How Do You Decide Between The Kindle vs. Nook e-Readers?

Before examining which model to choose and having the grand title fight between Kindle vs. Nook e-readers, its important to consider the technology and how to select a model. If you’ve waited until now before leaping in and buying an e-book reader, it was probably a wise choice.

Nowadays, the library of electronic titles is vast and growing rapidly. The technology has grown, becoming more sophisticated and cost effective. The downside (if it could even be considered that) is the fact that now there are  more e-readers in the marketplace and choice is now an option and a luxury.   It’s always good to have choice but with that comes some confusion – the first question being – which one is better? We know the two main players in the e-readers market are Kindle and Nook so it's really down to a Kindle vs. Nook e-readers showdown. But which is better?

It’s a good question and it is more complex than simply which model is better when looking at the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers comparison.  More importantly, it is about deciding which model is better for you – on a personal level. 

Ask most owners which is better – the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers and the owners of each one will tell you that their machine rocks. The reason for this, in most cases, is that they have e-readers that fit them. And this is exactly what you need to consider when choosing between Kindle vs. Nook e-readers. Also, as the saying goes – "people like what they know and know what they like". 

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The market has now expanded and the major players in this challenge are not only (Amazon) Kindle  vs. Nook (Barnes and Noble) e-readers but other heavyweights such as Sony Reader and Apple iPad have entered into the fray.

The prices have come down substantially to less than $250 and even as low as the $150 price ranges. Price is determined by size, functionality and processor.

The Kindle vs. Nook e-Readers Comparison

Check more information about the Kindle 3rd Generation: the Kindle 3


Kindle vs. Nook e-readers  – Summarizing your Choices

When any purchase is going to be made then the most obvious starting point will be your budget. How much do you want to spend?

Price determines the amount of 'bells and whistles" that you can have with the equipment that you select. This leads to the question – what do you want from e-readers?  When looking at the Kindle vs. Nook comparisons, begin by asking yourself the fundamentals – what are the essentials that you will need from the e-readers?

1. What kind of battery life do you need as per your lifestyle? Are you traveling a lot and very mobile or do you get to be home each day?

The Kindle boasts close to a month in battery life with Wi-Fi switched off. The Nook offers up to 10 days. The battery life in the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers stakes is a moot point unless you are planning a trip to the wilderness with no power. Just like a mobile phone, you look to recharge and when we're talking about days and weeks as opposed to hours of battery life, the battery life is less significant.

2. Is weight and size a factor?

Both the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers comparisons are very similar with the Kindle slightly smaller – roughly an 8th of an inch smaller in width, depth and length. The Kindle is lighter by 3.4 ounces. The weight factor may be a concern for those who air travel and have other equipment to consider for weight. The advantage of the Nook is that it feels more robust and sturdy then the Kindle due to the added weight and dimensions.

3. Should the screen need to be easily read in bright sunlight?

With the Kindles' Pearl e-ink technology of high contrast screen, you can practically read anywhere – even in bright sunlight. If you're a tanner or love the outdoors then this would obviously be a consideration. The Nook also has e-ink but some would argue its effectiveness in certain reading light situations. Both Kindle and Nook e-readers do not back light their screens as this is contrary to the point of e-readers – to make it more book like and avoid eye strain. You can get lighting accessories for both models is you are looking for illuminated pages.

4. Would you like Internet access with Wi-Fi and 3G? In the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers Battle, the Kindle may edge this aspect…

With the Kindle  $139.00 model you have the ability to rapidly download Kindle books and browse the web – dependent on WiFi signal availability.

The Kindle 3G e-readers model has free 3G + WiFi

The Nook $199.00 model offers 3G Wireless utilizing AT&T and you can access WiFi anywhere there is a signal – including  AT&T hotspots and any Barnes and Noble location.
3G Wireless is not available in the Nook $149.99 model but you can access WiFi at any AT&T hotspot as well as get access to WiFi for free at any Barnes & Noble location.

5. Is it important to have the choice of a huge library of books?

Kindle vs. Nook e-readers Book Title Availability

The Barnes and Noble Nook will allow for a choice of over 2 million titles whereas the Kindle is around 750 000 books.

Kindle offers over 1.8 million  copyright free classic books for you to download 

Nook offers more than 500,000 free ebooks.

In the book area, the Kindle vs. Nook is another moot point as apps are now available for Amazon and Nook to secure great reading lists.

6. Do you want a lot of storage space to keep your library?

Kindle vs. Nook e-readers in the memory department make for interesting reading.The Nook comes standard with 2GB of internal memory, that translates into approximately 1,500 titles. The Nook also has a microSD slot that can substantially increase the storage capacity. A 16GB card can accommodate a further 17,500 e-books. However, considering the wireless access to an online library, your  localized  storage capacity becomes somewhat superfluous.

On line storage is available through both Amazon and Barnes and Noble

7. Do you prefer a physical keyboard or a touch screen display?

If you're comfortable with working with a touch display then the color display offered by the Nook e-readers can be an asset. However, if you still find a standard qwerty keyboard that allows you to tap away at the keys a more suitable option, then you may want to consider the Kindle. The Kindle is particularly user-friendly whereas the Nook is for those Tech savvy individuals who enjoy navigating by icon touch display. Another Kindle vs. Nook e-readers grey area – dependant on what your prefernces are.

8. Would you like the choice of a Text To Speech Reader?

The Text To Speech Reader facility in the Amazon Kindle is a great option if you enjoy listening to the spoken word and have a logical reason for choosing this option for driving or otherwise hands-on and attention occupying tasks. However, it may be irrelevant if you prefer simply reading the words on the page. It is an option that some may enjoy but really has limited appeal

9. Buying e-books- ease of use?

Functionality in the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers face-off…

What about buying e-books in the Kindle vs Nook e-readers face-off? The Kindle seems to be the better bet in this department, the purchasing of the ebooks and downloading requires simple navigation whereby the Nook does require a few more steps. The color aspect of the Kindle allows you to enjoy the book cover icons but as all books, barring covers are normally gray scale, the color factor really isn't an issue.

10. Sharing

Sharing is Caring as they say….Which one cares more in Kindle vs.Nook e-readers comparisons?

It's natural to read a book and want to recommend it to friends if you enjoyed it. Both the Nook and Kindle e-readers offer this facility. Lending for Kindle: Each book can be lent once for a loan period of 14-days.With the Nook you have the LendMe™ books that can be shared once with friends at no cost, for up to 14 days.

Both the Kindle and the Nook offer the facility to share your library with other devices.

With the Kindle, read your books anywhere and access them on other selected devices such as  the Apple iphone, ipad, mac, the pc, Blackberry or Android phone. There is also the  whispersync technology that will sync where you left the page across all wireless devices – a pretty cool feature.

Presently, the Nook does not have a synchronized last page read technology but there are claims that this will soon be a feature. The Nook offers the same functionality as the Kindle with sharing for your books on other devices such as the  iphone, ipad, mac, pc and android phone.

File Types: Kindle vs. Nook  e-readers

NEWS: Kindle vs. Nook  e-Readers Wars Take A New Turn -  Kindle Fire Sales Through The Roof…..Read how Kindle Fire literally has taken the Market For eReaders and Set it Alight. Story Here

Amazon Kindle 3

The Barnes & Noble Nook

The Kindle vs. Nook e-readers Conclusion

The conclusion to this Kindle vs. Nook e-readers comparison is that both these systems have their positives and negatives. They are both very similar in most aspects and their difference comes more in some applications rather than the entire make up of the device. The real determination must come from you, the user. Looking carefully at the various applications of each product and thinking of your lifestyle and need of use can quickly  help you decide on which device to choose. Think along the practicality of each – considering battery life, keyboard type, title selection etc. If you enjoy color and using a touch screen to navigate then the Nook may be for you but if the physical keyboard is something you're more comfortable with then the Kindle might be your choice. Both devices, overall, offer excellent facility to read your favorite books or periodicals and the preference is dictated rather by personal likes and dislikes then any glaring technological inferiority between the Kindle vs. Nook e-readers.