Announcing NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight

[SuperC142]

Since we've been posting reviews, here's another (PCWorld):

http://www.pcworld.com/article/254356/barnes_and_noble_nook_simple_touch_with_glowlight_review_an_er...

Again, she mentions there being slightly-reduced contrast but, despite this, it's still the best ereader available today.

[Sun_Cat]

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SuperC142 wrote:

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Sun_Cat wrote:

...Yes, he was very wrong to emphasize the Nook's being restricted to the B&N ecosystem. It isn't, as we all know. We can buy ebooks from Google, Sony, Kobo, etc., etc., and so forth. I was looking for a place to post a comment to that effect, but that article doesn't seem to be open to comments. 

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Here's the author's bio page, which lists his email address (doesn't allow for a public comment of course, but it's a way to convey a message to him).

[Edit]

The actual URL might help:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/david_pogue/index.html?inline=nyt-per

[/Edit]

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Thanks. I sent him an email. It will be interesting to see whether there's a response.

[lindajm22]

SuperC, I chose the Member express 1-3 day delivery option.  I just checked the tracking and it said it's already left the warehouse in NJ and I am only in CT.  I would not be surprised if this was delivered tomorrow. So excited!

I am very encouraged by all of these great reviews being posted!

[SuperC142]

Fantastic!  I ordered mine on the 13th and selected the same delivery option, so I'm hoping mine will ship tomorrow.  I, too, am feeling encouraged by the reviews!

[lindajm22]

I bet it will tomorrow.  I ordered mine on the 12th and the initial order said expected delivery date of 5/1.  I already got my new Lilly Pulitzer cover for it

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

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Sun_Cat wrote:

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SuperC142 wrote:

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Sun_Cat wrote:

...Yes, he was very wrong to emphasize the Nook's being restricted to the B&N ecosystem. It isn't, as we all know. We can buy ebooks from Google, Sony, Kobo, etc., etc., and so forth. I was looking for a place to post a comment to that effect, but that article doesn't seem to be open to comments. 

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Here's the author's bio page, which lists his email address (doesn't allow for a public comment of course, but it's a way to convey a message to him).

[Edit]

The actual URL might help:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/david_pogue/index.html?inline=nyt-per

[/Edit]

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Thanks. I sent him an email. It will be interesting to see whether there's a response.

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You may actually get one.  David Pogue has been around for years and seems to play up the idea that he's a technology "everyman" who just gets to play with the latest toys.

[DeanGibson Distinguished Bibliophile]

The manuals are now on the B&N site:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Support-NOOK-Simple-Touch-with-GlowLight/379003533

However, no software updates yet.

From the manual:

Note: To insure the hishest qualilty of reading imaginable, NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ has an anti-glare, screen protector already installed.  The use of any additional screen protectors may damage the device and will void the warranty.

[keriflur]

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DeanGibson wrote:

The manuals are now on the B&N site:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/Support-NOOK-Simple-Touch-with-GlowLight/379003533

However, no software updates yet.

From the manual:

Note: To insure the hishest qualilty of reading imaginable, NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ has an anti-glare, screen protector already installed.  The use of any additional screen protectors may damage the device and will void the warranty.

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That's... interesting.  If a screen protector could damage it, does that mean that the screen of the glow nook is *more* suceptable to damage than the N2E's screen?

[DeanGibson Distinguished Bibliophile]

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keriflur wrote:

That's... interesting.  If a screen protector could damage it, does that mean that the screen of the glow nook is *more* suceptable to damage than the N2E's screen?

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My guess is that the screen protector adheres in a manner similar to a regular one, and adding an additional one and then attempting to remove it, could have the effect of partially removing both, with a blotchy screen as the result.

[AlanNJ Inspired Bibliophile]

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DeanGibson wrote:

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keriflur wrote:

That's... interesting.  If a screen protector could damage it, does that mean that the screen of the glow nook is *more* suceptable to damage than the N2E's screen?

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My guess is that the screen protector adheres in a manner similar to a regular one, and adding an additional one and then attempting to remove it, could have the effect of partially removing both, with a blotchy screen as the result.

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Since there is already a screen protector built-in I would "assume" that an additional screensaver would affect touch sensitivity.  Also, if the screen becomes thicker it could possibly block the glow light.

[MacMcK1957]

Is it possible that "screen protector" is just marketingese for "slightly thicker screen"?

[MacMcK1957]

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So has anyone determined if it really has the saintly (godly?) aurora effect that the promotional picture implies?  Can you hear the angelic choirs singing in the background when you turn it on?

[SuperC142]

There had certainly better be angels or I think we can all agree that the image is misleading, at best.

[lindajm22]

I'm concerned that the "glow" is going to be that LED blue color and not pure white like my clip on.  It just looks blue to me in all the videos.

[SuperC142]

I agree, it does appear to have a blue-ish tint (although I have not yet seen it, in-person, with my own two eyes).  This doesn't bother me though (only because it looks subtle), but I can understand why it would bother some people.  However, of all the reviews, I haven't seen anyone mention being annoyed with the color temperature, so maybe you can take some comfort in that.

BTW (unrelated): my Nook did indeed ship.  :-)

[lindajm22]

Yes, I have noticed that none of the reviews has mentioned the color as being bothersome, so that does make me feel better.  I just can't wait to see it in person as there is nothing else like it out there to compare to.  Glad yours has shipped!  Mine is showing it at the mail facility the next town over from me but not that it's out for delivery yet so I'm not sure if I'll have it today or not.  I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with the N2E I already have.  Probably give it to someone in my family.  I gave my N1E to my sister-in-law.

[flyingtoastr Scribe]

Even at the highest brightness it doesn't give off that much radiance. It's more like a soft blue glow than a dazzle.

It's very nice.

[MacMcK1957]

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flyingtoastr wrote:

Even at the highest brightness it doesn't give off that much radiance. It's more like a soft blue glow than a dazzle.

It's very nice.

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No halo, or angel choir?  

[keriflur]

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MacMcK1957 wrote:

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flyingtoastr wrote:

Even at the highest brightness it doesn't give off that much radiance. It's more like a soft blue glow than a dazzle.

It's very nice.

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No halo, or angel choir?  

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That's it then. I'm not buying one.

[Fred011]

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flyingtoastr wrote:

Even at the highest brightness it doesn't give off that much radiance. It's more like a soft blue glow than a dazzle.

It's very nice.

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Went to my local B&N today and actually got to play with the new units. 

Of course, in a brightly lit store you can't really tell what the light will look like in a dim or dark room. The unit has 8 LEDs spread across the top of the screen under the bezel and only visible if you tilt the unit to an acute angle. In addition to the SETTINGS option to get to the GlowLight™ controls, you can hold the little "n" key at the bottom of the unit for 2 seconds to bring up the control panel. There is a variable setting for brightness.

My personal observations are as follows:

On a brightest setting, there is a "hot spot" across the top of the screen where the illumination is brighter than the rest of the page.  This is noticeable in the brightly lit store, so it might be annoying in a dim room.

The light does have a bluish tint in the store.  Again, it is hard to know how this will appear in a darkened room.

On a side by side comparison with a non-GlowLight™ unit, I found that I perceived a very slight loss of crispness in the text image on the page with the GlowLight™ unit.  That could just be me: my wife was less sure, but did think it might be slightly noticeable. My comment was made to her before she did a comparison, so I might have "poisoned" the waters, so to speak.

The even (except for the slight difference on the very top edge on brightest setting) light over the page seems to me to be a major improvement over "clip on" lights: no glare, full coverage and variable brightness.

Overall, quite a nice unit whose flaws (if you can call them that) that I have identified would probably not affect most readers.