This past week I paid a visit to Barnes and Nobel to buy a Christmas present for a family member who was visiting from out of town. I do most of my shopping online these days, and it had been over a year since I had been there.The first thing that greeted me when I walked through the door was a massive display for the Nook. For those of you who belong to the technological unintelligensia, a Nook is the B&N equivalent to the Amazon Kindle, which is a poor man’s version of the IPad and the newly released Samsung Galaxy. All of these are different grades of a new computing class of machines called e-readers or pads. These are thin, hand held devices that are cross between a computer and a smart phone.
The low end Kindle and Nook are primarily used to buy and download books from either Amazon or B&N, along with newspapers and magazines. Most cost under $200.00. I know people who absolutely love them.
At the other end are the spectrum is Apple’s I-Pad and Samsung’s Droid based Galaxy. These are much more sophisticated and can almost do anything a computer can do, but in a hand held configuration. They are amazing machines. Prices for these: $300.00 ranging up to $900.00. The Nook has a new color version out that is closer to the upper end devices, but only has a wifi connection…no G connection. Keeps the cost right around $280.00.
All of these devices connect to the internet either through a wifi connection (you need a hot spot) or through a 3 or 4 G connection, which means you can access the internet from anywhere. Kindle and Nook connects you to a 3G connection for free. The limited purpose of their product allows them to do that. They are used primarily to download books and newspapers which involves minimum data flow.
The I-Pad and Galaxy, on the other hand, use the connections much more, and will charge a monthly fee for the G connection based on usage. These units also have a wifi card to allow the user to use the G connection only when necessary, like if you were stuck in a car in the middle of the Sahara and wanted to download Madame Bovary, thus keeping down the cost. You can adjust your G access cost from nothing to maximum by the month, depending on how you intend to use the device during that month.
It is complicated, and that is exactly the point. B&N used to be a refuge. People would go there to browse the books, get a cup of coffee, or go back to the CD room and listen to music samples to see if you wanted to spring the fifteen bucks for the tunes. Now…well it’s not really like Best Buy, but I hate to see books reduced to a computer screen. It almost seems like they are using the store to sell the gizmo that will put the store out of business. And instead of relaxing, you have to figure out more of that technology stuff.
Which one should you buy? More than ever, you need to know what you want to use it for. If you don’t, you will end up buying way more machine than you need, or under buy after you get the hang of it and wish it could do more.
If your intent is to buy books at discounted rates on line, download them at home onto your device, then go to the beach to read them…the Kindle or Nook are for you. The screen looks like a page of the book, and shows up well in direct sunlight as well as being easy on the eyes. No color here. The screens are top lit black and white and work well in the daylight. Access to your email account and limited internet usage is included.
If, on the other hand, you like color razzle/dazzle and like to watch videos and play games and look at colorful magazines in addition to downloading books, then look into I-Pad or Galaxy. They do amazing things, but if you don’t need those amazing things, save your money. I use the amazing things, and am leaning toward the Galaxy for a whole lot of reasons. But it is pricey and has only been on the market for a few weeks. I am going to wait until next year for the next generation after they get the bugs out. These screens are backlit, like a computer screen, and tend to be difficult to read in the sunshine. Such are the tradeoffs.
I felt bad when I left the store today. On the plus side, progress is great. I have downloaded the Kindle program onto my mini net book computer at home to get me through until I decide on which pad to buy. It works great, and beats paying thirty bucks for the book itself. I downloaded George Bush’s book and have enjoyed reading it.
On the other hand, it just isn’t the same. They were playing the soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas over the store sound system. The world has changed a lot since Charlie Brown first set out to find the needy Christmas tree and discover the true meaning of the holiday. Are the new pad devices technological marvels making our lives better; or would we be better off keeping the lowly Christmas tree? That's a call for you to make. Nevertheless, it makes me sad...and makes me rant.
At the other end are the spectrum is Apple’s I-Pad and Samsung’s Droid based Galaxy. These are much more sophisticated and can almost do anything a computer can do, but in a hand held configuration. They are amazing machines. Prices for these: $300.00 ranging up to $900.00. The Nook has a new color version out that is closer to the upper end devices, but only has a wifi connection…no G connection. Keeps the cost right around $280.00.
All of these devices connect to the internet either through a wifi connection (you need a hot spot) or through a 3 or 4 G connection, which means you can access the internet from anywhere. Kindle and Nook connects you to a 3G connection for free. The limited purpose of their product allows them to do that. They are used primarily to download books and newspapers which involves minimum data flow.
The I-Pad and Galaxy, on the other hand, use the connections much more, and will charge a monthly fee for the G connection based on usage. These units also have a wifi card to allow the user to use the G connection only when necessary, like if you were stuck in a car in the middle of the Sahara and wanted to download Madame Bovary, thus keeping down the cost. You can adjust your G access cost from nothing to maximum by the month, depending on how you intend to use the device during that month.
It is complicated, and that is exactly the point. B&N used to be a refuge. People would go there to browse the books, get a cup of coffee, or go back to the CD room and listen to music samples to see if you wanted to spring the fifteen bucks for the tunes. Now…well it’s not really like Best Buy, but I hate to see books reduced to a computer screen. It almost seems like they are using the store to sell the gizmo that will put the store out of business. And instead of relaxing, you have to figure out more of that technology stuff.
Which one should you buy? More than ever, you need to know what you want to use it for. If you don’t, you will end up buying way more machine than you need, or under buy after you get the hang of it and wish it could do more.
If your intent is to buy books at discounted rates on line, download them at home onto your device, then go to the beach to read them…the Kindle or Nook are for you. The screen looks like a page of the book, and shows up well in direct sunlight as well as being easy on the eyes. No color here. The screens are top lit black and white and work well in the daylight. Access to your email account and limited internet usage is included.
If, on the other hand, you like color razzle/dazzle and like to watch videos and play games and look at colorful magazines in addition to downloading books, then look into I-Pad or Galaxy. They do amazing things, but if you don’t need those amazing things, save your money. I use the amazing things, and am leaning toward the Galaxy for a whole lot of reasons. But it is pricey and has only been on the market for a few weeks. I am going to wait until next year for the next generation after they get the bugs out. These screens are backlit, like a computer screen, and tend to be difficult to read in the sunshine. Such are the tradeoffs.
I felt bad when I left the store today. On the plus side, progress is great. I have downloaded the Kindle program onto my mini net book computer at home to get me through until I decide on which pad to buy. It works great, and beats paying thirty bucks for the book itself. I downloaded George Bush’s book and have enjoyed reading it.
On the other hand, it just isn’t the same. They were playing the soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas over the store sound system. The world has changed a lot since Charlie Brown first set out to find the needy Christmas tree and discover the true meaning of the holiday. Are the new pad devices technological marvels making our lives better; or would we be better off keeping the lowly Christmas tree? That's a call for you to make. Nevertheless, it makes me sad...and makes me rant.
No comments:
Post a Comment