Amazon and Barnes and Noble have been dominating the ebook reader market for years now, and 2012 into 2013 looks like it will be more of the same. Customers have a new family of Kindles to choose from E-Ink and back lit, and the same goes for Nook E-Ink and tablet devices as well. Let’s take a closer look and compare all the new models of Kindle vs Nook to see who’s winning the battle now.
The Kindle Touch vs Nook Simple Touch- How Do The Newest E-Ink Readers Compare?
Let’s compare the newest Kindle vs Nook models, the “Touch” and “Simple Touch”, to see who’s winning the best e-ink ebook reader battle for 2012.
Battery Life- Both Kindle and Nook are tied at 2 months.
Storage Space- The Nook allows for storage of 1,000 books, whereas the Kindle allows 3,000
Sharing Books- Both the Kindle and Nook allow for lending of eligible books for up to 14 days. Not all books are eligible, it is up to the publisher to decide.
Replaceable Battery- The Nook has a replaceable battery that is accessed on the back of the device. Amazon allows for sending in the device to replace the battery.
Weight/Size- The newest Kindle Touch is 7.5 ounces, down 1 ounce from the Kindle 3. The Nook Simple Touch weighs in at 7.5 ounces, much less than the previous version at 11.6 oz.
The dimensions of the reading screen are the exact same for both Nook and Kindle.
The size of the Nook Simple Touch device is 6.5″ x 5.0″ x .47″ . The Kindle Touch is now 6.8″ x 4.7″ x .40″.
Kindle Paperwhite Vs. Nook GlowLight
The only downfall of E-Ink readers is that you need an external light to light the screen at night…until now of course.
The Kindle Paperwhite and Nook Glowlight are the revolutionary new screens that light up from within.
The two devices are very much the same as their unlit counterparts (the touch models of Kindle and Nook) with the exception of the screen lighting up for great night reading.
One main difference between the two is the battery life – You’ll get 8 weeks with the Kindle, and “up to one month” according to Barnes and Noble.
Touch Screen Only vs. Touch Screen AND Push Button- The newest Kindle is touch screen only. There are no buttons. One may swipe the screen or tap the screen for navigation.
The Nook ST comes with “programmable” side buttons for navigation, so the reader has a choice between swiping and tapping or pushing an actual button.
Wi-Fi, 3G, and International Usage- It’s a step backward for the Nook with these features on the newest touch model. Now there is NO 3G option for the Nook, only WiFi.
The Kindle Touch will come in a WiFi only and a WiFi + 3G version.
As always, only Amazon offers international usage in more than 100 countries for it’s devices.
Rubberized “Matte” Black Finish vs Dark Silver Matte Finish- This seems a trivial thing, but there used to be some complaints about the previous Nook version having plastic that was too reflective in bright sunlight.
The new Simple Touch version is completely different, with a rubberized black coating that is tacky to the touch. Page turn buttons are inset in the device, covered with this rubberized coating, so their aren’t actually creases around the buttons.
You can see the Nook Touch’s rubberized matte finish on the with buttons on the side.
Changing Fonts- There are 8 different font sizes for the Kindle and 7 different sizes for the Nook. Each has 3 different font styles to choose from as well. Both devices allow for different margin sizes on the device as well.
Pinch and Zoom Font Change- The Kindle Touch has a “pinch and zoom” font change feature, whereas the Nook does not.
Page Numbers- Both devices offer real page numbers that coincide with the printed book.
Syncing Between Multiple Devices- Both the Nook and Kindle allow for syncing between multiple devices. This means you could be reading your ebook on the eReader in the morning, on the smartphone later, then on your PC, then pick up where you left off on the eReader later.
Using Different Files on the Nook Simple Touch and Kindle Touch- Both the Nook and Kindle make it possible to put your PDF’s and other types of files on the device for use. You can also listen to music on both devices while reading.
Library Ebooks- It’s possible to read library books on all Kindle versions as well as Nook versions. The difference is in the type of file, and the delivery method of the file.
Nook Library Books Delivery- One needs to find the book on the library website, download Adobe Digital Editions, download the book into ADE, plug in the Nook, and transfer the book over to the device within the software.
Kindle Library Books Delivery- One needs to find the book on the library website, click to redeem the loaned book (you’ll be sent to Amazon), and follow the prompt button to have delivered wirelessly.
“With Special Offers”- What It Means, and Pricing For Kindle Versions- It’s extremely important to note that the Kindle Touch pricing of $99 for the WiFi and $149 for WiFi + 3G are “With Special Offers” pricing! This means there will be ads on the reading screen while the device is in sleep mode, and also along the “home” page while perusing the contents of the Kindle. In other words, it doesn’t interfere with the reading process.
Example of a “Special Offer” on the home page of Kindle Touch.
Games- Games are available for both devices. The Nook comes with Chess and Sudoku, whereas you need to download games from the Amazon store to get games for the Kindle (some free titles, some ranging from $.99 to a few dollars). There are more games available for the Kindle because of the competitive nature of Amazon.com.
Accessories- Both devices have some great accessories, but (like in “games” above) the nature of Amazon.com allows for more competition between vendors, and therefore a larger selection of accessories for the Kindle available.
Kindle “X-Ray” Feature- An interesting new feature of the Kindle Touch is the X-Ray feature. It allows you to see the “bones” of the book at a glance. You can see things like all the characters in the book, phrases, and main concepts. Touch on these and you’ll see internet entries, instances of the book where they are mentioned, and a tappable timeline where each phrase is mentioned in the book.
If you are moving onto the next book in a series and want to refresh yourself quickly about the concepts and characters in the last book, it may be helpful. Or perhaps you need to do a report on a specific character or concept within the book for school. This is a quick way to see all concepts of a book at a glance.
E-Ink or LCD Back Lit Screen?
There are some serious differences in reading experiences when using a back lit color vs E Ink ebook reader.
A back lit device is more difficult to see in bright natural lighting situations, yet is easily seen without exterior lighting during night time reading. There are some serious benefits for the media junky of course. One is able to check email, surf the web, watch videos and tv, play games, etc. However, the user is going to be more tethered to the charger than a person who uses an e-ink reader. One needs to plan on charging the device once a day if using it a lot. Those wanting a color device are going to want to compare the Kindle Fire to Nook Color and Tablet.
E-Ink readers offer a much more pleasant reading experience in bright natural lighting situations. There aren’t contrast issues or fingerprint smudges to worry about seeing through. Of course, these devices are more limited. Consuming other types of media besides books and documents becomes a little challenging. For the reader of novels however, the Kindle or Nook is going to be a good idea. 2 months usage on one battery is a great benefit as well, having the e-ink user think about charging their device only 6 times a year.
Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet and Nook Color Comparison- Need Color?
It makes sense to compare the Kindle Fire vs Nook Tablet and Nook Color before making a final decision on just what ebook reader one wants to buy. Here’s a quick table to help compare these 3 devices.
| Kindle Fire | Nook Tablet | Nook Color | |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Price | $199.00 | $249.00 | $199.00 |
| Memory | 8 GB (Cloud Expansion Storage) |
16 GB (SD Card Expansion Storage) |
8 GB (SD Card Expansion Storage) |
| App Store | Amazon | Nook Apps | Nook Apps |
| # Of Apps Available |
17k + | 1k + | 1k + |
| Screen Size |
7 inch | 7 inch | 7 inch |
| Screen Resolution |
1024 x 600 | 1024 x 600 | 1024 x 600 |
| RAM | 512 MB | 1 GB | 512 MB |
| Processor | 1GHz TI OMAP4 Dual Core |
1GHz TI OMAP4 Dual Core |
1GHz TI OMAP4 Dual Core |
| Battery Life | 8 Hours | 11.5 Hours | 8 Hours |
| Microphone | No | Yes | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5″ x 4.7″ x .45″ | 8.1″ x 5″ x .48″ | 8.1″ x 5″ x .48″ |
| Weight | 14.6 ounces | 14.1 ounces | 15.8 ounces |
| Browser | Amazon Silk | Customized Android | Customized Android |
At a quick glance it’s easy to see that the new Nook Tablet seems to be pulling out in front between these 3 devices with it’s 1 GB of RAM and longer battery life. However, it should be noted that just because there is more RAM available on a device, doesn’t mean it’s going to be faster than a tablet with less RAM. There are a lot of other factors that go into it, such as software for device speed and browser for web speed.
The big difference between the Nook Tablets and Kindle Fire is going to be the company behind the device. Amazon offers more apps, movies, tv shows, and content in general than Barnes and Noble. The Nooks and Kindles are portals that customers consume media through, and there is just more media available at Amazon.com.
Difference In Memory Capacity And Expanded Memory
Memory capacity is another obvious difference seen above. The Nook Tablets handle memory and content storage in a more on-device manner, whereas the Kindle is moving to keeping on-device at 8GB and offering free use of the Cloud Drive service for Kindle users.
That means Nook users can purchase an SD card to expand device on-board memory to up to 32 GB. Kindle Fire users will be able to store unlimited content on the Cloud Drive, swapping out content to and from the Cloud Drive as needed. So one could see a problem with both ways of handling expanded memory- One costs more money, the other is on the web and not on the device. Watch the video of the Kindle Fire vs Nook Tablet.
Other notable differences are the Nook Tablet’s inclusion of microphone, and longer battery life by 3.5 hours.
Of course, pricing is $50 more for the Nook Tablet, and the Kindle Fire and Nook Color are equally priced at $199.00.
Amazon is also offering Prime Membership for $79 per year which will give Kindle users options to watch free movies and tv, and borrow free books from Amazon.com, which is a big point of consideration.
Kindle Fire HD and Nook HD Models
The latest innovations are the Kindle Fire HD and Nook HD models. These are faster, better resolution tablets than the earlier Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet models from last year.
(More to come…)
Nook Vs. Kindle- Who’s The Winner?
It’s a tough decision between the Nook and Kindle. It’s ultimately up to the shopper, and to which company their loyalties lie.
The Nook falls a little short with memory and the no 3G option, but has just just been offered at a lower price of $99 to compete better with the Kindle Touch.
The library books will be more numerous with the Nook models though, since more books are available in EPUB format and the Kindle doesn’t allow EPUB usage. However, Amazon offers a large number of popular titles in libraries and is in the process of adding more. It’s just a fact that downloading a library book on the Kindle is quite a lot easier than the Nook.
Those who choose the Kindle Fire will get more content in the form of movies, tv, games, apps and other media just because of the larger selection at Amazon compared to Barnes and Noble. Nook Tablet and Color purchasers will get a choice of more on-board memory and more battery life with the Nook Tablet.
Amazon and Barnes and Noble have been at it for over 3 years now with their devices, and it’s still apparent that both the Kindle and Nook are very competent devices with huge fans. Comparing the Kindle vs Nook with all the newest versions shows there are choices abound for the shopper this holiday season and beyond. Opinions vary wildly on the two devices, and the winner will no doubt vary from household to household.
Related Posts:
http://www.techwham.com/kindle-fire-vs-nook-color-and-the-winner-is
http://www.techwham.com/ipad-vs-nook-color-vs-nook-vs-kindle
December 22, 2010 at 2:53 am
I just wanted to point out that the Kindle 3 also has the same three “modes” as the Nook–on, sleep, and completely off which is attained the same way as Nook–by holding the sliding switch for a period until it completely shuts down.
Sleep mode is the recommended mode to leave Kindle in when not in use as it consumes less battery to go back and forth from on and sleep opposed to on and all the way off.
That said–I love my Kindle 3 more than I even thought I would.
January 17, 2011 at 12:06 pm
FYI, regarless of which one you choose, there’s a company called Nuvo-Tek.com which makes a sleeve case for either the Kindle or Nook and they offer good products at very good prices. You can buy them directly on their website, or you can buy them on Amazon or Buy.com for a little less.
December 30, 2010 at 2:58 pm
I have one question i am hoping someone can answer, because this is the thing that will probably decide which ereader I get:
How is the readability of PDFs on each device (the Nook and Kindle 3?) I have about 100 sourcebooks in PDF format that I constantly reference, and I need to know that the readability of these color documents is fine on the black and white eInk screens.
Can anyone attest to PDF viewability on either device?
January 2, 2011 at 10:47 am
As far as readability of PDFs go…both devices are good. Having said that, I didn’t download any picture-intensive PDFs! The documents I put onto the Nook and Kindle were straight text, with different headers, etc… I wonder about the readability when it is a technical type of PDF. The readability also probably has a lot to do with the skill of the person who put together the document also. If you are going to be referencing a bunch of color pictures a lot, I would really think about going with the iPad, of course you probably have already thought of that and still want an E-Ink reader… Well, Amazon is very good with returns, Barnes and Noble is pretty good also if it doesn’t work out.
January 2, 2011 at 9:47 am
The whole reason I’m getting a eReader is because I am moving overseas where books in English will be scarce. The review above only mentions Kindle having international coverage. Does anyone know whether the Nook will work overseas?
January 2, 2011 at 10:09 am
The Nook will work overseas, in the sense that you have to download your books to your computer from the internet first, then hook up your Nook and put them on the device that way. The Kindle, on the other hand, will work with the cellular network in 100+ countries, so you don’t have to hook to the internet.
So they both work overseas, but if you are ever in that situation where you don’t have access to your computer and absolutely HAVE to have a new book, then the Kindle is helpful. Otherwise, just think ahead, right?
May 10, 2011 at 4:21 pm
@Erika: check with Amazon on coverage. My son is in Qatar. Everyone uses them and downloads books at the internet cafe
January 4, 2011 at 7:35 pm
For color reading, don’t forget to look into the new Color Nook as a cheaper alternative to the ipad. Though keep in mind the battery life is only 8 hrs since it’s not an E-ink redear and is backlit.
January 10, 2011 at 11:11 pm
I have to say that although I haven’t seen the Nook in person, I think I appreciate the ‘ink’ readability of the Kindle, I don’t think the color would be as easy on the eyes. I look at a computer all day, its kind of refreshing to look at a book-colored page with nothing but black letters on it.
January 21, 2011 at 5:38 am
The Nook is very sensitive. Mine fell from the bed to a carpeted floor and never worked again. It was 3 months old.
Hank
January 29, 2011 at 2:02 pm
A major concern which has swayed me away from the Nook and towards the Kindle is customer support. Just by the very nature of the device, you need good customer support if there’s a problem. B&N has not mastered that issue. I myself have spent 4 hours on the phone just in trying to get a replacement Nook, which came over a week later than it was promised- which is bad because it came while i was out of town. They didn’t give me the correct tracking number (they gave me the tracking number for the return shipment, ie the Nook I would be returning to them) and so I couldn’t even contact UPS to have them hold delivery on my item. As it is, i’ve returned the old Nook and am nervously waiting to see if they will try and claim I dropped my Nook and charge my credit card even though the problem was a software issue that they weren’t able to fix over the phone. Conversely, I had a friend having problems with his Kindle at the same time as me, who was only on the phone for a few minutes and had his replacement in just a few days. That’s why i’m planning on putting my Nook up for sale on ebay and replacing it with a Kindle. Amazon has mastered customer service, B&N simply has not.
January 29, 2011 at 3:31 pm
I just wanted to point out that the nook even the regular one allows web browsing so technically you can play any game you want, music playing, and is highly customizable so you can set your sleep mode wallpaper, and regular wallpaper I don’t know about the kindle, also it automatically goes into sleep mode after a certain amount of time so the charge won’t run down
February 2, 2011 at 8:32 pm
I was going to ask for a Kindle this month for my birthday. My girlfriend was thinking along the same lines. Unfortunately since I have discovered I can’t check out ebooks from the library, I guess I’ll be getting a Nook. I’ll need to pass this info about the Kindle on to her as well.
February 17, 2011 at 8:30 am
They have a lot more in common than differences.
For me, the access to Adobe DRM protected ePub books, and therefore books through my local library, sold me on the Nook. Also, I prefer the touchscreen for navigation. The fact that I can change the battery myself..and add a micro card for more storage…all pluses for the Nook in my Book.
February 17, 2011 at 10:40 pm
If I’m gonna get an eBook, it’ll be the Kindle. I have no experience with eBooks besides my friends’ recommendations…
After looking at the video, and I still plan to get a Kindle. I noticed that in the video, the Kindle had absolutely no glare at all whatsoever. As for the Nook, I could see the camera-ographer (lol I know that’s not a word) reflection.
For a second, I was thinking the Nook was better because it had touch screen and color! Then I saw that the touch screen took awhile to react, which could be a major problem to me because I’m used to using my brother’s iPod Touch which has very fast reaction. I also realized that looking at full color for so long bugs me. My eyes start hurting because I realize how bright the color is, and with a backlight, that makes it harder for me. The Kindle, on the other hand, has no backlight and no color which is perfect for me.
I remember I was at Staples and saw a Kindle and was looking straight at it. Then the page changed and I’m like ‘Oh my gosh, I thought it was turned off!’ Just proves how book-like the Kindle is.
Going with the Kindle
Thanks for the comparison video!
November 7, 2012 at 7:00 pm
whats the difference between the nextbook to the kindleor even the nook? I am so mixed up I just want one to order books and read.
February 18, 2011 at 9:26 am
Of note is that I am able to obtain a book from the public library on the Nook and in discussions with users of the Kindle I am told that they cannot. Also noted is that there are no late fees, the library just wipes the book off the screen.
To date, after one year of reading I have read over 60 books so I find being able to purchase as well as getting loaners from the library are helpful.
If I am wrong about the loaner books from the public library please let me know about the fact that the Kindle can do this as well. AZ
February 18, 2011 at 5:05 pm
No, you’re right about the loaner books. The Kindle doesn’t allow this from libraries (epub files from Adobe DRM).
Use of library books on the Kindle CAN be done though…I will post the directions how ASAP.
February 20, 2011 at 11:30 am
My husband is disabled and has no use of his hands. He currently reads books using a page turner he holds in his mouth. It has a rubber tip that allows him to turn the pages. I was going to buy him a Kindle until I discovered that the page turner is a button on the side. Do you know if the Nook would work for him? How much pressure is needed to push the “button” to control pages? He uses Dragon Speaking software to control the computer. Do you know if there is any voice command application for these readers? Thanks for your help.
February 20, 2011 at 12:38 pm
The Nook takes significantly more pressure to push than the Kindle….The Kindle button on the side is thin and very much on the side, but it is a separate piece that is attached, and it is simple to push…but it’s on the very edge. The Nook, however, has a solid piece of plastic that is pliable over the page turn buttons. So it takes more pressure, but less on the edge than the Kindle. That’s a tough call, you might want to check them out in person (Target and Barnes and Noble).
The iPad may be a good choice, honestly I haven’t used Dragon, but they have an app for the iPad. Obviously the iPad is a lot more expensive, but might be a great tool for him.
February 21, 2011 at 5:52 am
Thanks for your help.
February 22, 2011 at 7:36 pm
I live in France and would like to buy a Kindle as it has international coverage as far as
Wifi is concerned but will the 3G option function as well?? I like reading at the beach!!!
February 22, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Yes, the 3G works internationally with the Kindle…in “over 100 countries” according to them. You can look at their coverage map on the Kindle page at Amazon.
According to the map, 3G is definitely going to work in France.
February 25, 2011 at 8:34 am
HI,
Love your website, thank you for all of your analysis!
Feb. 18, 5:05 pm – Admin post:
“Use of library books on the Kindle CAN be done though…I will post the directions how ASAP.”
Could you kindly send me the link to your posting regarding public library books for the kindle 3.
Thank you!
Cheryl
February 25, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Shoot. You called me out!! I am working on this right now…not sleeping until I have properly tested this and posted…
UPDATE: Click to read- How to read library ebooks on the Kindle
March 2, 2011 at 11:21 am
Good comparison site. The video was great. I have a Nook and I love it. The ONLY thing I would say that I like different and glad I got the Nook is because there are no Walk in Amazon stores (that I know of) so if it messes up, you’re on the phone and at the PO. Who knows when it will be fixed and when it will be back.
I had a minor problem with my Nook a few weeks after I bought it, I went into the B&N store and within 5 minutes, I had a new one.
I know Kindle Vs Nook is solely up to the customer since they are so much alike but I would rather talk to someone face to face and have it resolved right then than to get pissed at some tech support and slam the phone down with nothing resolved.
Just my opionion, of course!
March 4, 2011 at 11:49 am
Yeah, that’s a good point about having a brick and mortar place to go. I’ve had a not-so-perfect experience on the phone with B and N trying to get library books/re-registering our device, but the people on the floor at Barnes and Noble seem to know their stuff pretty well.
I’m impressed with Amazon’s customer service as well, though. I watched my father go through the problem where his Kindle kept re-setting (the non-lighted Kindle cover issue) and they kept overnighting him new Kindles. Then when Amazon finally figured out the issue was the cover, they sent him a lighted cover immediately at no charge. I guess they did what they should have done, but it was still impressive customer service compared to other…numerous…annoying…companies out there.
March 30, 2011 at 11:36 pm
Hi Jeff,
You wrote to ask what I decided to get in the end. I decided to get the Kindle 3 since that was what my blogging family seemed to be leaning to. I was surprised at how strong Kindle owners tend to be. I was even a little nervous about getting the Nook for fear that the Kindle bloggers might not be happy with me. Just kidding…. but only sort of.
The only problem I still have with the Kindle is that I can’t “borrow” books from the public library like you could with the Nook. I wish it had a better contrast, too.
Ah well…. I’m happy enough.
Thanks for your visit,
Kay
October 20, 2011 at 3:55 am
@Musings: Well, at least Amazon has started offering library books!
November 8, 2011 at 7:13 pm
I disagree that the nook simple touch falls short in memory because it has a 32 gb micro sd expansion slot. Kindle touch does not. You’re stuck with the 4gb which isn’t much of a problem if you only have books but if you add audio 4gbs disappears pretty quickly.
November 9, 2011 at 5:08 pm
@yoitzo: Thanks for the comment Yoitzo…
Well, the memory of the Nook Simple touch is 1,000 books. The Kindle Touch is 3,000 books. (Nook is less)
If you want to expand the memory of the Nook Simple Touch, you can purchase an SD card. If you want to expand the memory of the Kindle Touch, you can utilize the Cloud Drive to swap your content to and from it.
They both have solutions to expand memory.
November 29, 2011 at 11:19 am
@TechWham: Often overlooked, B&N also has cloud storage for books. Oddly, B&N doesn’t really promote this fact.
November 30, 2011 at 5:07 pm
More importantly, it’s not obvious in any way while using the Nook devices. It’s very simple to swap content back and forth from Cloud and Device on the Kindle Fire…it’s not so obvious on the E-Ink versions though.
Good point! Thanks for chiming in. Barnes and Noble should be jumping all over that bandwagon!
December 1, 2011 at 5:22 pm
I thought I’d mention that the batteries actually are not equal between the KT and the NST. They both advertise 2 months, but the Kindle says up to 2 months if you only read for 30 minutes a day. The Nook is 2 months if you read up to one-hour per day. So it actually has a much better battery, partly due to the new software update that conserves power.