Kindle Electronic Reader vs Nook?

[boy in a kilt]

I'm gonna chime in here on behalf of the Kindle.

I got one shortly after I got to Iraq so I could have something to read. Selection of books is very limited and at some point, I have to get everything I have here home (or sell it cheap to the next unit coming in).

Also, when I'm on the road for a couple of days (as is the case when I head down to Baghdad), it's nice just throwing the kindle in my ruck.

I have something like 70 books on mine right now. That isn't considered excessive over here. One of our intel analysts has actually managed to fill hers. It's easy for one's book buying to get out of control with a kindle.

My reading list now includes the complete works of HP Lovecraft, all of the A.C. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, a couple of zombie books, Richard Burton's Arabian Nights, et al. The point being it's broadened the range of possibilities and deals with one key problem: I read fast.

A couple of our lieutenants are working on their master's degrees here. One is using the kindle for her text books and says she doesn't like it much. The other one has most of his textbooks on hard copy, but does have a few on kindle.

Not sure how much use it'll get when I actually return to the states. I do have plans for a bike tour or two, so it'll probably go on that.

[limewave]

I've had my kindle 2 for two months now. And I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!

There is a free converter software available that can convert nook books and pdfs to kindle format and vice-versa.

All your ebooks can be uploaded onto your computer for backup.

Also, the Kindle 2 has FREE mobile internet. While we were traveling, I could check up on my Facebook and Email via my Kindle (my cell phone won't do that).

DH said he would never want a Kindle, he loves his books too much. But he's starting to come around. I have a feeling a Kindle will be on his Christmas list this year.

By the way, for all you book-lovers out there. We have a full library with wall-to-wall books. That's what happens when two people are addicted to reading and one of us works at a Publishing House (free books!).

[OakLeaf]

FREE mobile internet. While we were traveling, I could check up on my Facebook and Email via my Kindle (my cell phone won't do that).

How is that possible??? Are there limitations to the service?

And... what's data entry like on it? Is it easier to type on as an iPhone/iPod?

[surgtech1956]

A friend at work got a Nook a few weeks ago and loves it. The battery life is excellent. What I like about the Nook is that you can swap books between other Nook owners(for 14 days) and the fact thats its Barnes & Noble. I really like the idea of an ereader, especially for travelling and convenience. But I grew up in the 'library' era, where our second grade field trip was to the library and got a library card and being able to browse hundreds of books. Just my .02.

[TrekTheKaty]

I LOVE MY KINDLE! I DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT MY IPHONE AND MY KINDLE!

My husband and I love our books--we have a whole room ("Library") in our small house dedicated to our collection. However, we were running out of room. We actually were considering moving to a bigger house to accommodate all the books (and we don't usually buy hardbacks!)

I bought the first kindle for my husband when they came out. We both travel for a living, he reads 2-3 books at a time, he was starting to wear reading glasses, and we're "techies." The wireless downloads and different font sizes were big selling points. My husband didn't take to it at first, so I stole it. I became addicted.

I read more, now, than I have since high school. Any books that are in public domain are free from Amazon or other websites (gutenberg, freebooks). Also, I read more new release hardbacks because they can be as low as $9.99 (publishers don't like this, and it may not last). I never dreamed it would pay for itself. Now, we have 2 kindles on the same account--so we can share books (you get up to 5 devices, including iphone and pc). We can actually buy a book and read it at the same time instead of waiting for the other person to finish! Instead of buying every book I'm interested in, I download a sample into my "virtual book pile" and only purchase when I'm ready to read it (that alone is a money saver--I never did get anywhere near the bottom of the book pile before hubby stole, read, and loaned out to someone else--then I ended up buying again). When I went to sell/donate some of our old books, we also discovered we had quite a few copies of some of our favorites. Amazon is polite enough to keep you from downloading twice.

The other advantage is ergonomics. I can hold my kindle in one hand. Much easier than holding SK's lastest "Under the Dome." At the time, I was reading "Snowflake" about Warren Buffett. It was so thick, I wasn't comfortable sitting in a chair, at a table or in bed. With a Kindle, reading in bed is much more comfortable.

I love bookstores and still go--with my kindle tucked in my purse. I download samples and anything not available on my kindle, I purchase. I also donated a lot of my old books to the library.

The screen is e-ink so it is easier on your eyes than a computer screen. It has a grey background and less glare.

I would advise checking the Amazon and Barnes & Noble forums to learn more. Rumor is the Nook is slow to ship and has quite a few software problems. I finally demoed a Nook at B&N with a friend who was interested and it wasn't very user friendly, IMHO. I couldn't get it to open a book, and the employee wasn't doing much better. Also search both stores for your favorite authors (Grisham and JK Rowling are not available in ebooks).

Sitting on an airplane the other day, someone next to me had an interesting book. I downloaded a sample before we pushed away from the gate. Sweet. I can sit at home in my jammies, watching letterman while it snows and download a new book by an author just interviewed on TV. Sweet (and lazy!)

Not all books are available in e-book format. Authors have the right to say no. Being able to borrow from the library would also be nice. However, I don't miss loaning books--my friends never brought them back anyway. Mooches. The color screen seems to be a big selling point, but I can do without it. Rumor is Amazon may be working on color, but they claimed up to this point it wasn't feasible. Also, think about all the fingerprints on your "book" from the touch screen?!

You can also convert word and pdf's for your kindle.

Oh yeah--battery life. If you turn off the wireless when you're not using it, the battery lasts over a week (I lost track after a week and a half).

But, it's really up to you

[fastdogs]

soon I'll be going on a year with my kindle, and I love it as much now as when I first got it. I recently downloaded the free "kindle for PC" and can access my kindle books on my pc, but it's not as easy reading with a backlit screen, for me. I hope the kindle for mac comes out soon for macbook, although I won't use it much it would be nice to be able to continue a book I've started if there should ever be a time I don't have my kindle with me. That's hardly ever, though, because it goes everywhere with me.
The internet access is a nice convenience, if you are reading and want to check your email or something (and you are in a wireless area). I don't find it that easy to use the keyboard (but I don't text or anything). But it's nice to have when you need it, and no extra charges for it either.
I keep telling myself I will go one month without buying a single book, but usually I find something I want, although luckily they are usually 1.99 or something like that.
vickie