to 50% after 2-3 hours of reading. And, it would drain after sitting there for a week in sleep mode. I accidentally found the secret to keeping the battery charged while I was traveling: turn off the Wi-Fi. I was able to read on the Kindle for long periods during that week and still keep a full battery charge without having to hook it up to the charger.

PDFs

I was able to upload some personal files via my special Kindle email. However, I wasn't able to adjust the font size, which is quite small. Also, I wasn't able to make highlights. I experience the same issue of highlighting and note taking with the nook. However, I am able to adjust the font size.

Textbooks

I opened up a sample of Creative Photoshop CS4: Digital Illustration and Art Techniques on the Kindle and was pleasantly surprised to find that the graphics aligned well with the text. The screenshots of the CS4 menus came out hard to read, especially if they were small. Large screenshots came out better.

The screenshots in the Adobe Illustrator CS4 How-TOs manual came out slightly more readable on the nook.

Verdict

After almost a almost two months, I can honestly say that I would recommend the Kindle to my friends and family. Would I recommend the Kindle over the nook? Yes.

Even though I like the nook's touch screen (when it works) and the ability to change the fonts and their sizes, I find that I'm spending more time reading my Kindle because I can turn the pages easier and can now organize my books. That, and the Kindle has more books to choose from at the moment.

As an avid reader and longtime customer of Amazon, it's great knowing that I can count on them to carry the books that I want/need to read. My official answer is to test them both before you decide. You can test the nook at your local Barnes&Noble and the Kindle at your local Target.