If you’ve been considering an e-book reader for yourself or as a gift, the choice between the Amazon Kindle 3G with Wi-Fi and the Barnes & Noble Nook will be a tough one. Reviews show that both products are great e-readers, but it’s the differences and your personal preferences that will make your decision. Priced at $189 for the Kindle 3G and $199 for the Nook, your decision will be based on the features you choose.
Both units have 6-inch diagonal E-Ink electronic displays with a resolution of 600 x 800 pixels. Weights are comparable, with the Kindle weighing in at 10.2 ounces and the Nook weighing in at 12.1 ounces. And the actual drive sizes are 8″ x 5.3 for Kindle and 7.7″ x 4.9 for Nook. They both have 2GB internal memory, but the Nook has an expandable micro SD slot which would only be necessary if you feel you need to store more than the 1500 books that fit in the 2GB.
Battery life is also similar, at 10 days or 7,500 page turns, with wireless off. And both are fully recharged in 3.5-4 hours. Both units can be used as an MP3 player, the Kindle with built-in stereo speakers and the Nook with built-in mono speakers. Both also have headphone jacks.
This is where your preferences will make a difference. Amazon’s Kindle has a keyboard on the bottom, it doesn’t show in color but it does have 16-level grayscale which does a great job with images. The Barnes & Noble Nook has a color touch screen on the bottom. So do you prefer typing on a keyboard or a touch screen?
And here’s the big one: Kindle 3G Wi-Fi uses Amazon’s Whispernet over Sprint’s 3G high-speed data network for wireless coverage in the US. There’s no charge involved. And there’s expanded coverage available if you’re traveling internationally. The Nook has free wireless service through AT&T and free Wi-Fi at all Barnes & Noble stores. If you intend to download books on the go, service from these providers should be available.
The Kindle has an additional feature, Text-to-Speech. You can go from reading a book to listening to it with the audiobook reader. You can expand printing with both units. The Kindle’s screen is less reflective than other e-book readers, which eliminates the problems that reading on a screen in bright sunlight can cause. The Nook’s screen is rated higher than most competitors, but no better than the Kindle’s. Where will you be reading?
Here we are. What are your preferences? What kind of keyboard and whose wireless provider do you prefer. Both the Kindle 3G and the Nook eBook readers have great reviews and thousands of books available. Good luck with your choices and happy shopping.