Nook: The Pros
Color touchscreen: Like other wireless readers, nook has a black-and-white E-Ink screen for displaying books and magazines. But underneath the reading screen is a smaller color screen that lets users browse their collection and choose what to read. The 3.5" color LED screen also features a keyboard for navigation.
Share your books: This is the first ebook reader that lets you "lend" books to family and friends. The lent books can be accessed through computers and smartphones. You can lend a book for two weeks, during which time it's unavailable to you. At the end of the two weeks, it reverts back to the owner.
Android operating system: The nook is the first portable reader to operate under Android, Google's OS for mobile devices. Since Android is open source, outside developers will be able to customize special applications for the nook, a la Apple's iPhone apps. Nook also allows users to access existing apps for Android devices.
Wi-Fi access: Besides being able to download books over a wireless 3G connection, the nook also lets you do the same via Wi-Fi. For now it only works on the Wi-Fi systems at Barnes & Noble stores, but plans are to offer it on other systems. Wi-Fi only nooks are now being sold at $149, $50 less than the 3G versions.
Nook: The Cons
Battery life: The nook can operate for ten days on one battery charge. The Kindle runs up to 14 days.
No text-to-speech feature: Nor does the nook include a web browser. Both features are available on the Kindle.
Kindle: The Pros
The books are cheaper. Amazon has kept prices for the latest books at $9.99, far cheaper than a brand-new hardback. Older books by popular authors fall into the $6 range.
Getting books is a breeze. Kindle's Whispersync lets you download a book quickly. No more trudging to the library or driving to the bookstore.
Your library is portable. The best part about the eBook is that you can carry so many books with you at once. Long train commutes and trips to the beach are much easier because you'll never run out of reading material.
Kindle is easy on the eyes. Reading on a computer or on a handheld device can be difficult. The lighted screen can strain your eyes, and the page is too small, meaning you're constantly clicking or scrolling to keep reading. Kindle overcomes these issues because it uses electronic ink to generate the pages of the books you buy.
You can do research as you read. Kindle lets you take notes, and it has a built-in dictionary.
Kindle: The Cons
Once you drop it in the tub, it's gone. Items are backed up on Amazon, but a Kindle runs about $300 bucks, so you want to be careful with it.
No sharing allowed. When you buy a book, it is yours forever, no reselling or letting a friend borrow it, unless you trust a friend with an expensive Kindle.
Don't expect full Web access. Although Kindle uses Whispersync to download books and you can look up facts online, actual Web surfing via Kindle takes a long time.
A limited selection of books. Die-hard readers might be underwhelmed by what Kindle has to offer, as not all publishing companies have gotten on board with Amazon.
The decline of the print industry. The rise of Kindle might have an impact on newspapers, textbook companies and publishing houses. While these companies are working hard to catch up with Kindle's technology, not all of them have done so, which means some books might not be available for a while.
Impulse buyers, beware. The cheap price and ease of downloading means you might wind up with some bum books on your hands. Even though the books are sold at a discount, bulk buying can add up.
