To me, there’s just something about a new book. The stiff binding and crisp pages always feel wonderful in my hands so I wasn’t ever sure that I’d be interested in an electronic reading device until I got to try Barnes & Noble’s nook ($259).
My experience with nook has ranged from complete and utter elation upon the arrival of the device to wanting to throw it out the window at times. The initial set up of the device was so easy that the first night it was in my possession I was able to set up an account, purchase a book, and read it on the nook. I didn’t love that it froze on me, rendering it useless when trying to read Little Miss Techie a bedtime story or that installing the eReader software to get my purchased books on other devices proved to be tricky but now that I have solved these problems and have bonded with my nook, all is right with the world and I am truly enjoying it.
To give you a true sense of what it nook is like, here’s the nitty gritty….
Getting Started
When the nook arrived, it was encased in a thick plastic case. The design and packaging looked sleek and akin to what I would expect to come from the Apple Store. However, I didn’t want to open the case for fear of breaking the entire thing so I gave Tech Savvy Daddy the task of cracking it open while nervously watching over him and 1) warning him not to break the gorgeous museum-like case and 2) hoping he wouldn’t drop the nook. He didn’t and I plugged it in and immediately went to the Barnes & Noble site to set up my new device.
Nook Account
Setting up a nook account was a simple 2 step process that included 1) creating an account or signing in for those with B&N accounts and 2) entering in a credit card number for payment before I could 3) shop for books. Really. It was that easy!
Navigating nook
The minimalist design of nook puts the focus on reading and makes it incredibly simple to use. It has a 6” display where the text of the book and illustrations appear and a color touch screen below that is used for navigation purposes. The easy-to-use touch screen functions similarly to the iPhone since no pressure is needed to make a selection. The touch screen appears by touching the “n” below the text display and allows users to use the following buttons to access content such as:
- The Daily– Free content such as previews and updates
- My Library– All digital content from eBooks you have purchased to PDFs
- Shop- Browse millions of eBooks that are also available from BarnesandNoble.com
- Reading Now– Allows quick access to the last page you read in the book you are currently reading. I like to think of this like my virtual bookmark
- Settings– Enables personalization through customized wallpaper, screensavers, and font type and size
Page turns are made easy thanks to the arrows on either side of the display. There is a higher set and a lower set which to make page turns easy regardless of how you hold your nook in your hands.
Inside nook
Nook has an internal 2GB memory that can store 1500 books. It also has a space for microSD cards ($12.95-79.95) to expand one’s eBook library. The MicroSD card slot is under the back cover and next to the battery.
It has 3G wireless that connects instantly wherever you have a wireless connection. This is especially useful for browsing and purchasing new content on the go. Since your credit card information is stored as part of your Barnes & Noble account, you can browse eBooks and make a purchase to instantly access a new title. For those who travel overseas, note that 3G wireless is only available in the US. Wifi anywhere else will allow you to connect to the internet but you aren’t actually able to purchase new content if you are outside the United States.
Nook’s battery life depends on the light conditions since the screen automatically adjusts its contrast according to the light you are in and if the 3G wireless is on or off. In testing, nook’s battery lasted for 2 full days but when the wifi was turned off, the battery had power for 10 days.
Book Selection
With over a million titles and more to come, I found plenty of eBooks that were on my must-read list. Suddenly I was wishing that my brand new copy of Flawless was an eBook and was dreaming of reading the entire Twilight saga for $33.20. If you find yourself clamoring for new releases, Barnes & Noble works with publishers to make new titles available for preorder in eBook form. When the books are announced by the publisher, you can browse, find, and preorder the eBook to auto download the day it becomes available rather than having to run out to the bookstore to get new releases.
Children’s titles such as Little Miss Techie’s favorite Magic Tree House series are available in eBooks format elementary ages and up. I love that we can read Leprechaun in Late Winter ($8.47), the latest adventure of Jack and Annie, for less than the retail price of the hardback whereas older MTH are $3.99, the same as a paperback version. Since we’re into Beverly Cleary’s Ralph books about the lovable little motorcycle riding mouse, I immediately downloaded the second book in the series- Ralph S. Mouse ($3.99)- for our bedtime reading.
Unfortunately there are only 4 titles listed in the 3-5 year age range so if you are hoping to load up you nook with read alouds to occupy your little one for a long plane ride, you might be better off packing your favorites rather than relying on downloads.
I do wish that the children’s titles were more easily searchable. Barnes & Noble does a fine job of sorting them by genre and has them separated by age groups if you scroll to the bottom of the left hand navigation column but the site seemed clunky compared to other online bookstores.
You can also purchase eMagazines and eNewspapers to read on nook. There’s a good selection of eNewspapers available with all the major dailies represented along with The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, and International Herald Tribune but they don’t come cheap. For example, current issues of The Washington Post sell for the newsstand price of $0.75 while an eSubscription is $11.99/month. As a Post subscriber, that seems high and I can’t see giving up my newspaper quite yet. I do like that if I were considering a subscription that I could have a 14 day trial of any eNewspaper for free.
The selection of eMagazines is far more limited with 11 titles available at the time I published this post. The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, PC Magazine, Foreign Affairs, Reason, National Review, The Nation, Guideposts, The Scientist, The Christian Science Monitor Magazine, and The Wilson Quarterly are currently available as subscriptions and current issues. I wish there was an eAlert I could set up when nook has an eSubscription of InStyle, Bon Appetit, or Organic Gardening available. Then I might be interested in reading my glossy mags on my nook. 14 day free trials are also available for magazines.
Sharing Titles
Nook features “Lend Me,” a way to share your favorite eBooks with friends and family. Eligible eBooks (ones with the LendMe logo below the cover art of the book) can be loaned once for up to 14 days by going to your library and entering in the person’s e-mail address for them to read on their PC or nook. If you lend a book via LendMe, you will not be able to read the title as long as the person is “borrowing” your book. The title will be available again at the end of 14 days or if the person finishes reading it sooner and “returns” it to you. LendMe is not yet available for iPhone, Macs, or Blackberry yet.
Installing eReader Software on Other Devices
One of the beauties of nook is that the eReader software can be downloaded and installed so purchased titles can be read on other devices including Macs, PCs, iPhones, iPod Touches, and the Blackberry. The idea that my books are accessible from any one of my devices at any given time is highly appealing.
Despite the ease of setting up nook, I encountered difficulties trying to get my purchased book to come up on my Mac and iPhone despite having entered in my username and password to access my account on alternate devices.
With my Mac, I followed the and installed the software correctly. I opened Applications then open Barnes & Noble eReader. From there, I went to the File menu and clicked Open where I should have seen a menu called eBooks. eBooks didn’t not appear in my menu nor was there another way to access it since all the choices were grayed out.
What I found out from the nook software team later was that I needed to manually download an eBook to my desktop from the B&N website. Upon doing this, I continued to encounter problems due to eBooks not appearing in my menu choices as I complained about above. I discovered that eBooks doesn’t automatically come up as a folder after the eBook software was loaded on my Mac. I created a folder and dragged my downloaded eBooks from My Library into the folder. Then I accessed them by dragging and dropping them on to the icon on my desktop like the instructions stated. It wasn’t hard to do this but it might save some user frustration by including this in the instructions.
iPhone users might be tempted to install the app by clicking on the “Get the eReader for FREE” button on the Barnes & Noble website (pictured above) but be sure to go to the actual iTunes app store to obtain the free eReader download. Whatever app I happened to download wouldn’t actually work on my iPhone (although I swear that I downloaded it from the app store since I have my receipt to prove it) and I had a frustrating couple days logging in with my username and password only to see that my purchased books came up in my Account but there was no way for me to actually read my downloaded eBooks.
I looked at the guide for using the software on the iPhone and the things I tried just didn’t work. I didn’t find my purchased book under the topic lists and even went to my purchase history to see if it could be accessed from there. No luck. Finally reinstalling the eReader directly from the iTunes app store did the trick and now I can read my eBooks on the go without nook in my possession.
As a bonus, iPhone and iPod Touch nook users who install eReader and sign into their B&N account get 6 free eBooks that include Dracula, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Merriam Webster’s Pocket Dictionary, Last of the Mohicans, and Sense and Sensibility. It is certainly a nice bonus to have access to such classics for free but these titles are only available for free on the iPhone/iPod Touch and not on all other devices where you can download eReader as I had originally thought. Blackberry users will get 4 of the 6 titles (Dracula, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and Merriam Webster’s Pocket Dictionary). Mac and PC users don’t get the added bonus of the free titles when installing eReader on their machines.
nook In-Store Experience
If you are a book lover like me and think that purchasing a nook might end your trips to the bookstore, it may actually increase them thanks to the bonus content that instantly downloads when you step into any retail location. This is pure marketing brilliance because it is hard to say no to a free Alice in Wonderland eBook ($4.99 for the B&N edition) and coupons to build your home library collection at a substantial discount. I also like having access to in-store experts who can assist with problems and answer questions.
Customizing nook
If you are looking to customized your nook, you can do so with a variety of accessories that range from colorful device backs ($18.95) and silicone frames ($19.95), screen protectors ($14.95), and a variety of covers, including gorgeous designer ones from Kate Spade, Jack Spade, Tahari, and Jonathan Adler ($29.95 and up). Other accessories like clip-on lights, rechargeable batteries, and microSD cards are also available for purchase through BarnesandNoble.com.
I do wish the covers were more affordably priced since purchasing a nook is quite an investment. While I love the designer covers, the least expensive one is the Jonathan Adler Punctuation for $29.95. Jack Spade covers are $65-85 while Kate Spade ones are $125, about half the price of the actual nook device, making them quite an investment. The Tahari case (pictured left) is my favorite but it isn’t available yet and I shudder to think of the price.
Considering that I could purchase a designer cover or add to my eBook library, I decided to purchase the very basic Industrell Front Cover that gives me a book-like feel every time I open the cover. It may not be the sexiest cover on the market but it helps my nook keep a slim profile and does a nice job protecting it for the budget price of $24.95.
You can also customize screensavers by using your own images or downloading additional ones from the Barnes & Noble website. Currently Alice and Wonderland images (see above right) are available to download. Nook supports image formats like JPGs, gif, bitmap, and tiff file formats if you’d like to use your own images as screensavers.
The Future of nook
While I love the experience of reading eBooks on the nook, there are some problems that I’d love for future software upgrades to address including:
- Making eReader software available for more smartphones and android phones like the T-Mobile MyTouch, Moto Blur, Palm Pre and Pixi. Barnes & Noble assures me this is coming but sooner is always better than later.
- The delay in loading pages. I don’t love that the screen goes black and flickers before the next page appears. I can turn a page faster than nook does.
- The device freezing. I don’t know about you but I don’t carry a little screwdriver with me and am not about to start just in case I need to pop out the battery when nook freezes. I’m pretty sure that the TSA would confiscate my screwdriver rendering my nook useless on any flight. Besides being really inconvenient, this just shouldn’t happen and apparently I’m not the only one who has experienced as evidenced by the number of Tweets I got back about quick fixes from my Tweeps. (Thanks everyone!)
- Larger pictures in chapter books. Little Miss Techie loves reading on the nook but her biggest and only complaint is that the pictures are way too small. Illustrations in Ralph S. Mouse tend to be about 2 inches square at best and never seem to fill the empty space on the screen well. I’d like the illustrations to be larger to mirror what is seen in chapter books even if it means dedicating a whole page to a picture. Pictures in traditional chapter books are much larger and if nook is all about the reading experience, providing good size illustrations for younger audiences is key to keeping them engaged in the story and developing a positive attitude towards books.
Conclusion
The traditionalist in me who loves books will always love the feel of a good book in my hands but the convenience of nook can’t be beat. While I don’t see nook being a suitable replacement for books for the youngest ages because it can never replicate lift-the-flap, pop ups, or those that engage the sense of touch or even the beautiful illustrations found in picture books, I do like having many titles at my disposal at any given time whether on my nook, iPhone, laptop, or desktop computer. Nook is an investment but the eBook titles are less expensive than the retail price of their hard copy counterparts and have the ability to be lent and shared without you ever losing them or being charged late fees a la your local library.
Win a nook!
Spring break is upon us! When packing for a vacation have you ever filled your suitcase with so many books that you hardly had room for your shoes?!? Consider that a thing of the past – here’s your opportunity to win your very own nook. Leave a comment below telling me about worst packing woes and how the nook could help read more, carry less. Be sure to leave your e-mail address or Twitter handle in your comment to make it a valid entry!
For extra entries, first leave a comment addressing the above and then do any of the following and then come back to enter your extra entries on this Google Form.
- Tweet this daily: @TechSavvyMama is giving away a Barnes&Noble nook! Enter to win here: http://bit.ly/9NQ4U4 Then come back and leave a link to your Tweet on this Google Form.
- Share this giveaway with friends through your Facebook page and leave a link to your Facebook page on this Google Form.
- Blog about this giveaway and include “Tech Savvy Mama is giving away a Barnes & Noble nook” and link to this post: http://bit.ly/9NQ4U4 Include a permalink to your post on the Google Form.
- Add the Tech Savvy Mama button to your site and leave the link in the Google Doc. Use the HTML that can be found on the right side of this site and comment via the Google Form.
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- For one last entry, take my Reader Survey. All responses are completely confidential and the responses on the form count as your extra entry.
Fine print: All comments must contain an e-mail address or Twitter handle to be valid. Extra entries must be submitted through the Google Form. All entries must be received by Friday, April 9 by 11:59 pm. Winner will be selected and notified via e-mail. Winner must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be selected from valid entries. Product will be shipped directly by Barnes & Noble to the winner to an address within the United States. Leticia (aka Tech Savvy Mama) is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or missing items.
Images courtesy of Barnes & Noble. No compensation was received for this post however I did receive a nook for review purposes. All downloaded eBooks and accessories were personally purchased.
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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012
Yay! The Nook is exactly what I need, to bring books that I love along with the ever expanding collection for my kids! A purse only stores so many stories at a time!! I love the covers – albeit pricey, they are lovely!
Heather, Missmariposa@gmail.com
For me, I think I pack too many shoes! Is 4 pairs for a 1 week trip too many? Plus the pair I’m wearing?
I have brought just one book on a beach vacation before and finished it too quickly! I completely underestimated the amount of time I’d have to read (and how engrossed I’d get in that particular book.) A Nook would be awesome – I could just download another title and keep on reading!
@techlovingmom
My husband likes to read his technical books on trips — and those books are huge, thick, hardbound monstrosities! Having a Nook would free up so much luggage space!
bonggamom@yahoo.com
I often pack a bunch of books when I go on vacation only to run out before the vacation is over or to end up dragging around several books that I never open. The Nook would be a fantastic solution to this problem. I love that it can hold 1500 books. I had no idea.
Worst packing woes? I always have this problem! It is either not enough or too many books! And you know what else? I can’t always fit books in my car or in my purse for those soccer practice hours. That is the most frustrating thing – not to have something to read when you are totally bored!!
Email: jlgerlock@comcast.net Twitter: mammamania
I’m so fascinated by the whole Nook/Kindle thing. I think I’m eventually going to do a post about my constant obsession about whether or not to get one or the other. I also feel like I just love a classic book – the feel of the pages, the hard paper in my hand.
Yet EVERYONE I know seems entralled by their Kindles and Nooks so I know I’ll eventually give it a try. Obviously winning would help!
But seriously, appreciate the honest review – I keep going back and forth about which one to get and I want to hear the good, bad and the ugly.
-Whit
I hate packing and wait until the last possible second to throw everything in my suitcase. The worst packing experience was probable before I started putting my liquids (hair gels) inside of ziplocs and they leaked…all over my clothing and books! Not a good way to start a business trip!
Now, the Nook would be great since I’d keep it in my big purse and not even worry about it being squished or getting hair gel all over it in my suitcase! I think I’d worry more about it on the beach around the sand and sunscreen.
I’m not sure if this counts but packing up my house to move, we packed 500 hundred books. I’m never doing that again. The Nook would solve that problem.
Packing is terrible now, especially with the airline costs per bag. So its even harder to bring things like books for the plane, because we’re filling our carry-on’s with clothing.
And that’s just anothe reason I would love a nook!
I went to Ireland in May of 2009. Knew I wouldn’t be reading on the actual trip (too busy!) but the flights there and back would be LOOOONG. My entire carry on for the plane was filled with a bunch of books (you never know what you may be in the mood for!). When your plane is delayed and you have a connecting flight and you’re rushing through customs then SPRINTING around the Atlanta airport… it would be a lot easier if you’re not loaded down with a bag full of books. NOOK to the rescue….just sayin’ 😉
Twitter: @bookfaredelight
email: bookfaredelgihts @ gmail dot com
Thanks for the useful review. A couple of years ago I read Vincent Bugliosi’s massive 1600-page Reclaiming History. Great book but it took me a year to read, not just because it is so long, but because it was to big to travel with! I was able to take it to the beach since we went in the car and space (and weight) weren’t at a premium, but my kids took to calling it Daddy’s Big Book. Would have been much better on the nook – faster read, easier to carry, though less exercise!
wesmichael@comcast.net
Hubby hates it when we go on vacation because I always pack so many books! I’ve started packing a separate bag for my books :-0 so they don’t get messed up by shifting clothes or shoes. And heaven forbid I forget my bag or not bring enough books–I ended up going and buying more books on one trip because I ran out of things to read! I’d love a Nook–it would enable me to take as many books as I want with me and would take up much less space.
srfbluemama[at]gmail[dot]com
Packing nightmare: two kids, two parents, and a dog flying from CA to VT for skiing… four large suitcases full of snowsuits, long johns, and a whole lot of clothes that Californians just aren’t used to needing… plus skiis… then finding out that the rental car doesn’t fit even half of it! A nook would make me feel better. : )
twitter: roxandroll
As a librarian the worst thing that could happen to me is to be without a book. I always have to have something with me to read. I also read really fast so that means I need lots of books when I travel, which gets very HEAVY. Its hard to find paperbacks I haven’t read in hardback to take on a trip. Its also nice to take paperbacks so that I can leave them for others to enjoy as I travel about and not have to keep the weight with me.
Your review was great and now has me thinking of a Nook. I never buy books, I love the Library (shocker I know ), but the capability of downloading new books at any time is very tempting. I would never be without a book again. What a wonderful thought. Plus it would leave me more room for shoes 🙂
naomirg at aol dot com
As a librarian the worst thing that could happen to me is to be without a book. I always have to have something with me to read. I also read really fast so that means I need lots of books when I travel, which gets very HEAVY. Its hard to find paperbacks I haven’t read in hardback to take on a trip. Its also nice to take paperbacks so that I can leave them for others to enjoy as I travel about and not have to keep the weight with me.
Your review was great and now has me thinking of a Nook. I never buy books, I love the Library (shocker I know ), but the capability of downloading new books at any time is very tempting. I would never be without a book again. What a wonderful thought. Plus it would leave me more room for shoes 🙂
naomi @ aol dot com
Worst packing woes is all the stuff we have to pack for everyone (family of 4, two pre-schoolers). We need all the room possible so having a Nook would allow me to leave the paper books at home yet still allow me to have a collection of books to read at my fingertips.
thebookvixen at gmail dot com
@thebookvixen
This comment has been removed by the author.
I always pack way too much and for long trips it’s always nice to have reading material, but it weighs you down when you pack a book or tow, so this would come in handy.
kibbles0905@yahoo.com
http://twitter.com/sarafan2
Trying to fit all my stuff and my daughter’s stuff in one suitcase, including all our books! We could use this! lanewindham1@aol.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
My husband and I take road trips (by car) sometimes on short notice-I have a cat rescue and when someone says they will help we jump at the chance to go. David tends to drive and drive and I get bored so I read- and carry books with me! Having a Nook would eliminate the need to buy a book on the way in case I forget to take enough or haul them when traveling.
baypayments@yahoo.com
i only have suitcases that are so big, and no matter how hard i try i always want to take more then will fit in them, and i love to read but i cant enjoy it anymore, developed an allergy to paper and nothing helps, have to read with baggies on my hands which let me tell ya, turning pages is a pain!!! so this would allow me to read to my hearts content!!! thanks for the chance
When we travel I’ve tried to take books (usually paperbacks) that I probably won’t read twice and then I pass them on to someone, leave them at a hotel, whatever to lighten my load. The problem with that, besides the space and the weight, is that a lot of the time I’m wishing I was reading some book I left at home that is more exciting. The Nook would solve that!!
I always want to take more shoes than I think I should — having the extra room (due to not taking books!) would be great. The newspaper aspect is what is of particular interest to me — we live in a ruralish area of Western Wis. and we have trouble getting any papers delivered out here — downloading them seems awesome!
I would love to stop purchasing books while I travel and just have one thing to carry around, how cool!
our worst woes are now that we have a kiddo – he takes up all our space – that we forget essentials that WE need.. like socks… so this would be awesome for us!
oh how i long for a nook! i have asked for one for my birthday (april 15!) but this would be even better… as for a packing story, i have MANY. of course i always bring a few books with me on vacation, but i have 3 kids, so i never actually read them. i just lay them on my chest while i “rest my eyes!”
thanks for the opportunity to win my dream present!!!
i need a nook! no room to carry a book in my bag.
When I go anywhere I normally pack 2 or 3 books, so a Nook would most definetly make the suitcase litter.
gavagana@yahoo.com
Worst packing woes? I am a children’s librarian, so I always pack a TON of books (and some for myself too) and have to listen to my husband complain for a while…. until I get him hooked on my latest audiobook! We drive rather than fly, so that helps! Please enter me in the Nook contest! clariline 08 at yahoo dot com
I would love to have a Nook. I’ve been looking at them for a while now. Usually, I like to carry reading material when traveling for work or leisure and I have to limit it to one book which is all that can fit in my little luggage (i try not to carry much).
With a family of 5, with 3 kids and all of us LOVE to read (well, the 2 year old looks at the pictures) we always end up taking WAY too many books. Our families live in Belgium and England so we always take lots of books on the plane to keep us busy. This Nook has been on my wishlist for over 2 years and I’m keeping my fingers crossed as this would certainly help with our travels or when we’re at a swim meet and have to sit there for a couple of hours. Thanks for the fantastic giveaway!
ann dot guns at mac dot com
Thanks for the very honest review! I usually take along whatever book I’m reading and several for Lucas. The exception was taking 3 of the Twilight books on vacation last year, knowing I’d fly through them. I really wish I’d had the Nook then instead of three huge books!
Urg! I always end up losing my books whenever I take them with me on vacation! It seems I pack everything fine at the beginning of the trip BUT on the way back clothes, books, toys, etc..seem to MULTIPLY and I usually end up throwing most of it into garbage bags then getting home and I have missing clothes, books, shoes! At least with a nook I could mark off one thing that I wouldn’t lose (because I would handcuff it to me!!)
kessandcrystal(at)aol.com
I love reading long novels like Ayn Rand and Stephen King, but these never fit in my purse! If I had a Nook, I’d never go anywhere without a good book!
Oh goodness, do I remember the days of packing when my children are little? Yes,I do. Strollers, car seats, diaper bag, complete with bottles and snacks and enough diapers to keep the two(twice I had 2 in diapers) I had in diapers, a spare set of clothing for leakage and spit ups……It was usually would take hours to get ready for a day long outing, let alone longer than that. I really had to think hard on how much I wanted to go anywhere or needed to go anywhere. Thankfully the kids are older now and I have managed to whittle things down to snacks, crayons, and juiceboxes in my purse.
It would be great to have this little gadget for the visits to dentists though.
Christine
dazed1821@aol.com
I read several books a week usually, plus I drag a lot of stuff back and forth from work, including my laptop and whatever book(s) I’m reading at the time. I think that having a nook would help lighten my load!!
we do a lot of family traveling with our two little kids and all the kid stuff – stroller, carseat, diapers, snacks, etc. take up a ton of room! it is hard to find space for anything else. we are those people lugging everything around the airport check in line, while scrambling to keep track of the kids. l i love reading and want to bring books along, but usually can only bring 1 maybe 2 books. the nook would really help solve that problem!
I normally pack way too many or not enough books. With a nook that will be a problem of the past!
email – dawnpnr(at)aol(dot)com
I went to a trip to Disney World and I couldn’t bring anything extra because there wasn’t enough room and we were in a small car! Ah! The extreme boredom sitting in a car with nothing to do.
brittwln@yahoo.com
http://www.twitter.com/noyougirls
I admit that I don’t really have packing problems with books but I would love to give the Nook to my husband who rides a commuter train each day and would love to have something to read without having to keep up with bulky books.
I always pack way too much stuff for trips. No matter how long the trip is, I’ll completely fill my suitcase. It could be 3 days, 1 week, or 2 weeks – I’ll pack the same amount! You never know when you might need that extra shirt (or 4)!
The Nook would definitely help me pack less – I wonder how useful travel books would be on it?
jmschwabe at gmail dot com
When I go away, I always bring books with me. But to make choices about which books to bring and which to leave home. And what don’t I pack when I want to bring books instead.. its so tough! The nook would really help me simplify my packing.
My packing woes are not the norm:) When you backpack, every ounce counts so even on a long trip I never carry more than one book and I ration how many pages I can read each day. To be able to carry 1500 books would make my day!!
Whenever I go on vacation, all of my bags are packed to the brim! I can never fit my extra things into my carry on, yet alone all the books I want to read. I always end up buying airport books (too much cash) and leaving them behind as I never have room to take them home. The nook would completely solve this! I could bring all the books I’d like for the plane and the beach and still have room!
christine.stork@gmail.com
My problem with bring books on vacation or when traveling is that I can never seem to bring one long enough to keep me entertained. Since I am almost always the passenger, I come close to finishing one book before I reach the destination. Then on the first night I am done reading. It would make since for me to bring more books but thats kind of hard when you are trying to travel lightly so the nook would be an excellent solution for my dilemma.
My email address is different.from.u@gmail.com
My problem is a try to pack light so I bring only 1 book and I finish it too quickly so I end up buying books on vacation and trying to pack them in my suitcase home!
The nook is exactly what I need
monacart32@hotmail.com
We drove cross country from California to Omaha with our 11 month old. Yeah… I had two books with me, we got stuck in Nebraska due to a blizzard. I LOST one of my books and the other fell out of the car in New Mexico and got wet from the snow. The Nook could stay in my purse and I could read any book I want. Yay.
On my last trip out west, I had to ship home a 37lb. box, as I had NO room left in my three suitcases. I also had to ship home a box of just books. Hit both a 90% off sale at Bath and Body Works and at Books A Million. I’m hopeless.
Thanks for the giveaway.
libneas[at]aol[dot]com
After struggling to pack the books I wanted to take on spring break I decided I had to bring the 800 page last Twilight book. Yes I know I’m not 16 but spring break was the perfect excuse to finish the series and attempt to tackle a few other books along the way. After trucking the book around in my beach bag all week I’ve never been so happy to be done because I’m so tired of carrying it! My host has a Kindle and I’ve never been so jealous of her with her texts all in one place. I’m probably going to have to mail or do some creative packing tomorrow as I pack to go home. I’m not sure where the 800 page book will fit now that I’m done and I carried it all the way to Miami! A Nook would have been fantastic and much less hassle. Now as the school year slows down and we ramp up for this summer I’m thinking of all the titles I want to read as I sit by the beach in Delaware. 🙂
I have packed books that took up valuable space in the past. Now that packing space is at a critical stage considering the airline’s new rules, a Nook would just be perfection for me!
I just now realize that I didn’t include my email address or twitter handle in my original comment/entry. I’m going to delete and re-comment so that I am within the rules, but my original entry was on March 26. I hope this doesn’t invalidate extra entries via Google Form I’ve made since then. Sorry about this!
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I think my worst packing woes were when we went on vacation for a couple of weeks via roadtrip when I was a teenager, and I tried to pack 20+ library books into various suitcases and…well, anywhere I could fit them. I even had books filling my pillowcase!
The Nook would definitely help with that – I actually used to have a Rocket eBook years ago, but it fell off of the bed and the screen shattered. I miss it. 🙁 It was such a boon to take the Rocket and 2-3 other books on vacation rather than loading myself down!
Thank you very much for the giveaway. 🙂
anthy_stl [ATT] yahoo [DOTT] com
twitter handle: my_twitraccount
Tweet: http://twitter.com/JustTrynaWin/statuses/11711635755
abitter1@abittersweetexistence.com
I took your reader survey! (@JustTrynaWin)
dewhug@gmail.com
WHAT a giveaway and an incredible post on the in’s and out’s of this product. I am totally crossing my fingers that this is my lucky week…
We LOVE books, and with frequent trips to PA and back, I’m thinking that the amount of books we could store on this device would make the trip go by in a flash!
:*)
I posted on Facebook!
I went to the library and stocked up on books for our vacation. Accidently left three in our condo that slipped under the bed (hard to keep track when you’ve got close to 20!) and it ended up costing us a fortune to replace them. Sigh. Not a problem with the Nook!
samanthajocampen at gmail
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/samsfreestuff/status/11719684842
samanthajocampen at gmail
I once went on vacation with my mother and little sisterwhen i was younger. I carried 3 books because I was only going on a one week vacation. Suffice it to say,I was done before I knew it and decided to buy a couple more at gift shops and bookstores. The problem was that 3 books fit in my suitcase but i had bought ten more books while I was on vacation. My suit case was already packed with clothes, shoes and accessories so I had to put five books in my mothers suitcase and 5 in my sisters. When we were leaving and at the airport to leave, our suitcases barely weighed enough without us having to pay extra. My mother said never again so it would be good to have a nook so that i wouldnt have to worry about having to much books or not enough.
email: Caba4274@yahoo.com
When packing for a trip, I try to decide how many books to bring, and the trade off is always about having more to read, vs the space and weight the books take up in luggage. I can see that the nook would eliminate that problem, which would be nice.
stephanie (underscore) schaefer (at) yahoo (dot) com
We are going on our first family vacation by car this summer to the beach. My mom is tagging along so I might actually have time for reading and not having to pack a bunch of beach books would be great!
We have to pack so much stuff for the kiddos, there is never room for adults! My poor hubby always ends up without anything to read! He would love this!
@PBinmyHair
mamab(dot)blogger(at)gmail(dot)com
My worst packing woe was when my shampoo exploded in my suitcase in-flight. And not only did it explode, but it exploded the Ziploc bag I kept it in just in case of such emergencies. I no longer fly with shampoo and instead use the hotel’s 🙂
I can’t even tell you how much I would like one of these, yet can’t justify the cost right now.
I once ran out of books to read on one of our 2x yearly 12 hr car rides to visit my family. Ever since I’ve over packed books, which drives my husband crazy.
My worst book/travel time was when I was in college and backpacking thru Europe. I took a very thick paperback with me to help pass time on the train. My backpack was so heavy that at one point I just dumped everything I considered not absolutely necessary. I even tore out the pages of my book that I had already read. Throwing away clothes…eh. Tearing up a book? Now that was traumatic.
Now that I have two kids, I have to pack all of their books and toys, so mine tend to get sacrificed! But I need lots of good reading to make it through trips to the in-laws’ house 🙂
For me books are my packing issue!)(Plus my 5 yr old’s stuff) I read very quickly so take lots of books, 2-3 paperbacks for just a weekend. I can read in the car which helps pass time. A week long trip is even more books since I read at night in the hotel, while on a bus, etc. The Nook is something I’ve wanted since it came out.
We actually just got back from a family vacation and I was appalled at the amount of money it costs to check bags. Yikes! The lighter the load the better! And if I can bring a book for myself and books for my kids, all in a compact little device, the weight would definitely be off my shoulders, literally!
Having just returned from spring break, I can address this problem exactly. I don’t pack my books in my suitcase. I use a separate tote (or totes) just for books. This is bad, because my doctor has forbidden me from using shoulder strap bags because of the damage they are causing. What’s a reader and writer to do? I would love to have a Nook to have my current reading selections on it for travel, as well as the myriad reference books I carry with me in support of my current writing project.
Failed to leave my email and Twitter handle on my comment.
Susan @ 2Kop
email: 2kopeople at gmail dot com
Twitter: @2KoP
Just recently took a weekend trip to Tahoe and we filled the car with what looked to be 2 weeks worth of stuff–mostly kid stuff. We actually used most of what we brought. I often forget to pack books, or don’t have much space left for them. The Nook would definitley free up some space and give me a little adult time.
Ali, Ali__15@hotmail.com
Well my husband would like me to pack a Nook so we wouldn’t have to stand in line at the airport, carefully unpacking items and putting them back on the scale saying “okay, NOW is it under 70 pounds?” However *I* want a Nook so I would always have it handy for those times when I arrive at my kids’ schools a few minutes early and have too little time to run another errand, but more time than I feel should be spent just sitting around doing nothing — it would be AWESOME to catch up on some reading and I’m sure if I had a Nook, I’d just keep it in my (LARGE) purse with several books loaded all the time!
Oh wow! This is exactly what I need for traveling ANYWHERE with 2 small grandsons in tow. I could download their books and pop it into the diaper bag and save myself from a severe backache.
I am a packer of books. Since I am not a fashionista I pack only 2 pairs of shoes for any trip. The books cannot be skimped upon. I must have at least 3. On a recent trip to Orlando, I did not pack a book as I was concerned about the weight of my carryon bags for myself and my son. I spent quite a bit of time entertaining my son, so did not miss the book.
My laptop case is very thin and I am a huge reader. The last time I traveled I thought my bag was going to break because it was filled with so many magazines and books! The Nook would allow me to carry at least 1500 books without making my bag look like I’m holding an elephant in it! I would be ECSTATIC if I won it!
E-mail: teenondarise@gmail.com
Twitter: @teenondarise
Tweet: http://twitter.com/coriwestphal/statuses/11856576253
Oh, I need this because all my spare book space is taken up with board books for my toddler! This would save me from buying books at airport stores at my destination!
Becoming a mommy has unfortunately affected my reading habits in a very bad way.
Now, it is more important to stuff that extra bottle, case of wipes and burp rag in my bag than my beloved copy of To Kill A Mockingbird.
Going to the library with a noisy baby tends to be frowned upon.
Having two hands free to hold a book AND turn a page… forget it.
Having this nook could change all that and return me to a love of reading that I dearly miss. Pick me please!!!
Oh wow, where to start? We are always doing road trips. I’m always packing the kids’ books but a few times I forgot my own! Having a nook would be great since I can download a few books for the kids as well (esp since my daughter is older). Also? I’m so tired of lugging several hardback and paperback novels and trying to find a place to safely store them in the car. I’m always taking my books on the road! And especially I would love not having to worry about my fav books getting all scuffed up being tossed about in the car.
@SValleyDiva
When we go on vacation, we always have a “book bag” which has at least two hardbacks for me, four or five for Mrs Gunfighter, and an innumerable number for my youngest.
I kid you not, that I have to make a seperate trip back to the car just to haul that bag inside!Having a Nook solves that particular problem. Additionally, since Spirit air, and some other carriers are now considering charging as much as 45 dollars per carry-on bag, having a Nook means never having to be charged extra for your books to fly with you.
Lastly, just imagine not having to rely of the crappy McBookstores in an airport. With a Nook, you have instant availability to B&N’s extensive selection to choose from, right from the comfort (ha) of that hard-as-concrete seat in the airport waiting area.
Email: gunfighter1173@gmail.com
Twiter: Gunfighter1
I have a horrible bad habit of always traveling with more than I need or can read. Books, magazines, you name it! It’s heavy and unwieldy. A nook would make that a thing of the past and really lighten my load 🙂 *Thanks* for the giveaway!
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com
Trying to pack for my kids & making sure that they have activities to take on the road & making sure Ihave lots of books is a headache & with the nook I can eliminate carrying a lot of books & have more packing space & the kids can share the nook with me. I read alot and so do they.
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
This comment has been removed by the author.
I moved across the county from NY to California, with just myself, 2 suitcases, and a duffel.
Unfortunately, I over-packed, so my mom had to pay a lot extra so that I could take them on the plane (and here I thought I was starting out on my own).
And then of course, they couldn’t get my suitcases on the plane with me (for some unknown reason), so I had to wait an extra 2 days to pick them up later from the airport.
email: private @ c0rinne.net
twitter: c0rinne
My husband always teases me about the number of books I take when we go away. I think the books may outnumber the clothes 🙂 This would make such a difference in the number of bags I have to carry. One e-reader versus 15 books…yeah, I’m all about that.
deborah150 at hotmail.com
I definitely need a Nook. I am getting ready for a short relaxing trip and I am trying to decide on how many books to take with me. With space being limited I may have to buy a book while I am gone and leave the ones I have read for others.
jrandtam[at]columbus.rr.com
This is exactly what I need when I travel to my in-laws house for a weeks visit. I pack a lot of books because she lives in a very small town with nothing to do so I read a lot while there. Packing a Nook instead of a duffle full of books will certainly help me with my backache.
rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com
I have two toddlers, so my packing woes lie within not having enough space for my stuff, since I always pack extras for the kids! The Nook would allow me to have as much reading material as I needed, with no extra space required!
fabfindfoodie(at)gmail(dot)com
I don’t travel, but still want to enter this. How would I put it to use. I have an entire walk in closet full of books, and it’s expanding into other rooms. My wife would love to be able to clear them out. The ones I keep as a collection, I’d still have physical copies of, but those where I just want to read it/refer to it later I’d be able to store on the nook. It would also help in the area of book reviews, since I currently have to turn away those with electronic copies, which isn’t very green of me. And then there’s the third reason. My wife would be happy, because she’d have more room, and that is ultimately the best reason.
my worst parking woe was when we were moving and I refused to part with any of my books so they were literally crates at my feet and a big heavy crate on my legs all because I needed my classics! i was cramped like that for four hours. poor packing on my part. also, when we vacationed in spain when two years ago I wanted to bring enough to read and had to pay extra for the cost of the book weight in my luggage! 🙁
dreamzz12{at}aol{dot}com
Had I been the owner of a Nook- I could have gracefully survived my trip to germany without struggling to pantomime “Strapless bra” in an effort to find one in time for a formal work related event.
I could have instantly accessed a “german for the packing challenged” or a “travel guide for the forgetful”.
Instead, I was forced to repeat Brassierre, Bra, and mime using my hands as umm cups.
For the record…. I eventually found a bra… and to save those that follw me through Bavaria from my shame… the word is:
Bustenhalter. which is rather aprapo’ in my busten-case:P