In which I buy a Nook though I already have a Kindle…
Why did I just purchase a Nook when I already have a Kindle? Good question. Let me tell you the story…
First, you need to know that I prefer actual books to e-books, but since I read so much (and books are more or less security blankets to me) I need to have an e-reader so that I have options of books to read (or download) while traveling. An e-reader is also quite easier to carry than a large book (once you get past 400-500 pages, a book can add significant weight to your purse).
Second, although I am a big fan, big, HUGE fan of indie stores there is not one very close to me. Living in Los Angeles, that is a big deal. Also, because I read so much, if I shopped exclusively at independent book shops, I would not be able to pay my bills each month. Just so you know, lest you think I throw away all of my money on books (which I do, of course), my line of go-to for book acquisition is such; library, then PaperBack Swap, then finally bookstore. I utilize free and swap books like nobody’s business, but sometimes — you just can’t wait forever for that book you are dying to read.
Third, I shop at Barnes & Noble most of the time. When I bought my Kindle (first generation), my decision was between it and the Sony reader. Frankly, the Kindle had better press. When the Nook came out, I felt a bit annoyed that I had already purchased the Kindle, but decided it was no big deal. And really, it was no big deal, my Kindle was (and still is) great.
So why did I get a Nook? Wasn’t I the one who pushed the Kindle? Didn’t I say how I think they are the best e-readers? Yes, so keep reading.
Basically, I’ve held off for long enough. I’ve had my Kindle for two years. And I love it. It will be sad to part with it (I am probably going to sell it unless my mom wants it, you know… keep it in the family). But honestly, even though I don’t LOVE the touchscreen at the bottom (though I’m already getting used to it, and thankfully it turns off when you are reading), the Nook fits me better in the long run. I spend a lot of time at Barnes & Noble. Now, when I bring my Nook, I will get deals every time I’m there; just for walking in the door. I will be able to share my books with any other friends who have the Nook, or the Nook application for their iphone, ipad, itouch, or computer. I can take my Nook into an actual store if I need help with it (please note, I’ve only had a problem once with my Kindle and it was taken care of rapidly over the phone with a little tech support).
Do I think the Nook is better than the Kindle? To be honest, I haven’t played with it enough to know. It does have more features, the ability to update with the click of a button, and the option to add apps that they are in the process of building now. That is cool. But the Kindle is amazing, and is, basically, the reader that got this whole fire started (sorry Sony, you’re awesome for being the first, but without Kindle the real wave of e-readers wouldn’t have started). And I’m sure Amazon has plenty of innovations up their sleeves. But from what I can tell, the Nook is to the Kindle what the Mac is to the PC. I am a Mac girl, through and through. Same thing goes for Barnes & Noble. I will go to another store if it’s easily available, but my first stop is always B&N.
So, there you have it. It was a better fit for me. Plus, I wanted something new and fun. I don’t often buy expensive shoes or purses (or clothes, really, for that matter). I have a car that is paid off, and I don’t have a fancy phone (mine is flip and every time I text it takes me an hour– though if they ever get iphone for Verizon, that might change. I am a Verizon girl too… wow, I never realized how brand loyal I was until this post). And other than getting my new computer (which I’m still thrilled about, but it was time — I’d had the old one for the better part of a decade), I haven’t done any fun purchases in quite a while. So this is my new “gadget”.
What were my first downloads? FREE BOOKS! When I read a classic, I prefer to do so with the Barnes & Noble Classics series anyway, so now I can get them for free (when available). Minutes ago, I downloaded Frankenstein, Woman in White, Picture of Dorian Gray, Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Writings, and Dracula. All for zero dollars. Big smile here. (By the way, you can also do this on your Kindle, if you have one. Make sure you utilize the free e-book section!) As you can see, I am ready for Halloween now!
What will my first actual purchase be? Probably Laura Lippman’s I’d Know You Anywhere. I keep hearing about it, and today Cass tweeted that she was loving it… so I looked it up and it looks absolutely unputdownable – don’t you think?
Okay, I’m off to go play with my new toy now. Very excited! Hope you have a happy day of reading whether it’s on paper, computer, phone, or e-reader (am I missing anything). What a wonderful, incredible thing that we have so many avenues of devouring the written word!
Addendum:
For those of you who don’t read the comments, Cass asked what I was going to name my Nook. Good question since my Kindle was just named “Wally’s Kindle.” I have a few ideas… what do you think? Not that I will necessarily take your opinion, I’m that kind of person… I ask for an opinion and then I just go ahead and do what I feel like anyway — unless your my mother. I almost always do what she asks if I tell her I’m going to… if I don’t the nature of the universe is that I get screwed somehow. Annnnd back to the topic.
Please vote in my poll (and then tell me what you named your e-reader!):
*The winner of the poll is Rory! (Good thing because that was the name I was leaning towards.) Thanks to everyone who voted! 
*
Like you I’m a passionate book swapper, whenever I want a book I just wait a little and it usually turns up at my swap site (even in English, which is great). So I haven’t spent a lot of money on books.
I actually love the look of the Nook with those coloured buttons at the bottom, but we don’t have B&N here, so it is not an option for me anyway, but I would definitely prefer it to the Kindle. Just because I don’t like some of the things I have heard about amazon and what they can do with it (like removing books from customers’ kindle). But I am a Sony girl all over. I’d never give up my Reader, even though it looks like a neglected step child compared to your Nook,
. I must admit I like the sharing option between Nook users, though.
Are those free books also available for the Sony or only Nook and possibly Kindle?
Yes, I would imagine the Nook isn’t even a contender in Europe where there are no B&N’s (nor the ipad maybe?). The race is probably between Sony and Kindle there.
I would think that the Sony reader would have free books. I know the Kindle definitely does, and I imagine Sony would need to offer them as well to keep competitive. Do you buy your books off of a particular website? I Googled “free Sony ebooks” and an entire page of results came up, so I think you’re set!
Kindle only came recently, but readers in general are not so popular (people still look at me as if I’d fallen from the sky when they see mine), because they are extremely expensive. Yes, we have iPads.
I just realized that I could get all sorts of free books from Project Gutenberg anyway. I don’t use the Sony shop or software at all, never even been to their shop. I mostly buy m/m books for the reader, and use the various GLBT online publishers or get my books from netgalley.
Yes, Sony has free ebooks. I got 100 classics for free from their store when I bought my reader (and the offer never expired because I still occasionally download them–I think i’m up to the 60s now with my free classic downloads). Anywhere that sells or publishes books with the ePub format you can download from for Sony so you can pretty much get any classic for free.
Congratulations on your Nook, Wallace! I finally got to play with one in B&N the other day and they are pretty nifty! I won’t be buying any new e-readers soon since I have two…hehehe…but being a gadget girl, of course I want a new graphite colored Kindle 3 and a Nook. I still like my model of the Sony because I’m not a fan of the touch screen (I like that the Nook touch part seems to be all in the area you don’t read on at all).
Frankenstein and Dracula are amazing books. I loved them both! Hope you enjoy your new toy!
thank you Carin! Wouldn’t it be fun to have a whole shelf of book gadgets? Each morning, you could just decide which you wanted to use.
Looks like the Sony has plenty of free books too. That makes sense.
I am also a passionate book-swapper and library user. I love my Kindle though for the convenience of traveling and reading e-galleys.
I’ll be purchasing an ipad in the next few weeks. Even though I know I’ll probably use it exclusively, I still want to cling to my Kindle because I love it so much.
Although I use B&N almost exclusively (no indie bookstores within 45 minutes of me) I’ve just never had a desire to own a Nook – probably because it was just too much like the Kindle for me and, besides, I have six family members with Kindles and Kindle apps who are all connected to my amazon account!
Oh wow, that makes sense — six family members with Kindles? You can’t get rid of it now. You all can basically share books, right? Since it’s the same account? That’s a good way to do it!
Yup! It’s a fantastic way to do it. And when I purchase my ipad I’ll just use the Kindle application for my book reading.
Congrats on the Nook Wallace. I’ve heard a lot of great things about them, but they aren’t available in Canada. Can’t wait to hear more about how you are enjoying it
Thank you, Bella!
1. I’ve been toying with the idea of getting an e-reader, specifically the Nook. I think you may have just sold me on it!
2. I just added I’d Know You Anywhere to my wish list on PBS. It sounds great!
Ah! Zoe, if you get a Nook we can lend each other books (including I’d Know You Anywhere, as I’m going to download it tonight before the September book buying ban goes into effect).
I just got a new Kindle 3…after owning and loving the first generation of Kindle…which will be passed on to my sister…I am just a Kindle enthusiast…I never go to Barnes and Noble…so Kindle is the ebook for me…I even have a Kindle purse…eledge has the best extra stuff for Kindles and Nooks…try them out!!!
Yeah, if you don’t go to B&N and regularly shop Amazon — Kindle is the way to go. It all comes down to matters of preference since they are all great gadgets! I’m sure the Kindle 3 is amazing.. I think that’s the one a friend of mine just got for her birthday. I haven’t had a chance to play with it yet, though.
What is the eledge site? I tried to look it up on Google and couldn’t find anything.
Good question, I was looking forward to using it. Hopefully Patty will come back with the link!
Crikey Wallace, just reading your post about your nook makes me want to get one:) Although, I’ll probably wind up with a Kindle since B&N isn’t that close by. Plus, I have been toying with the idea of a kindle for awhile now. Hmmm.
If you don’t utilize B&N (even online) as much as Amazon, then go with the Kindle. However, if you do shop B&N online, then the Nook would be your better choice. It comes down to that, and just a few other things…
1.) Nook is a bit more confusing, but along with that — has a few more fun things available.
2.) Nook you can lend — even to friends across the country (ahem) but as you can see, you can share Amazon accounts with family members and lend to them on your Kindle that way (thanks to Lydia fro that trick).
3.) Nook has a touch screen on the bottom which is a plus or a minus depending on whom you are asking.
Let me know what you end up deciding on. Either way, e-readers are tons of fun!
Oooh, Wallace, welcome to nook land! I am totally going to push lending you my ebooks
since I don’t know anyone else with a nook!!! We should DISCUSS the Laura Lippman book if you do decide to download it. I’m really, really enjoying it.
Now the big question is: what are you going to name your nook?
YES! I am SO excited about the book lending part and would love to share books with you! You are my first Nook friend too, so I’m very excited. I have to say that hearing you had a Nook made me even more curious about them (as I didn’t really know anyone with one, and you were saying good things).
I’m not sure, but I’m thinking of these:
1.) Rory (as in Gilmore)
2.) Edna (as in St. Vincent Millay)
3.) Lizzy (as in Bennet)
4.) Nooky Wook (as in a super saccharine pet name for my new Nook).
What did you name yours?
My nook is named Alfred Applebee. He’s like my book butler who brings me any book I want in a matter of seconds. I love the idea of EDNA for your nook–makes me think of a little old librarian. (I have personification issues.)
PS I also call mine “nooky wook.” I great approve of that as a nickname.
Love it! E-readers are totally book butlers (they should call them that instead of e-readers actually). Maybe I should have added Belvedere to the list.
Rory…what an excellent name for a Nook!
So glad you think so, I’m leaning towards it. (I am a ridiculous Gilmore Girls fanatic).
That is the ONLY thing I don’t like about my Kindle.. Amazon and no coupons!!! Well, I guess that’s two things. As a B&N lover, this pained me, but I am over it now. I really, really do not like that touch screen on the Nook. What about clarity? The Nooks on display always seem fuzzy to me where my Kindle is always crisp and clean.
I can’t wait for you to do a comparison post.
The Nook is very crisp. It looks exactly like the Kindle, except you can actually change the font. Maybe some of the display ones had been tinkered with (as far as font goes)? Or maybe they had just been handled a lot. The touch screen is what kept me happy with my Kindle for the past two years too. I thought I would HATE it. But I’m actually used to it now after only a day. It goes away while you are reading (you can actually set it to go away at any time you want).
They are both GREAT. You do have a newer version of the Kindle than I did, so that probably makes a good difference. However, if you ever decide to sell the Kindle down the road– you can get a Nook and we can lend each other books.
My DERAEERI^$^#% Kindle is still on backorder and now you make me think that I should have gotten a Nook! I loved the idea of sharing with the Nook, but wasn’t so sure that I would have anyone to share with. Therefore, that cool feature was sort of unusable for me. How sad is that?
Maybe I will put it on my Christmas list:)
Hmmm… if it is on backorder, can you cancel it?
(I’m just kidding – sort of. The Kindle is wonderful, and I’ve loved it for 2 years, so it will treat you right).
Just so you know, you can lend books to anyone whom you have the e-mail address for. So, that includes blogger friends! The book downloads onto their Nook for 2 weeks. How cool is that?
I’d name it Sawyer. He’s the most awesome bookish character on TV ever. Had the best names for everyone on Lost. If we’re going non-bookish I would name it Jayne Cobb or Vera (Jayne’s gun).
My computer is named Pagoda (after the butler in the Royal Tennenbaums). My husband’s computer is Newt and our entertainment computer is named Ripley (both Newt and Ripley are from Aliens).
However, I know Rory is going to win since you are a big Gilmore Girls fan. Just know that Sawyer could kick Rory’s ass. LOL!
Haha! When you mentioned this on Twitter I thought you meant Sawyer as in TOM Sawyer. I’ve never seen Lost (believe it or not).
Sawyer might be able to kick Rory’s ass, but can he kick Rory and all of the rest of Stars Hollows’ asses (because they would totally stick up for her).
I like the name Rory for a Reader, but how about Niles? (After Niles from Frasier!)
Oh I love Niles from Frasier! He is so wonderfully nerdy! Good call.
Well, all I can say is that no matter what I pick, people are gaining some great ideas for their own e-readers (or in Carin’s case, their computers as well).
I love how he always says “oh oh oh!” when he gets excited… so I picked it up. Niles is just adorable I love Frasier. I wish they made telly like that again.
great! I bought a kindle yesterday!!! should i be sad? I know that you can share books on the kindle, my parents each have one and up to 4+ people can be linked. (although it seems like more from the other commenter…) but I am not sure about the apps feature- that seems like a nice perk! hmmmmmm….. Wallace, can you only share the books you buy on your Nook with your Nook buddies? Now I am torn.
xo
Ah, finally! You and your sister absolutely need e-readers (no matter what kind).
Yes, Nook’s can only share books with each other. And here’s the difference, Kindle – it seems- you can share books between people on your account (so anyone who has access to your account). Nook — you can share with anyone who has a Nook. You basically e-mail them the book (through your Nook — it has a contact section where you type in the e-mail of the person you are sending it to), and they don’t have to have access to your account. That’s one of my favorite features.
If you decide to return the Kindle and get a Nook, let me know… we can share books. BUT if your parents and Mal have Kindles, it might be more useful for you to have one too so you can share books with them.
I just convinced my husband to get me the third generation Kindle … they did a nice job redesigning it. Even more compact and thin and higher contrast. I’m selling my old one … as that was how I convinced him to get me the new one. I think everyone needs to get the one that fits them best … we’re big Amazon people so I’ll probably stick with the Kindle.
How fun! Yes, it’s important to take into account which would fit our lifestyle (where you shop, if you have others sharing your account or not, etc.). Have fun with your new Kindle!
Well, if you do end up selling let me know, I’ve been looking for an e-reader of some kind for quite awhile. I love reading what everyone says about each one and am not sure I could decide:)
Good luck naming it!
I will! I have a friend who is interested in buying it, but if she does’t, I will put it up here on the blog for sale. Looks like Jenners (below) is selling hers too.
I have the Kindle 1 and have loved it for two years now. If I upgrade I think I will go with Kindle 3. I too still buy books and get some from PBS. Basically if I want a book I look for it at PBS. If I cannot find it there, I may look at the Book Stores. If I can get it cheaper than the Kindle in the store, then I do so. If not, then I get it on my Kindle.
If I buy books, I usually buy from B&N. If I don’t find it at PBS or if it is more expensive at B&N, then I get it on my Kindle.
I’ve seen a few tweets and blog posts about the Nook and it seems like one of the reasons why everyone loves it, is because of the ability to share books. Also the great discounts help!
I don’t think I could ever get an e-reader because I’m scared of having technical problems with one.
I love my Nook! The things that won me over in the end were: 1-EPUB format (I can check-out ebooks through my local library; can’t do that on a Kindle!) 2-Sharing feature (though, I think you can only share a title once?) 3-Cool coupons that pop up when you enter a B&N. I mean, who can resist free Godiva chocolates?? Okay, so #3 wasn’t a deal-maker, but it’s a good bonus! BTW, just found your blog & loving it!
I FORGOT to bring my Nook with me the other day when I was at a Barnes and Noble! I want Godiva chocolates!
the written content on this article is really one particular of the most beneficial substance that We have at any time arrive throughout. I adore your article, I will occur back again to examine for new posts.
The content on this publish is really a single of the top material that I’ve ever occur across. I love your article, I’ll appear back to verify for new posts.
Genuinely definitely very good website article which has got me considering. I never looked at this from your point of view.
Can you take your Kindle library to your Nook? Or, do you lose everything and have to start over?
Thanks
I’m not sure to tell you the truth. I don’t know enough about technology. I still have all the books I bought on my Kindle because a) I still have my Kindle, and b) they are forever on your Amazon account. So you never really lose those books per say — you just read them on a different device than your Nook. Hope that helps!