nook: "Are there folders?" [ Edited ]

[Kevin]

A few questions here about navigating the content on your nook.

nook's touchscreen has a keyboard to help you search, lend and annotate your eBooks and other content.

The cover flow view is a great and fun feature, but you can also browse the content on nook a number of ways: by type (eBooks vs subscriptions vs other content you've loaded on nook, for instance), by title, or by author.

You can also use the touchscreen keyboard to search for the particular eBook or content. (We'll be getting a picture of the keyboard on the site soon.)

You can't put your eBooks into "folders" or tags at this time, but we've heard the request, and we're looking into it for down the road. (Thanks for the suggestion.)

[Kevin]

A few questions here about navigating the content on your nook.

nook's touchscreen has a keyboard to help you search, lend and annotate your eBooks and other content.

The cover flow view is a great and fun feature, but you can also browse the content on nook a number of ways: by type (eBooks vs subscriptions vs other content you've loaded on nook, for instance), by title, or by author.

You can also use the touchscreen keyboard to search for the particular eBook or content. (We'll be getting a picture of the keyboard on the site soon.)

You can't put your eBooks into "folders" or tags at this time, but we've heard the request, and we're looking into it for down the road. (Thanks for the suggestion.)

[myflyingsolo]

Kevin -

You mentioned that e-books could not be organized into folders - but what about pdfs? If you could file pdfs by folder, I would order the nook now. Sure, it'll be great to have an e-reader for books and all my work-related pdfs, but I'm actually hoping to use it as a recipe collector as well. It would be great to get off the subway, go to the market, and plan my menu based on what's fresh and/or on sale - with all my recipes on hand in pdf files, I can figure out what else I need without multiple trips to the market!

[redsag26]

When you say "Were looking into it down the road" do you mean as something to add for version 2.0 or something you may include in a update? Features such as being able to organize your own books (as one could do at home) can really weigh on the decision to make a purchase.

Thanks,

[Klaatu42]

Kevin, you wrote "You can't put your eBooks into "folders" or tags at this time, but we've heard the request, and we're looking into it for down the road. (Thanks for the suggestion.)"

Does this mean the Nook does not support tags at all? That is very disappointing and could be a deal breaker for me. If I can't tag my Nook-compatible ebooks with Title, Write, category, etc like I can ebooks for my Sony PRS505 how am I supposed to be able to find anything on the Nook? With a 2GB capacity scrolling through up to 1500 covers to find the book I want will be tedious at best. 

Support for tagging is an absolute must for the Nook if it wants to be competitive with the other ereaders on the market. 

Regards, 

Michael 

[SeanMcPherson]

Question  re: using an SD card to read PDF files. I am *constantly* reading and searching thru PDF files, as I do a LOT of technical work, and everything I do is stored in PDF format (I have literally thousands of pieces of manufacturer documentation in PDF format that I use daily). If I load this onto an 8 or 16GB SD card, with folders arranged on the device, can I 'browse' the SD card from the nook, or do I have to do some kind of import?

Having to do crazy conversion has kept me from buying a kindle, and if I can read my PDFs easily and in a sorted fashion on the nook, I promise I'll spend a hundreds to thousands of dollars a year in eBooks since I'll be carrying the nook *every single day* for work, and it'll finally be an ebook reader I'll keep handy. I use my iPhone now to read my Baen Library w/ BookShelf as the small screen is plenty big enough when on a plane or subway, but it's not a good interface for browsing manuals and diagrams from a manufacturer when I'm trying to figure out why a million dollar device isn't working.

Laptops are the only solution right now, but they're way too bulky and too 'much' to carry when working on equipment. The Nook could very easily fill that roll, and I can see lots of people in positions like mine going for a nook for that reason. Heck, all the tabletop gamers I know would kill to have all their PDF versions of their gaming books on their nook rather than a laptop, etc.

Thanks!

[Avid__Reader]

After amasing a few books does the software on the Nook allow me to organize my books?

Example:

Read/Unread Self?

Shelf or other family members?

Down side of the SonyReader the library is flat everything is on one shelf.

[Avid__Reader]

The question should read, can you create personal directories or shelves of books?

Instead of all books in alphabetical order by author or title, can they be sorted by arbitrary details.

eg. 

A library for others in the family or books that I have already read, to be read, or by subject matter, etc?

[Kevin]

---

Avid__Reader wrote:

The question should read, can you create personal directories or shelves of books?

Instead of all books in alphabetical order by author or title, can they be sorted by arbitrary details.

eg. 

A library for others in the family or books that I have already read, to be read, or by subject matter, etc?

---

Avid_Reader, please see the answser higher in this thread. There is no personalized folder structure at this time.

[athenagwis]

Oh how we love folders and tagging   Thanks for clarification Kevin on organizing the books, I was wondering how it would work.  I was actually mostly wondering if you would be able to search for a title in addition to scrolling through the covers, now that I see you can, I am a happy camper!

Thanks!
Rachel

[FinLR]

Kevin -

I think tags would be a really fun and fabulous feature! Great for organizing by topics or personal categories - such as "Read", "Not Read", and the number of times read.

[Xyxox]

I would point out to everybody who may be disappointed about the lack of folders, Nook is built on Android. This means that the development team can always developo the capability and then allow you to upgrade via the wireless or 3G connections.

That's the genius of basing this device in Android. Upgrades to the firmware will be a breeze to the end user and the product management team will be able to take the requests of the user community, bring that to the development team, and an update can be developed from there.

I REALLY want this device to succeed. Without even being released and with just the announced feature set as a guide, it is worlds ahead of the biggest competitor from a strictly technological standpoint.

We're at a critical point in the eBook market where the entire future is about to be determined. I truly believe the Nook is positioned to take the majority market share away from the current market leader. Although analysts say the next move is Amazon's, I believe Barnes and Noble are in a position to make that next move and propel themselves into the leadership position in this critical market that will be the future of the printed word.

I strongly urge Barnes and Noble to listen to the concerns that have been expressed here. My expectation is that the primary competitor will announce a huge price drop in eBooks available for their eReader by November 15. That's what I expect their answer to be as they position themselves for the next release of their eReader (probably won't see it for about a year). B&N has a chance here where so long as they are competitive (you don't have to be cheapest, just listen to the concerns), the primary competitor's announcement will be their last gasp to maintain control of the eBook market.

I wish B&N good luck and I will be paying attention over the coming weeks.

[RustyDogma]

I'm currently using a 1st gen Kindle.  My next eReader purchase is going to be entirely based on organization ability. Like the above poster I am looking for:

• folder structure
• the ability to mark as read or unread by self and family
• web or PC based ability to do the same, so I can decide what books to transfer to my reader
• web or PC based the ability to store all my book titles in one place, regardless of where purchased

I'm excited to see some new competition in the market, but am frustrated that things like a folder structure which folks have been complaining about at Amazon for two years now are still not addressed.

[RoyTwo]

Re: the keyboard here is a pic of it...

http://www.engadget.com/photos/barnes-and-noble-nook-in-depth/2379433/

[skcwa]

I have downloaded and started testing the current version of the B&N eReader on my PC. It allows me to create "bookshelves" in order to organize my books. I think this is a very helpful feature, and I was assuming this was just a different name for a folder.

Will the Nook software have editable "bookshelves"?  If not, why was such an important feature not carried over to the Nook?

Being able to create "nested" bookshelves would be the next step to fully organize my books.

[AvidReaderME]

I've been waiting YEARS to purchase an ebook reader but have been waiting for someone to come up with a way to organize my books.  I currently keep all of mine on a USB key and read my books on my MAC book.  PLEASE come up with a way to organize my books on the shelves by anything other than title or author.  I love my IPOD but if it only came with the capacity for me to surf through all of my music only by title or artist - I would hate that thing.  Can't someone come up with a means for organization for an ebook reader?  When that happens, I'll be the FIRST to buy that reader.

Thanks!

[synergi]

RustyDogma, I couldn't agree with you more. I to am on a 1st Gen Kindle and I refused to upgrade until I can organize my 300 plus and counting book collection. This is like one of the most requested features, I fail to see why all the major ebook readers don't have it.

I was hoping the Nook would have it. If they update with a filmware and provide it I'm there, other wise I will have to hope Kindle's next Gen finally gives us what we've been asking for.

[browser]

Kevin: 

Your response to the question of whether we'll have the ability to set up folders for organizing our ebooks by category ... genres, read and unread, loaned out, favorites, etc. ... was VAGUE.

Telling us that the programmers like the idea enough to consider adding the ability to create folders for "down the road" only adds to the confusion.

Are you saying we'll have to wait until Version 2.0 to get folders?

Or are you saying we can expect that at some point you guys will develop the sofware for making folders and download it into the nooks we're buying today?

Can you please answer that question?

Because I know I'm not the only one waiting for you to clear that up.

Thanks.

[KenR]

I had assumed (I know...) since there was such a usable tag system on the iphone e-reader that it would carry over to the nook. It's one of the main reasons I ordered a nook (and to get support for pdf's).

I'm hoping we get this or folder sooner rather than later. It may be a cause for returning the nook and waiting to see as far as I'm concerned.

Ken

[browser]

Kevin (admin)

Kevin:

You said in one of your few responses in here that while we will not have the ability to create folders for organizing our ebooks ... by genre, favorites, read and unread, fiction, nonfiction, etc. ... that the programmers like the idea enough to maybe do something about that "down the road."

"Down the road?" What does that mean?

Does it mean we'll have to wait for several years for Version 2.0 before we get our folders?

Or does it mean that you've heard us, that you realize folders could be a deal-breaker for lots of us, and that you're scrambling to develop the software for creating folders so you can download it into the nooks we're buying today?

WHY WON'T YOU CLEAR THAT UP?!?!?

As it is, your "down the road" response seems intentionally vague, your apparent refusal to clear up the confusion speaks volumes about what B&N thinks about its customers, and it's creating ill will everywhere in here.

It's starting to feel like a public relations nightmare, because, frankly, that's just one of dozens of questions you and the other admins are ignoring. As they say ... the silence is deafening.

You guys created this blog to answer our questions. So answer the questions.

Why is that so hard?

[shaunvis]

I have to admit, my purchase hangs on the answer to this one.

I'd like a Nook to replace the PRS-505 my gf borrowed, fell in love with and I don't think I'll be getting back, lol. But the simple feature of having colletions, or olders like the 505 is something I use all the time to organize series of books. 

I realixe there is a search function, but you can't search for something if you don't know what you're looking for.  If you just want to browse, scrolling through scores of books would just be crazy.  They annouce a 1500 book capacity as a feature, but would anyone be able to remember them all to even search for what they want? Even if you had under 50 it becomes a chore.

Not being able to browse by series, author, genre, etc. is a severe limitation.

Please let us know if folders will be a future software update or something we will not see in Nook 1.0 hardware