Best Electronic Book Reader – Kindle vs. Nook?

Should You Buy A Nook or Kindle?

You may also be interested in a previous article – What is a Kindle? This describes the basics of one of the most popular ebook readers. Also be aware that there are other ways to read books online, and these include laptops, IPads, IPods, etc. There are also other brands of electronic book readers.

For the main article, we kept it to Kindle vs. Nook – other brands and alternatives can be discussed in the comments or on the forum.  For purchase information, you can try the main websites. For example, you can buy a Kindle directly from Amazon.

Is A Kindle or a Nook Better?

First, note that we have settled on the 3G models of both ebook readers. The very lowest end model only supports wi-fi, so you have to use them where you can log into a wireless internet connection. The 3G model gives you free internet connections anywhere the provider can cover. For example, the Nook uses AT&T’s wireless network, so you can download books anywhere an IPhone user could access the web. Kindle uses Sprint. These are both national wireless providers.

• Most users say that Kindle has worked out the software bugs better, and this is no suprise because they have been marketing this device a lot longer.
• The Kindle is over an ounce lighter.
• Both readers have great displays that look like you are reading the words from a printed book. They can be read outside, and they do not suffer from the glare problems you may have with a laptop or similar device.
• Nook seems to have a larger library, and even a 14 day lending library. Nook supports EPUB, which is an industry standard electronic book format. Kindle, on the other hand, supports more types of files.
• Both support MP3 files, and they both have speakers.

So which one is better? I hesitate to give an opinion because they are very close. New models and upgrades are also rolling out as I write this.

The Nook seems to win out with more functions and the possiblity of a larger library. However, the Kindle seems to get the votes for being a sturdy device that works with fewer issues.

Related articles:

1. What is a Kindle?
2. Unique and Perfect Father’s Day Gifts For Every Budget!

Tags: book readers, gifts, kinde, nook

This entry was posted on November 25, 2010 at 9:45 am and is filed under Books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.