Nook Simple Touch

The Nook Simple Touch has a 6" touchscreen which uses infrared-powered technology to capture accurate pinpoint gestures by the user. E InkPearl technology provides 16-level gray-scale contrast which is 50% more than the 1st edition Nook. Because of this it reads really well in bright light. The screen also produces 80% less flashing when turning pages, which is a complaint many people have about the Kindle. This is something which is a popular point of contention in the eReader market. Weighing in at 7.48 ounces it is one of the lightest eReaders on the market. Easily lighter than the larger Nook and Kindle models. In terms of capacity it can hold up to 1,000 books, magazines and newspapers. In contrast to the larger Kindle and Nook models this is less. The regular Nook holds up to 3,000 items and the Kindle 3,500. Still, 1,000 items is a large amount! If you ever get to the point where you're near capacity clear out some of your books!

One of the best features of the Nook Simple Touch is its battery life. None of the competition can match the 2 month of power on a single charge the Nook Simple Touch can offer. Being a Nook you get access to the world's largest bookstore. There are over 2 million titles available, thousands of which are free or are available for less than $9. If you want, you can pre-order books and magazines in which case they will automatically be downloaded the instant they're released. My favorite benefit of Nooks, the Simple Touch included, is the ability to download books from your public library. Nook is the only brand of eReader which supports the ePub format, the format of public library eBooks.

In terms of the Nook Simple Touch's capabilities there are many features which makes it a versatile and useful device. If you have trouble reading smaller fonts you can increase the font size to be more comfortable on your eyes. If the font itself is difficult to read choose a different font which is easier to read. While reading, add bookmarks and highlight passages for reference later. Fast Page is a feature which lets you touch and hold the side button to quickly scan through the book. I'm not sure what this would be useful for but it is there. If you'd like to personalize your Nook, upload pictures from your computer and use them as your screen saver. Further personalization is available if you want to organize books however you want.

A feature that I really like is called Nook Friends. Nook Friends lets you connect with friends who have Nooks to see their favorites and suggestions. Even better, use the LendMe technology to swap books with your friends. The Kindle does not let you borrow books from friends, so this feature is a major advantage to the Nook Simple Touch. If you've looked through your friends suggestions and can't find anything you want to read, peruse through the recommendations of experts or even speak with an expert bookseller who can offer excellent suggestions on what to read next. These expert booksellers can be reached on the phone, or you can go to your local Barnes & Noble to speak with them. Going to the store has the additional benefit that there are sometimes special offers available in-store only.