I have right here a NookColor

[cabbie]

This thing really flies, 800mhz processor.

Things of note: enable ADB not available in settings, no shocker there. Micro-USB charging port, micro-SD expansion up to 32. Runs off a custom version of android 2.1. it has 3 home screens. long press doesn't let you add shortcuts, but lets you change wallpaper. you can add things to the home screen from within your library by long pressing on a book/magazine/etc. web browser doesnt have pinchzoom but books do. you double tap to zoom in webpages. comes bundled with pandora.

i really want this effer rooted and cyanogen thrown on it, stat.

im taking it outside now to see how it deals with glare. it has a 'VividView' screen by LG with a laminate to help reduce glare.

 

[ylexot]

I know there is no market on it, but can you side-load apps?

 

[A.Nonymous]

I'm curious how it looks in the glare too. I love my Kindle just because I can sit outside on my deck and read. I'll look harder at the Nook if/when it gets rooted. If I can toss my comic books and my Kindle books that I've already bought on there, I may be hooked. How is the battery life? I haven't charged my Kindle in about a week and a half and I haven't hit 75% yet.

 

[cabbie]

theres no real file manager to install an apk. There is going to be a curated market, developers just need to get the nookcolor SDK and tweak their apps for it and submit it to B&N.

It was readable in direct sunlight, but there was glare and i could see my reflection but that could be ignored. The screen on nookcolor was a zillion times better than the touchscreen on my original nook, which is useless in direct sunlight. The nookcolor screen is fine but of course not as good as e-ink.

The battery life is going to be 8 hours approximately since its an LCD screen and not e-ink. It is very much a tablet.

 

[cabbie]

heres a really good review by CNET: link

 

[A.Nonymous]

theres no real file manager to install an apk. There is going to be a curated market, developers just need to get the nookcolor SDK and tweak their apps for it and submit it to B&N.

It was readable in direct sunlight, but there was glare and i could see my reflection but that could be ignored. The screen on nookcolor was a zillion times better than the touchscreen on my original nook, which is useless in direct sunlight. The nookcolor screen is fine but of course not as good as e-ink.

The battery life is going to be 8 hours approximately since its an LCD screen and not e-ink. It is very much a tablet.

I know they reported 8 hours, but I'm curious if it really is that. I've found some of those estimates assume that you are simply sitting there staring at it and it's doing nothing. How much do you get in heavy use?

 

[lordofthereef]

I always thought these things were just for reading books. So you can run other stuff on this too?

 

[uniquenameEVO]

Does it have a calendar or email?

 

[cabbie]

just tried sideloading an .apk. Didn't recognize it when I try to open it.

 

[ylexot]

I always thought these things were just for reading books. So you can run other stuff on this too?

It is running a heavily-skinned version of Android 2.1. It comes loaded with Pandora, a web browser, and a few other things, but they are starting a market for the Nook in a few months.

So.....yes

BTW, the original Nook runs Android also and it has been hacked, but there still isn't a whole lot you can do with it.

 

[A.Nonymous]

If this one gets hacked and I can load Kindle and get my email on it while on wi-fi, then I'm in like sin. Until then, I'll stick with my Kindle as an ereader. No glare in the sun and e-ink is better than LCD overall.

 

[nycnyc]

I think I might get one of these or ask for one for xmas. Hope to hear a lot more about it.

 

[cabbie]

got youtube running on it but some videos wont play, unfortunately. youtube seems to always be fickle with mobile devices. the speaker on it actually puts out some good volume. This screen size is awesome, i mean awesome for video viewing. I think slingbox will get on it one way or the other (through rooting or B&N offering it as an official app)

the night mode is really nice

 

[jtbnet]

This thing really flies, 800mhz processor.

Things of note: enable ADB not available in settings, no shocker there. Micro-USB charging port, micro-SD expansion up to 32. Runs off a custom version of android 2.1. it has 3 home screens. long press doesn't let you add shortcuts, but lets you change wallpaper. you can add things to the home screen from within your library by long pressing on a book/magazine/etc. web browser doesnt have pinchzoom but books do. you double tap to zoom in webpages. comes bundled with pandora.

i really want this effer rooted and cyanogen thrown on it, stat.

im taking it outside now to see how it deals with glare. it has a 'VividView' screen by LG with a laminate to help reduce glare.

It should fly and should fly higher with 2.2 ported which probably won't take long as the proc is the bastard brother of the one in the Droidx (sans camera interface);

CPU TI OMAP 3621 ARM Cortex A8-based 800MHz
802.11n/g/n WiFi adapter
512 MB RAM
8 GB internal storage memory
1024 x 600 capacitive touchscreen VividView LCD
Height: 8.1 inches
Width: 5.0 inches
Depth: 0.48 inches
Weight: 15.8 ounces
8 hours rated battery with the WiFi turned off
mono speaker
3.5 mm stereo headphone jack

If the screen is as nice as some reviewers have stated then this is a BIG winner especially once OC'd and running 2.2... sure doesn't seem to be anything holding that porting effort back once they are readily available... This is a Samsung Galaxy Tab Wifi killer I suspect at half the price....

 

[cabbie]

it has the same proc speed as the ipad and same resolution on a smaller screen, so the DPI is beautiful and the text looks so crisp. Hopefully the froyo port will come in early '11 because of reasons you mentioned...the dalvik JIT compiler.

i believe its getting a planned update in december which makes sense, its sort of in beta because the kinks won't get knocked out of the software till its in the hands of tens of thousands of people. There are definitely some tweaks I can see that it needs right now but nothing huge.

I got 6.5 hours on a full charge before it died, and I had wifi on, brightness on full and it was constantly being used on everything from browser, to downloading books, to reading. Thats legit.

 

[A.Nonymous]

BTW, the original Nook runs Android also and it has been hacked, but there still isn't a whole lot you can do with it.

True, but the original Nook has an e-ink screen instead of a touch LCD and doesn't have the power under the hood that this one does.

 

[Martimus]

I've been waiting for the day that a Nook Color actually shows up at a B&N store near me. I wouldn't mind having one but I don't want to purchase it sight unseen. Problem is nobody at B&N seems to have a clue when they'll hit the local stores...

 

[jonE5]

How fast is a browser on wifi? Fast enough that you wont want to go grab a laptop?

 

[RoboMonkey]

I dont get it, it's a freaking book reader not a "tablet". Why must people attempt to make things into what they are not? You buy it for reading not web surfing and video viewing. Just pay $250 more and get a damn Galaxy Tab it you want a real android tablet.

 

[cabbie]

The demos were out in stores yesterday and today they are available ahead of schedule at least to my store for those who reserved.

I've enjoyed reading on it. I read in direct sunlight again just fine. Again, not as good as e-ink, but certainly passable. Plus I do my reading indoors anyway, I'm not a birkenstock-wearing hippie who spends 20 hours of the day outside in a tree or reading in a meadow.

 

[ilevo4g]

Hey Cabbie,
How did you get youtube running on it? I got mine today and was able to play downloaded youtube videos on it.

got youtube running on it but some videos wont play, unfortunately. youtube seems to always be fickle with mobile devices. the speaker on it actually puts out some good volume. This screen size is awesome, i mean awesome for video viewing. I think slingbox will get on it one way or the other (through rooting or B&N offering it as an official app)

the night mode is really nice

 

[A.Nonymous]

I dont get it, it's a freaking book reader not a "tablet". Why must people attempt to make things into what they are not? You buy it for reading not web surfing and video viewing. Just pay $250 more and get a damn Galaxy Tab it you want a real android tablet.

Because as a book reader it's not the best. The Kindle and the original Nook both kick it's ass as a book reader. The e-ink screen looks better, has no glare in the sun and has battery life that is measured in weeks, not hours. B&N is wanting this to be more than a reader though so they're giving it a touch screen, a web browser, an app store and a number of other "tabletty" features without including things like email or calendar that would make it an actual usuable tablet. Why would I pay $500-600 for a Galaxy Tab if I can pay $250, root it and do the same thing?

 

[RoboMonkey]

Because as a book reader it's not the best. The Kindle and the original Nook both kick it's ass as a book reader. The e-ink screen looks better, has no glare in the sun and has battery life that is measured in weeks, not hours. B&N is wanting this to be more than a reader though so they're giving it a touch screen, a web browser, an app store and a number of other "tabletty" features without including things like email or calendar that would make it an actual usuable tablet. Why would I pay $500-600 for a Galaxy Tab if I can pay $250, root it and do the same thing?

Now that's an answer. But the question is can you and if you brick it was it worth it?

 

[A.Nonymous]

Now that's an answer. But the question is can you and if you brick it was it worth it?

Presently, you can't root it, but you know someone will figure out how.

 

[cabbie]

m.youtube.com in the browser