The Nook eBook reader has become such a popular tablet, you might be planning to buy yourself one this year. Maybe some lucky loved one will be getting a Nook for a Christmas present, birthday gift or other type of surprise. Whoever you plan to purchase the Nook tablet for, be sure you understand exactly what the Nook can and cannot do.
About the Nook eBook Reader
First of all, let me say that my sister absolutely loves her Nook eBook reader! She’s like a kid in a candy store when it comes to the multitude of ebooks she has access to. She can buy Barnes & Noble ebooks to read, make other types of ebook purchases, or take advantage of various free ebook offers. After enjoying the Nook for a whole year now, my sister is able to easily maneuver her way around the Nook on her own. She rarely calls me, my niece, or someone else to help her accomplish something on the Nook.
What is described as the “World’s Best 7″ media tablet” is really not that difficult to use, even if you have absolutely no computer or digital skills to speak of. When it comes to computer technology my sister is even less knowledgeable than my mother, and that’s saying a lot. But it didn’t take her long to get comfortable scrolling the easy to read Nook with its vibrant screen. The Nook offers both the smooth appeal of touch technology, coupled with physical buttons for volume control, and locating the home position. The Nook is an excellent gift idea for the avid reader. However, it may not be the best choice if the reader plans on listening to lots of audio books.
Nook Audio Book Issues
When it comes to listening to audio books on the Nook, there is an issue that purchasers should be aware of. The most popular competition to the Nook eBook reader is the Kindle Fire tablet. Because they are both popular eBook readers, people tend to think they are interchangeable and can be used the same way. The truth is, the Nook was created for readers, so the other types of media features are incidental. According to one NBC news review about the Nook, “Things start to get weird when we get into the other forms of media.” That includes the ability to listen to certain audio books on the Nook device.
Since the Nook is a product of Barnes & Noble, you can visit BN.com, as well as a local Barnes & Noble Nook Store to make purchases. Barnes & Noble has a limited amount of audio books available for listening to on the Nook. What they offer, compared to what’s on the internet is virtually a drop in the bucket. Audio books are popular online and there is an abundance of them in various formats. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to access them on your Nook tablet, if you can access them at all.
Processing Audio Books
Processing audio books so you can listen to them on the Nook ebook reader is inconvenient. This is your only option when you’re done listening to the limited Barnes & Noble library of Nook audio books. If you want to get access to other audio books, such as in MP3 format, you will need to download the files to your computer. Afterwards, you can copy the files from your computer to the Nook’s internal drive via USB. For a Nook owner like my sister, this is a chore that she wouldn’t be bothered doing if she even knew how. It is obvious that the Nook ebook reader is a tablet that is not really designed for listening to audio books.
If listening to audio books on your tablet is a primary concern, you may want to rethink getting a Nook. However, it is the perfect choice if you want an ebook reading experience that is believed to surpass the competition in every way. The Nook can be purchased at department stores like Sears, Target, Best Buy and Radio Shack, in addition to the Barnes & Noble Nook Store. The cost currently ranges from $149 – $199 dollars.
