Review: NOOKcolor is at the top of my list

Review: NOOKcolor is at the top of my list: From the Overdrive Blog: "

Although there have been aspects of all the devices I have reviewed that I really like, Barnes & Noble’s NOOKcolor is the first one I think I might actually purchase. Or at least include in my letter to Santa Claus (I should probably send that out since there’s only a week or so left until the big day).

The NOOKcolor is one of the coolest eBook readers/multimedia devices I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. The love affair begins in its basic yet stylish design. The only tactile buttons are to turn the device on or off, adjust the volume, and the ‘n’ which acts as the home button. In addition, you have a standard headphone jack and a Micro USB port. The last noticeable factor on the physical side is that it’s hefty. At 15.8 ounces it might be the heaviest eBook Reader I’ve seen.

Now let’s get into the meat of the NOOKcolor – the software, interface, and functionality (not necessarily in that order). It’s obvious that this device is not using the E-Ink technology that most of us have come to enjoy. This primarily stems from consumers begging for an LCD screen eBook reader. The 7” full touchscreen uses millions of colors making cover images, websites, and photos sharp and beautiful. I transferred Rick Riordan’s The Lost Hero and the cover image is stunning. The touchscreen functionality on the device we have is very responsive even when browsing the web. You barely need to swipe your finger to change pages.

However with a full color LCD screen comes a pretty major setback – short battery life. Don’t expect days of reading without charging the device. I’ve had this one on and off for the past two days and it currently has 55% battery life left. The most voracious reader or someone that surfs the Internet heavily will need to keep their chargers with them.

If you are used to the original NOOK, you will notice the interface is slightly different however you now have the ability to make different bookshelves and organize your titles. While you are reading a book, tap the center of the screen to make options appear which allow you to create bookmarks, change the font/font size, and brightness.

The NOOKcolor is currently running a variation of Android OS 2.1. It’s a closed version, so you won’t be able to download apps from Android Marketplace or have all the same features as your Droid Aris. As far as I can tell Barnes & Noble doesn’t plan on offering full access to Android Marketplace any time soon.

There are many other neat features that I won’t get into but there’s one last thing I need mention. When you transfer your Adobe EPUB and Adobe PDF eBooks to your NOOKcolor, they will be found under the ‘my files’ option in a folder for ‘Digital Editions’. Keep in mind you are able to move them to a different folder once they are on the device. Also, I transferred and listened to an MP3 audiobook and it was a much nicer experience than on a traditional eBook reader.

So bottom line, at $249, it’s on the more expensive side but you get a lot for your money. It’s not a dedicated eBook reader but it’s not a tablet either.

It has officially been added to my Christmas list for this year. Now all I have to do is get my husband to read this post…

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