How Big Is A Nook Reader?

Barnes & Noble, the second largest seller of eBooks as of the writing of this booklet (8-12% of the market monthly), has its own lines of e-readers, called Nooks. The Nooks come in B&W e-ink, like the Kindle, called the Nook Tablet, as well as a color model, called the Nook Color.

The Nook Tablet is 8.1” long and 5" wide. The screen, with a PPI (Pixels per Inch) resolution of 169, is 3.55” wide and just about 6” long, not dramatically different than the Kindle Fire Tablet.

The Nook Color is exactly the same physical size, and its screen size is also identical.

The Nook uses ePUB formatted books (see What Are the Main eBook Formats? if you need a reminder on formats). This means that unlike books read on the (basic) Kindle e-ink device, some advanced formatting is possible, like drop caps and images wrapped inside of text.

The Nook Color also has available a fixed-format ability, like the Kindle Fire, for children’s books in landscape mode. Moreover, it has “read along” capabilities, for audio files to read to children. (This should not be confused with the “text-to-speech” capability of the Kindles, which uses an automated voice. The read-along uses MP3 audio files.)  The two vertical pages below are from the NookColor Tablet; the horizontal page is also from the NookColor tablet, but is from a proprietarily-formatted "ePIB" NookKids' books, which operates in "Fixed Format mode," so that text can display atop images, and show "spreads" (images that cross two pages) in the way that childrens' books should be read. 

Some Screenshot Examples of Books on the Nook Reader:

(click images for lightbox slideshow):

The Brimstone Murders, on a Nook Reader
The Brimstone Murders, on a Nook Reader
Sharon and Eleanor, an illustrated children's book, on the NookColor
"Sharon and Eleanor," an illustrated children's book, on the NookColor

 

From Frumpy to Fabulous, on a NookHD
"From Frumpy to Fabulous," on a NookHD

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

One of the wonderful Fergus the Ferry books, on the NookKids' reading platform.
One of the wonderful Fergus the Ferry books, on the NookKids' reading platform.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

T'was the Night Before Christmas... 

 (With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, may he forgive my doggerel...)

...and all through the shop,
all we minions were working,
   until ready to drop.

The ebooks were flying,
the covers were spare,
The edits were crazy,
   with "one more thing I must share!"

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old Saint Nick,
But Hitch made us work,
   Waving 'round an old stick!

So slave we all did,
And made all your books,
So that Hitch would say now,
   that we're off the hook.

Come today we're off,
to rest up our fingers,
Our hats we will doff,
   No books they do linger.

But we'll all be back,
Don't give it a thought,
for like all wage slaves,
   we're easily bought.

We'll be back on the fifth,
all eager and fresh,
All ready for you,
   after a well-deserved rest.

So Hitch wants to say,
very strongly and loud,
THANKS ALL YOU GUYS,
  you're the best type of crowd.

Indy and Len and Hitch and the gang,
will be back on the 5th,
to do books with a BANG!

In the meantime don't worry,
if you're in a hurry,
'cuz some poor guy got stuck
   sitting here like a duck.

Your emails we'll receive,
so no need to grieve.
We'll be a bit slow,
but we're raring to go.

Your books will be worked on,
your edits still made,
we're just resting a bit,
   before we all fade.

So please excuse the delays;
It won't be for days;
we'll jump on your queries,
   for your wondrous new series.

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old St. Nick,
And sure 'nuff he came,
   It wasn't a trick.

And as he rode off,
into the night,
I could swear I heard Hitch yell,
   "That Edit's Not Right!"

~~~~~~~~~~

We'll be back on the morning of January 5th; we'll be here parttime between now and then, thanks.