Manage updates with the Download AppBarnes & Noble Nook (3G/Wi-Fi)
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble Part number: Nook
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Nook Wi-Fi/3G doesn't quite measure up to the Kindle in terms of design and overall performance, but it's a worthy alternative if you're looking for a more open e-reader that supports the EPUB format.
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Where to buy
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|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 05/18/2013 |
CNET editors' review
Barnes & Noble Nook (3G/Wi-Fi) price range: $200.00
- Reviewed by: David Carnoy
- Edited by: John Falcone
- Reviewed on: 12/06/2009
The good: Large library with tens of thousands of e-books, as well as newspapers and magazines; built-in free wireless data network, plus Wi-Fi connectivity (no PC needed); separate capacitive color touch-screen pad for navigation, and a virtual keyboard for notes and annotations; 2GB of internal memory (capable of storing 1,500 electronic books) as well as a microSD expansion slot for additional memory; font style and size are adjustable; displays image files and plays MP3 music files; compatible with Windows and Mac machines; battery is removable and user-replaceable; allows free browsing of full-text books while within Barnes & Noble stores; you can lend certain e-books for up to 14 days free of charge; EPUB format compatibility lets you read free Google Books and loaner e-books from your local library; page turn speeds are faster with firmware upgrade.
The bad: No protective carrying case included; color LCD has an impact on battery life; in-store reading and loaning capabilities come with notable limits and caveats; no support for Word or text files; no ability to download books when outside the U.S., even when on Wi-Fi.
The bottom line: The Nook Wi-Fi/3G doesn't quite measure up to the Kindle in terms of design and overall performance, but it's a worthy alternative if you're looking for a more open e-reader that supports the EPUB format.
User reviews
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The most horrible product ever made.
by ayc245 on April 15, 2010
Pros: It's light and does not heat up.
Cons: The device lags and freezes for no particular reason. Customer service and tech support are both equally useless and unhelpful.
Summary: - got my nook in 02/2010 (birthday present)
- it stopped working (froze) early on in 03/2010 (I had used it maybe 2 or 3 times prior to ...Summary: - got my nook in 02/2010 (birthday present)
- it stopped working (froze) early on in 03/2010 (I had used it maybe 2 or 3 times prior to the incident)
- went to B&N in union square new york (rude sales rep could not figure out the problem)
- have since been waiting for a battery replacement (1+ weeks)
- the device is a complete waste of time, the page turns ridiculously slow, the machine lags and freezes, customer service and tech support - HORRIBLE
- consider the kindle if you're serious about getting an e-reader; also, the iPad looks promising (Apple's tech support and customer service is ridiculously efficient)5 out of 7 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Slow shipping and poor customer service
by orwellflash on January 8, 2011
Pros: Ability to use epub DRM files
Cons: I have been waiting for 4 days to have my Nook shipped from B and N.com I now have a message that the order cannot be processed. I have tried to contact them by phone and email and get no response.
Summary: B&N is not ready for prime time. Amazon won't let you borrow a library ebook and deserves to be panned for that, but its customer service and ...
Summary: B&N is not ready for prime time. Amazon won't let you borrow a library ebook and deserves to be panned for that, but its customer service and product are first class (I already have a Kindle), B&N has been pure frustration and many customer reviews indicate that it is a general state of affairs at this point (January 2011).
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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My Nook seems to have problems accepting B&N updates.
by nfitchett on January 6, 2011
Pros: I liked the ability to store large volumes of books without the hassle of carrying them around.
Cons: The updates tend to freeze my Nook requiring me to contact digital support only to be instructed to do a hard reset. After the 3rd update, I tried to get a replacement (Dec. 20, 21010) as the Nook was only 6 month old. I'm still waiting.
Summary: I love to read and I thought the Nook was great until I started having problems with it accepting the updates. I have been without my Nook since late October. ...
Summary: I love to read and I thought the Nook was great until I started having problems with it accepting the updates. I have been without my Nook since late October. Needless to say, I'm in the market for the IPad. B&N's digital customer service is really lacking. For this reason, I won't recommend the Nook to my friends.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good product - terrible customer support
by rakehell on January 6, 2011
Pros: This is my first ebook reader and I like the feature set a lot. I have the Nook Color.
Cons: Customer support: Can't get through via phone, can't get a response via email.
Summary: First, you can't get through on the phone to customer support. I gave up after burning 60 minutes.
Second, when you log a question or problem with customer support ...Summary: First, you can't get through on the phone to customer support. I gave up after burning 60 minutes.
One limitation I discovered was that you can't change the font size on PDF's. You can change the size of the page, but if the print is small, it may still be too small to read even when you have just the text filling the screen.
Second, when you log a question or problem with customer support via the b&n web site, they send you a canned response and tell you call the phone support line (of all things) if you have further questions. Seriously, I wonder why they even bother to have someone take the time to paste in a response. They could just do it automatically.
Don't bother responding and trying to get an answer - they haven't returned any of my replies asking them to address my questions directly.
Updated on Jan 28, 2011
Updated on Jan 30, 2011ebooks are not eligible for coupons. Yeah, that's right. They don't tell you this AND you won't see it in the details for a coupon. You just won't get a chance to enter the coupon code.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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At least I didn't pay for this
by totallydisgruntled on December 24, 2010
Pros: It's lightweight.
Cons: freezes
can't turn pages with touch screen
customer service utterly uselessSummary: Received as a gift - unable to turn pages with touch screen. Customer service asked if I still had receipt - uh no told them it was a gift - ...
Summary: Received as a gift - unable to turn pages with touch screen. Customer service asked if I still had receipt - uh no told them it was a gift - holding credit card hostage while waiting for return of damage goods. Didn't want it, would have returned it if it wouldn't have been an insult to gift giver.
Love to read, love the feel of books in my hands, this is not an adequate substitute. Reading reviews is giving me heartburn.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Be aware you don't own the books you buy
by notabarnesandnoblefan on November 25, 2010
Pros: it has the potential to be a good product
Cons: You only can read books you purchase from Barnes and Noble for your nook as long as you have a valid credit card in their site. Doesn't matter that you've already paid for those books, if there is a "software update" they are removed from your nook
Summary: I think that they hold your already paid for books hostage for your credit card info. Does not make sense to me.
Summary: I think that they hold your already paid for books hostage for your credit card info. Does not make sense to me.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Wish I could get it back.
by locoduc on April 25, 2010
Pros: For the week it got used we thought it was a great buy. Able to download books from even the Library!
Cons: Half the screen black after the second week. Not enough time to find out anything else besides poor customer service.
Summary: Pray nothing goes wrong with your Nook. Customer service not helpful and most of the time just gives a run around. After sending it back customer service has done nothing ...
Summary: Pray nothing goes wrong with your Nook. Customer service not helpful and most of the time just gives a run around. After sending it back customer service has done nothing but give the run around about our Nook. First it was 'you are the first to have half the screen go black' then 'you cracked the screen', but both time was told they were sending it back. 3 months later they have changed the story again to 'it was a software glitch and more people have had the same problem, we are sending it back to you by 2 day mail'. Guess what, still no Nook going into the 4th month. best thing to do is take it back to a brick and mortar store to exchange it. We don't live close to one and had to do it all thru the site.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not ready for prime time.
by bigjoewok on January 3, 2010
Pros: The future potential of the android platform.
Cons: 1-Tech support is very poor.
2-The Library is very limited; no Frommer's for Italy, Germany etc.
3-Dictionary lookup is bad.
4-Battery life is 5 days max with the Wifi off.
5-Font size is limited.Summary: I am debating on whether to return this and buy a Kindle. B&N rushed this ereader to market for Christmas; now we are beta testers. The potential is ...
Summary: I am debating on whether to return this and buy a Kindle. B&N rushed this ereader to market for Christmas; now we are beta testers. The potential is great for the Nook, with upgrades it could be fantastic. However, when my wife brought her Nook to work and compared it to her co-workers Kindles she was a little disapointed. Although she might only use the internet occationally on the Nook for the same price (as the Kindle) she would lke the option. The (2) fonts loaded in the Nook can't compare to the font sizes on the Kindle. B&N has only 1 book out of of a series of 6 the people in her office are reading available presently. I looked up an auther I am reading (Dan Silva collection) and B&N did not have all the titles that Amazon had for the Kindle. Probably over time B&N will roll out the other titles, and upgrade the fonts, dictionary etc., but there is no timetable set, Bottom line is the Nook is a nice e-reader that can become a great product.
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Excellent - love it
by kobydog on June 9, 2010
Pros: -forward/backward buttons on both sides of device, actually important for reading.
-Touchscreen
-Very comfortable to hold and navigate, even one-handed
-Lend-a-book
-Price
-eInk over backlight (like iPad)
-large selection ebooks 4 free/purchaseCons: -long time to start up
-on/off/sleep a little confusing
-cannot custom organize librariesSummary: I love books and read a lot. I wanted a great electronic reading device. I don't want to browse the internet or play music or run apps. I just ...
Summary: I love books and read a lot. I wanted a great electronic reading device. I don't want to browse the internet or play music or run apps. I just want something that allows me to easily and comfortably read books, and to do it well. This is it. I have not found a problem with battery life. I run the touchscreen and get about 4-5 days of lengthy reading out of it. Maybe that?s not a lot, but I don?t mind plugging it in once a week or so. You need the most recent firmware.
Here are my detailed notes:
Pros (eReaders in General):
? I've downloaded books to the Nook- and it is really easy to do. No problems or complications. You just browse, select a book and click Buy.
? You can download and read a free preview of a book, like the first 20 pages. It lets you read a little before you buy to see if you're interested.
? There are free ebooks available. You'd probably read more outside your favorite genres if they're free.
? I don't have to go to the store to buy a book! I like that. Don't have to spend 45 minutes going there and back, don't have to wait for it to arrive via mail.
? I don't have to carry around a huge heavy book.
? It will always stay at the page you leave off. I can read a bit at my desk here, get up and go to the bathroom, and sit back down and it hasn't changed. A book you have to close, mark your spot, or if you leave it open the pages might blow one or two.
? no binding creases to worry about
? no storage areas to fill up with books
? Of course, environmentally more friendly with no paper books.
? It picks up our house wireless, which is nice.
? It syncs up to my B&N account online (which I really like). That means that it already has my credit card # on file, so when I click Buy, it just downloads the book and automatically charges my account. Easy as pie. Also, I can access my Wish List - which makes it really easy to find and purchase the books I want.
? All the books I download to the nook are saved in my online B&N account, so I have a backup.
Pros (Nook):
? I like that there are forwards/backwards buttons on both sides of it. That put it over the alex IMO. I do actually use the page back button frequently enough to make it handy to have on both sides.
? I do like the touchscreen. This just places it above the Kindle IMO. It is pretty intuitive. I do find that sometimes I accidentally touch it while reading, but not often. I think if I had the alex, that would be more of a problem since the touchscreen is so much bigger. It doesn't have super fast response (like an iPhone), but fast enough so that it doesn't get annoying. My friend said he wouldn't like the fingerprints on it. I haven't found fingerprints to be a problem. I think overall, the advantages of the touchscreen outweigh any disadvantages I can think up.
? I have read many books very comfortably with the Nook. Going forwards/backwards in the pages, the pictures show up, I can read one-handed, I can carry it around, and lie it flat on my desk.
? Lend a book option. You can lend a book for 2 weeks to someone else who has the Nook.
Cons:
? The delay when you turn the pages is not that big of a deal, you hardly notice it. I do notice it, but not really in a bad way - kind of like when you turn the page in a book. You notice it in the back of your mind and then it's gone. So it's not really a "con" - just not good or bad either way. All eReaders have this delay and they're all about the same time (with the new firmware for the nook). Matches Kindle.
? It does take a bit of time to start up. When you turn it on, you have to sit for a minute or two. Again, not really that big of a deal unless you're really in a hurry to read.
? I haven't really figured out the turning on/off/sleep mode thing. I'm not sure if I should be turning it off each night, or putting it to sleep, or how I do either. Sometimes it does respond, sometimes it doesn't. I'm sure this is something I just need to figure out. Read the instructions or something.
? Of course, being able to purchase books so easily makes it REALLY easy to spend money!!
Accessories:
? I don't know what I did, but now the AC adapter doesn't fit tightly to the nook anymore. It is a loose connection.
? I got the nook screen protectors. They're really good, except if you touch them at all while putting them on, they won't stick where you touched them. I first put them on and no touching. But they were crooked and it bothered me. So I used my fingernail to peel it up and reposition it, and where I touched it with my fingernail won't stick anymore.
? I like the cases for them. But man, they are expensive!
Wishes:
? I wish the page turn buttons were reversed in position (forward on top and backward on bottom). The way I hold it, my thumb rests on the top button (page back), but page forward is more commonly pressed than page back.
? I wish I could organize my books into customized folders or libraries.
? I wish I could give a book to someone else. Not lend a book, give a book.4 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Really happy so far!
by bnoguchi on March 17, 2010
Pros: 1. Wifi connectivity
2. Easy to sideload lots of different content
3. Touch screen page turningCons: 1. Battery life suspect
2. Touch screen delay
3. Lots of really negative reviewsSummary: I?ve had my Nook for less than a week now, and so far I?m utterly smitten. I?d been avoiding long books because I did not want to ...
Summary: I?ve had my Nook for less than a week now, and so far I?m utterly smitten. I?d been avoiding long books because I did not want to lug them around all of the time and am thrilled to be reading on my train commute again! I did an insane amount of research before I purchased this and waffled almost daily between the Nook and Kindle, I read every one of the 80+ reviews here and was pretty apprehensive about this purchase ? slow refreshes, lost bookmarks, lost downloads, screen freezes, battery issues, expensive titles, limited selections, super bad customer service, challenging un-boxing, etc. but took the plunge anyway. Many friends and relatives have Kindles, but I wanted something that offered just a bit more flexibility in terms of how one gets content and from where. I went to BN to see if their in-store demo models had any of the issues documented in this forum, and was satisfied that (some Nooks, at least) could function as advertised. I ultimately came down in the Nook camp for a few reasons:
Apologies for the lengthy review! Also for the "?'s" all over the place - cut and pasted without looking!
1. I feel like the Nook, by virtue of its Android OS roots, has enormous potential for upgrade via firmware that will improve and enhance functionality ? whereas it seems to me that the Kindle would probably require a hardware release to enjoy any substantial changes.
2. I like having the ability to sideload a variety of content via USB and micro SD.
3. My daughter can spend hours in the children?s section of our local BN, so I thought that having the Nook connected to my local BN would give me something to do while she browses around.
In terms of function, I have yet to experience anything disastrous, and am hopeful that if anything does freeze up, I?ll have the option of popping out the battery (like I do with my smartphone ALL the time) and return things to normal. I understand this would not be an option with the Kindle (which, also seems to be decidedly less buggy, but I like having that bailout nonetheless). I?m satisfied with the page refresh rate, and really like being able to swipe the touch screen to turn pages, as opposed to using the buttons, which admittedly feel a bit flimsy because you?re flexing through the frame. The touch screen does seem to have a bit of a delay when compared to my Apple Touch, but is less frustrating than the resistive touch screen on my smartphone.
Someone does need to write the essential guide to power management for this device. I got about two days of power before I needed to recharge, but admit that I was playing with the touch screen a lot, read about half of a long book, downloaded a couple of things, and left the wifi on. I?m curious to know if swiping for page turns (as opposed to button pressing) is contributing to the quick drain. I figure once the battery has cycled through charging a few times, and my habits are better established, I?ll get a better read on battery life. I expect that 5 days will be on the high end of charge life ? so if you?re on the road for extended periods, this could be an issue. I can live with having to re-charge every few days, given that my laptop lasts all of 2 hours, my Touch about 5 hours and my phone about 2 days.
The device connected easily to my home wifi, and my first book purchase downloaded in less than a minute. The navigation takes some getting used to, but after the first day was pretty intuitive, and I have found it easy to toggle through footnotes and look up words. If you?re one of those readers who does a lot of highlighting or dictionary referencing, that touch pad delay I mentioned will probably really annoy you, but I do very little of this, have not been overly bothered, and prefer the absence of a dedicated keyboard and a joystick. I suspect that this will be a big trade for many people but for myself, I just don?t view this as an input intensive device ? unlike my phone, for example, which I feel absolutely MUST have a full qwerty. The page reads well with little glare, and the maps and pictures in the books look surprisingly good, though a lot of detail is lost in the eInk display. The Nook does seem to struggle with pictures in books ? it would be nice if pictures and maps were called out in the table of contents (this may vary by title, I don?t know) and life would be easier if you could navigate by page number (likely a challenge because you can play with font sizes). Putting MP3?s and images for wallpapers into the Nook was easy via USB.
To me, book price and selection are mainly just matters of time. I have noticed that a lot of BN titles are pretty expensive, but also suspect that as tablets roll out this year, and with Apple entering the fray, that prices are going to fluctuate a lot for the next 12-18 months no matter who you?re buying them from. The Nook?s ePub support, will at least allow me to read some classics for free while this all gets sorted out!
All in all, I?d say that I?m happy with the purchase and enjoy using it ? time will tell, but so far so good!
Updated on Mar 17, 20104 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
- Part number: Nook
- Description: nook's easy-to read Ink display is more like a traditional book than a computer screen. With no glare or backlight, and adjustable text size, you can read comfortably hours. nook makes it easy to bookmark, highlight passages, or make notes - plus, look up words mid-sentence using the built-in dictionary. Use reading now, your virtual bookmark, to bring you back to the last book you've read, right where you left off.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type eBook reader
- Built-in devices Display,
Touchscreen - Dimensions (W x D x H) 4.9 in x 0.5 in x 7.7 in
- Weight 11.2 oz
- Color Black
- Features LCD display,
One touch control - Packaged contents USB 2.0 cable,
AC adapter,
Battery - Slot provided type [Dec 3, 2010 from CDS: Slot Provided] microSD
Display
- Type 6 in Monochrome E Ink
- Touchscreen Yes
- Display type 6 in E Ink
- Color Depth 4-bit (16 gray levels)
Display (2nd)
- Type 3.5 in Color TFT active matrix
Memory
- Flash Memory 2 GB
- Installed RAM 2 GB
- RAM 2 GB
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSD
- Flash memory installed 2 GB
Communications
- Cellular Technology 3G
- Cellular Protocols HSPA,
UMTS - Wireless Connectivity 802.11b/g
EBook Reader
- Supported Text Formats EPUB ,
PDF - Supported Still Image Formats PNG,
JPEG,
BMP,
GIF - Features Wi-Fi ,
3G wireless ,
Touch screen ,
Expandable memory Location
- GPS Navigation None
Multimedia
- Audio Speaker
- Supported Digital Audio Formats MP3
Input Device
- Type Touch-screen,
Navigation button Power
- Battery installed (max) Lithium polymer
- Recharge Time 3.5 hour(s)
- Power supply device Power adapter
Expansion and Connectivity
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x microSD
- Interfaces 1 x USB,
1 x Headphones Battery
- Technology / Form Factor Lithium polymer
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories USB 2.0 cable,
Power adapter , AC adapter,
Battery - Cables Included 1 x USB cable
Dimensions & Weight
- Width 4.9 in
- Depth 0.5 in
- Height 7.7 in
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Barnes & Noble products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Barnes & Noble
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