Nook vs Kindle

I think competition is a great thing so while I am obviously a Kindle fan I was very happy to see that Barnes and Noble's eReader device, the Nook, is ready to be released.

How does the Nook compare with a Kindle? I think both have pros and cons. Just from the specs and pictures of the Nook they are head to head in the eReader competition.

Barnes and Noble has a page just to compare the Nook to the Kindle so I'm not going to go over everything just the major points.

What is the same is that they both have e-ink technology, same size, adjustable text, same internal memory size, wireless connectivity and rechargeable battery, etc.

What is different is that the Nook offers the option to add memory via a Micro SD card. I myself do not see myself reaching the 1500 book limit any time in the near future so I am not worried about this at all.

Nook's wireless uses At&T, while Kindle works with Sprint. It may make a difference to you if your area has limited connectivity with one of the providers.

They both have dictionary support, although Nook uses Marriam-Webster's and the Kindle uses
the New Oxford American Dictionary. It's a personal preference and I know the Kindle lets you change your dictionary if you so wish.

The Barnes and Noble site claims the Nook supports more books than the Kindle but I do not believe that is true. E.g. Kindle also has more than a million titles available. It is true that lot of those titles in a PDF format but it's very easy to convert PDFs to Kindle formats. The same is true for the free books. You can get thousands and thousands of free books for the Kindle.

In the Nook the screensaver can be customized which is not easy on the Kindle. I have heard people finding a hack for it but I myself was never interested in that. I use the Kindle to read and not to look at my screensaver.

Nook advertises a color touch screen. From the picture it seems like the book itself is not in color though.

So far none of the differences would really sway me from one to the other.

But here is one thing that makes the Nook very interesting. It lets you lend your books to friends who also have a Nook or other supported device. There are some heavy restrictions on this though. A book can only be borrowed for 14 days and while it's lent out, you may not read it on your own device. I have also heard that a book may only be lent out once but I am yet to confirm that rumor.

Now this is the feature that I was waiting for! I will still stick with my Kindle but I know that soon Amazon will also make this available on their Kindles. Competition is a very powerful thing my friends!

Kindle Application for the PC

Amazon announced that soon there will be a Kindle application for the PC.

It means that besides reading books on your Kindle you may also read them on your PC's screens. In fact, after the application is released you won't even need a Kindle to enjoy Kindle books.

Of course, reading on the computer is not the same as reading on the Kindle. Kindle uses the so-called eInk technology so reading is easy on the eye. On the computer your eyes can tire out more quickly. Not mentioning that even smaller laptops (netbooks) are bulkier than the Kindle.

So while this news will help some people I myself will not give up my Kindle.

Money for Kindle Books

There are millions of free books out there but most of those are either self-published or classics in the public domain. What if you want to read something more current from a popular author, such as the latest Dan Brown book? You already shelled out the $200+ for the Kindle and you are broke. Is your only option to borrow the DTB from the library or from a friend?

No, there are ways to get Amazon.com certificates to pay for your Kindle books.

Search and Earn sites

Search and earn sites are an great way to earn Amazon.com certificates. My favorite is Swagbucks. It's not a scam and you won't be flooded with spam upon signing up. It's actually very easy to earn the minimum of $10 in Amazon.com certificates a month. This blog describes how it works.

Coinstar

It's not really free but it's a great way to turn your loose change into Kindle books. If you opt to get your money in gift certificates the machine will not charge you the counting fee. On the Coinstar site you can search for locations where Amazon.com certificates are offered.

These are the easiest way to fund your Kindle addiction. If you find other feel free to post them and as I find more I will update this page so check back often.

Why You Should NOT Buy a Kindle

It probably seems odd that I would have a post about why you should not purchase a Kindle when this whole blog's purpose is to advocate it.

Still, like with everything else it's not for everyone.

You should not buy a Kindle:

• If you love the smell and look of paper books.
• If you are looking for major cost savings. However, Kindle CAN save you money if you are into collecting classics (public domain.)
  
• If the main purpose of purchasing books is to collect rare editions.
• If you read mainly technical books. Although the Kindle DX may still fit your needs.
• If you read mainly color, illustrated books. Kindle currently can only show black and white pictures.
• If you are visual impaired. While most books have the text-to-speech enabled the menu itself does not have that feature. It may be hard to navigate to the book if you are unable to see the menu.
• If you don't read.

This list is by no means complete. There may be other reason why you will not be pleased with the Kindle. I hope I was able to at least help you determine if it is for YOU. If you are still in doubt, you can still try it. Amazon.com will let you return your Kindle within 30 days of purchase.

Kindle Accessories

Let's suppose you have purchased a Kindle or decided to purchase one. You may be wondering what else you need to buy for it. If you have purchased a laptop you know what I mean. You do not necessarily need anything to use it right away but you may want to get a wireless mouse for it, a laptop case to protect it on the road, extended warranty, games, etc. Kindle is like a laptop this way. You can use it right way but there are certain things that are nice to have.

Warranty

Amazon offers an extended warranty for it on their websites. Currently it costs $65 for 2 years from the date you purchased it. It, however, to the best of my knowledge does not cover accidental damage to it. I myself stumbled upon SquareTrade which is a third party warranty company.

SquareTrade offers 3 year extended warrantees and you can opt to include accidental coverage for it as well. The sign up is super easy and you can even check how much the warranty may cost before you register on their site. If you drop me a note I can have a 20% coupon sent to you. Or you may sign up for their newsletters and they often have better deals such as saving 30-40% off the regular warranty prices. Of course if you let me send you the coupon I get a $5 referral fee. The current warranty is priced at $34.99 for the Kindle. Adding the accidental coverage is about $10 extra. This is a much better deal than getting it from Amazon.

If you do decide on getting an extra warranty make sure you do so within 30 days of purchase.

Covers and Cases

To protect your Kindle during normal use I definitely recommend getting a cover for it. On the Amazon site itself there are so many of options you can choose from it will make you dizzy. I'll break it down for you here.

• Hinge Covers. These covers will utilize the Kindle's hinge system to keep the device in the cover. It opens up as a book.
  
• Platform Covers. It usually uses straps to hold the Kindle and flips open on top. It can be used as a bookstand for hands-free reading.
• Sleeve-style Cases. You'll have to take your Kindle out for reading. I recommend these for travel.
  

I myself have the Mivizu sleek cover in color red which is my favorite color. My biggest beef with this cover is that it's not padded therefore it does not provide as much protection as I'd need with kids in the house. But it's great for reading as it does not add bulk to the Kindle.

If I had a lot of money I'd definitely get an Oberon cover. They are beautiful!

Lights

The Kindle display is not backlit due to the e-Ink technology. (This technology makes reading easy on the eyes on the Kindle and other eReader devices.) For this reason if you read a lot at night you may want to consider purchasing a light. If you have an M-Edge cover they have M-Edge light compatible with it.

Skins

If you want to make your Kindle pretty or you don't like the its boring white color, purchase a skin for it. Skinit is a popular site for selecting a new look for your Kindle. Skins are basically stickers that cover the surface of the device. They usually have holes for the keys and other places where it's needed.

Some people - who have more time and money on hand than me - go into such trouble as purchase matching covers and skins AND customize their screensavers to blend in seamlessly.

International Kindle!

Amazon.com has released the international Kindle!

One of the nice things about the Kindle is its wireless capabilities. One of the complaints about the Kindle is that the wireless only works in the US. Not anymore! There is an international Kindle now that has a wireless connection in a 100 other countries besides the US. Since I am Hungarian, naturally I had to check if Hungary is included in those countries. I should not surprised but yes, the international Kindle's wireless can be used in Hungary. If you want to check the coverage you are interested in the link is in the technical details section of the international Kindlepage.

This "new" Kindle will be released on October 19th. It still looks the same and works the same way as the "original" second generation Kindle. Its price is not bad at all. They will be sold for $279 which is cheaper than what I paid for my Kindle. In fact, the price of the "original" Kindle 2 dropped as well to $259. [Insert a big sigh here.] That's what I get as early adopter of technology.

Please comment if you have anything interested to say about Amazon's new move.