Nook Simple Touch Reader has arrived!

New Nook

I’ve always loved to open packages when they arrive in the mail, especially when I didn’t have to pay for them.  Opening my Barnes and Noble box was no exception!  My first reaction was surprise, since the new Nook was not supposed to be released until June 10th.  I didn’t know how or why I got it early, but decided that I simply special.  (Silly me, the salesclerk at Barnes and Noble said the entire supply had been made available a week ahead of schedule.)

My first impression was how small and lightweight the device appeared.  When I removed it from its packaging, I loved the feel of the case and its clean, simple design.  With only one large power button on the back, it looked pretty darn foolproof.  The 6″ reading screen is the same size as the Kindle, but looks smaller because the Kindle has a keyboard below the screen, making it longer.  The Nook is pretty much square in shape.  For those folks who don’t like touching the screen to turn the pages, there are very subtle clicker bars on either side for advancing pages.  E-Ink technology is employed to give the look of real pages without the glare, so additional lighting is needed at night.  I still have that personal problem with the “flashing” as pages turn but this is present with all e-readers using e-ink.

Once again, I had to make the trip to my local Barnes and Noble store to register it via wifi, but this is due to our Library’s wifi security and not an issue with the device itself.  I was able to successfully download a book from Project Gutenberg through our library catalog and onto the Nook using the Adobe Digital Editions software on my computer.  It works just the same as the other Nooks in this respect. 

My only problem so far is trying to connect to Facebook or other social networking sites using the built-in wifi.  I suspect it has something to do with our wifi at the Library, but I don’t remember it being an issue with the other Nooks once we had them registered. 

If I were in the market for a device to be used only as an e-reader, I think this might be my new favorite.  I love the touch-screen and the lightweight (8 oz) size.  It has an awesome battery life between chargings, so I could probably take it on a trip and never have to plug it in.  It easily fits in my purse and most of my coat pockets.  I personally find it easier to use a touch screen keyboard than I do the tiny keys on the Kindle, and the Nook keyboard doesn’t appear until you need to type in something.  Otherwise, the entire surface is for reading.

While I continue to use and love my Nook Color and iPad, the new Nook Simple Touch definitely has my attention!