Android Phones
Nook Color: Great reader, so-so tablet
November 23, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
Android Devices, Reviews, Tablets, Video Reviews
Anyone who listened to the AndroidGuys podcast last night heard my first impressions of the Barnes & Noble Nook Color. While I have been pleased and somewhat impressed by this Android-based reader with some tablet characteristics, I can only say that for one side of the equation.
Barnes & Noble wasn’t kidding when it declared that the Nook Color is a reading device first and foremost. However, I was still surprised by the comparatively weak performance of the Nook Color as a tablet. Media support is severely limited when it comes to playback formats, and the absence of an easy way to side-load applications means you can’t install advanced media apps like VPlayer or PowerAMP to address that shortcoming (this may change once B&N introduces its own app store). And don’t even think of depending on web-based media because YouTube is as unreliable as it is unimpressive.
The browser also fails to impress for websites that have a large amount of scripts or media to load. Someone doing the most basic and light activity – checking Gmail or browsing Facebook Touch – will find that the Nook Color is a capable device, but you may want to consider going to your laptop for most other activity.
I’ve been accused of being overly-critical on some devices, but I think it’s important to warn people to temper their expectations on the Nook Color. Readers, Twitter followers, and podcast listeners have all expressed excitement about getting an Android tablet for such a low price, but I would not recommend anyone try to use this device as a tablet unless they are content to only browse certain websites, listen to Pandora on Wi-Fi, and don’t have plans to play games or load many apps. If you’re searching for that media-rich tablet for browsing the web and playing Angry Birds, you may want to look elsewhere. Rooting may eventually provide some added benefits, but that’s a big “if” to place your hopes.
This article is part of a series of hands-on and impression video reviews of the Nook Color. Expect to see the complete Nook Color review later this week.
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You answered all the questions that were bothering me. THANK YOU!
It's not a TABLET!!! It's an e-reader!!! Why do people keep insisting on trying to compare this thing to an iPad???? And besides, why would your want your e-reader to play music?? You don't have ANY other device to listen to music on?
Sorry guys, but I'm getting real heavy on the nookcolor-is-a-tablet fatigue.
By the way, that's EXACTLY how the ESPN mobile site is supposed to look, there is no formatting problem as you suggested. And you must be unbelievably busy if you think the regular site took too long to load.
tpapictures is the epitome of immaturity and closemindedness. Here's a clue of him/her/it: it's got a 3.5mm jack. Here's another: it's got a capacitive screen. Here's another: it's got 512MB of RAM. Here's another: it's running Android. The Kindle and the Nook are ereaders. The NookColor is a somewhat hobbled tablet (no camera, GPS, 3G, etc.) but with a nice screen, running ereader software.
Actually, Barnes & Noble announced as an ereader "With extras" and people took that as being good enough to be their tablet. We've fielded plenty of questions from people SPECIFICALLY asking about this as a tablet device. This video was made to warn them that they shouldn't do that because it's not a good option. I made sure to remind people that should only view this as a reader and if they do, they'll be pleased.
This is a product which should be considered as 70% Reader and 30% Tablet. Great device for some one who reads pdfs , it is great in size and view, Should improve a lot in their software though.Shame to under power it because of the software layer which hides the powerful hardware.
Wow did you do any research of this product before reviewing? If you did you would have known it DOES NOT support Flash until it is updated to 2.2. ESPN mobile looks exactly like it does on the phone, and I agree with the guy above, That was not slow loading up
Also you should research what file formats it supports music and video. egads man. LOL
Also reading Magazines there is "Arlticle View", "Skip to Artilcle" which has a scrolling artlicles that run underneath the page. But you did not know anything about that.
You reviewed this as a Samsung Galaxy S competitor.
Wow Just Wow
Article View is not that great and kind of defeats the purpose of people using it is as design. Again, this post is a warning to people who ALREADY THINK they can make this a great tablet. ESPN Mobile looks like it does on the phone but it looks good on the phone because of size and format considerations. You should expect (and get) more from a tablet.
As said in the video and article, this is not a good tablet. I did research what formats it supports and the Nook claims to support MP3, yet none of the MP3's in my library work, as shown by the video.
If nook opened up it could triple it’s market share. Most people want a tablet device to surf the web, e-read and play games. We want a smaller iPad that plays flash, that is half the price (not galaxy tab) and doesn’t require a monthly fee ( optional data plans ok). Android is the future and nook could fill that need.
@tapapicture. There r only so many 50 year olds that can barely figure out how to turn on a tablet.
I was planning on purchasing a Nook for the wifey this Chistmas. If the $249 price holds, and the screen looks good, I may be persuaded to open the wallet a bit further.
Having had the Nook Color in hand for almost two weeks now I have to say I'm incredibly happy with it. I use it primarily as an eReader, but I don't have any major complaints with it's performance as a tablet. I knew that the first gen was going to come out relatively sparse in terms of OS and apps, and I'm okay with that.
The first generation of the classic Nook had some issues with performance, and was called "nothing revolutionary." But as B&N worked on it, it got better and better. That's what will happen here. B&N has already announced and is seeking developers to build applications for their Extras store, and when the Nook updates to 2.2, it will have support for Flash, AIR, and other rich content.
If you buy the Nook expecting it to be a feature-for-feature match with the iPad, I'm sorry, but you will be disappointed. But if you get it with what I've said in mind, then you'll not only love it, but be very excited for the future of Nook.
I own the nook color and I think its a great ereader . And thats what its suppossed to be an ereader not a tablet . Web browsing and pandora and listening to my mp3's is just icing on the cake . My nook color does play mp3's the only thing it doesnt play so far is flac files.
Calling a Nook color a tablet is like calling an Ipad a tablet neither are and they dont compare .
In the video, ESPN loads pretty quickly, IMO.
The fact you are using the native browser, don't know how to load apps says volumes.
Once I rooted the nook color, I then used the Market to download "launcher pro" assigned that to the nook home key. I've since downloaded and installed WinAmp for Android, Slacker, Angry Birds Tank Hero, Paper Toss, Jewels, Beautiful Widgets, Live Wallpapers and a bunch of other games and apps.
My Nook Color looks and behaves just like a larger version of my Droid Incredible, less the phone, camera, gps.
Just search on YouTube – "Nook color rooted" to see what others have done. Nook Color is a very decent tablet for $250.
Matt E., you dingleberry, stable rooting of the NookColor wasn't available when this review was written.
I use my Nook Color exclusively as a tablet, I've never read a book on it! It plays all the games, I have flash on it, 2 different web browsers. It plays every video format I can throw at it and it our performs my Droid X phone. I even can use if for remote desktop to my home computer anywhere in the world. I have every Gameboy, Gameboy Andvanced, Nintendo, and Super Nintendo game playing fine on it. Oh, I did flash the whole thing and put the latest version of Android 2.3 on it
I would love to see the new take on the NookColor now that update 1.2 has come out… with Apps, Video support (Flash) it's still primarily a ereader but…. a damn good Tablet (as Barnes and Noble are now calling it) Lets see a new review on this!!!