I have been using my Viewsonic gTablet for about a month now. In the first 30 minutes I owned it I flashed a new Rom and have a fully functional Android tablet.
One of the primary missions of getting a tablet was to replace my stack of books with something I could take with me. I travel a lot and having access to different topics was important to me. Primarily I read news via RSS feeds so I do not subscribe to magazines. I do, however, read huge amounts of literature. Thus, the original quest was to buy a Nook or Kindle. With the gTab I have the best of all worlds and much more at my fingertips.
Over the last few weeks I have used both programs and have made a decision regarding my favorite.
Both programs are available for download from their respective companies (Kindle for Android, Nook for Android). My thoughts are below:
Kindle software
Pros:
- works with Whispersync so it displays the latest page on any of my devices
- loads a book faster than Nook
- when going to the Droid home screen and executing tasks, my book is on the screen when I return
- full access to the Amazon.com marketplace
Cons:
- The font has a more "pixeled" appearance
- less color settings for reading
- archiving items is not intuitive. Details about the books are more difficult to see
- proprietary Amazon format. What will the future hold for e-Readers? I am not sure, but I struggle with a commitement to a closed architecture path (kind of like AppleOS v Android).
Nook software:
Pros:
- The animated page turns remind me I am reading a book
- More color and font settings. I have chosen "butter" and found a font that nearly resembles a true book
- Touching a book on the screen allows me instantly manage the title - buy, archive, see details
- Graphics! Wow! I have several books with pictures and covers downloaded that just "pop" off the screen
- Open architecture using the "EPUB" format. Personally I browsed my gTab and opened one of these files noting it is nothing more than an XML format. I can copy, archive, and save this for any future e-Reader or technology not yet invented.
Cons:
- the most frustrating issue is exiting Nook to execute other tasks always returns me to the Nook homepage requiring me to re-open the book.
- books are slower to load, to the point when I tap an icon I feel I must not have tapped it to start the book
Conclusion -
I already owned books from both companies and some authors only have Kindle versions available. Both publishers offer nearly all the same titles at close to the same prices. That said, my preference is for the Nook software going forward. Remember, this is not about e-ink or Kindle v Nook. Instead, the following make the Nook software for Android the clear winner: readability and settings, graphics and animation, the EPUB format.
Lastly, I ALWAYS download samples of the titles first. When I see a book I may want I download the sample title (like a wish list) and keep it in my library until ready to purchase. I suggest you download several samples of the same title and compare them side by side. One of my favorite comparisons would be Ghost Rider by Neal Pert (Nook) versus Ghost Rider by Neal Pert (Kindle).
2 comments:
Great review! I agree that Nook is better. I had both apps installed on my GTab but dropped the Kindle app.
BTW, with Honeycomb (Android 3.0), there is a Super COOL new Google Reader widget. Google Reader is in some ways superior to the others. It will sync your place on EPUB books - across all of your Android devices! Pretty cool. I assume that part works on pre-Honeycomb versions as well.
Hi John, I also have both apps on my iPod and chose the Kindle. I bought it for my husband, who you know was elderly and could easily get confused. I found the kindle to be easier navigate. I was looking for a simple reader. When he was alive, we went to the beach often and I wanted him to be able to read in the sunlight. He was able to do that and not strain his eyes. Since he passed away, I have continued taking it with me to the beach and although I quite often fall asleep while reading, lol, it is much easier to read in direct sunlight. I agree with you regarding the proprietary format, but for my purposes, a simple Ereader with WiFi, the Kindle won out. Besides, I have about a hundred books on it so far and have only paid for two. Amazon offers free books, and not just the classics, on a regular basis. That alone paid for the Kindle, lol!
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