Tech Savvy Mama

Parenting in the Digital Age

NOOKcolor Engages Readers of All Ages (w. giveaway)

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We have a winner!  Congratulations to @bamalynn– lucky entry number #198!


When traveling, I used to pack a magazine, paperback book, and books for the kids in my carry on, making my bag heavy, bulky, and leaving little room for much else.  As I think about what to take on my trip to Detroit, the answer is simple- my NOOKcolor.  

Gone are the days of bringing books, magazines, newspapers, and even pictures books for the kids.  The NOOKcolor ($249) provides access to reading material for the whole family on one device, making it like a portable virtual bookshelf.  NOOKcolor is a full-color touch device dedicated to reading, built on Android.  It opens up a new world of digital reading materials and provides access to to an incredible selection of over two million digital titles from bestsellers to favorite magazines in full color, interactive children’s picture books, and enhanced cookbooks through NOOKcolor’s stunning 7-inch color touchscreen.
 
Visit the NOOK site for a detailed list of features of the NOOKcolor.
NOOKcolor with Kids
When our NOOKcolor arrived and I unboxed from its much easier and less intimidating to crack packaging than the original (thank goodness!), Little Miss Techie spied it and swooned. 
“Is that the new NOOK?” she asked, eyes wide watching me fiddle with the color touch screen as I connected it to our existing Barnes & Noble account.  
Little Miss Techie patiently waited for me to be done (a process that took a mere 2 minutes!) before politely asking for a turn to read favorite chapter books that we had read as bedtime read-alouds.  She sat down and instantly knew how to navigate the device with no instruction from me.  I thought I might lose my new NOOKcolor to her for good!  Fortunately, she returned it and borrows it from time to time, with permission, of course!  
Since Barnes & Noble expanded their content selection to include full color children’s picture books, the NOOKcolor is also in demand by Captain Computer who wants equal screen time as his older sister!  I can’t say I blame him!  
Captain Computer is a tech savvy 4 1/2 year old who appreciates the touch screen technology that allows him to interact with words and pictures and find a favorite story by browsing the covers on our virtual bookshelf.  It’s natural for him to touch a screen and expect to interact with it!  While there’s no replacement for sitting down and having a book read by me, Dad, or Sister, Captain Computer does sometimes like to hear some of his favorites being read aloud to him. 
Currently over 12,000 chapter books for children and 130 digital picture books available through Barnes & Noble’s NOOK store.  Additional NOOK kids’ interactive features include the ability to digitally turn pages, enlarge text, zoom in and around graphics, and listen to narration.  Future features will include the ability to enjoy music and activities tied to the story line.
Social Reading
Building on the idea of in real life book clubs and about that fact that people naturally discuss books and share them with their friends, NOOKcolor encourages reading to be a social experience.  The LendMe App enables NOOKcolor users to view LendMe books in their friends’ NOOKcolor digital libraries and request to borrow a title they’ve been meaning to read. Users have the ability to lend their favorite NOOKbooks with friends through Facebook and email, even using their imported Google® GmailTM contacts, and recommend a title, share reading status or a quote via Facebook, Twitter and email.
 
Suggested Improvements 
In the future, I look forward to more picture book titles that will highlight individual words as they are being read, rather than chunks of text.  If kids can see individual words highlighted as they are being read, it aids early readers in matching written words to spoken ones to build their sight word vocabulary. As a parent with a background in teaching, I can see the wonderful implications for the device to engage kids in the magic of storytime and help promote a lifelong love of reading.
I love the ability to quickly download books and read them almost instantly but do have concerns about the fact that a valid credit card has to be tied to the account in order to read books.  One click purchasing is appropriate for adults but for a device that kids use or is their own, Kelly Whalen from Centsible Life points out that there should be alternatives to managing purchases and suggests a prepaid credit card or a B&N gift card.  Kelly also points out that the instantaneous downloads can also mean that an avid young reader might download something that contains more mature material than they are ready for.  Unfortunately, there is no check and balance system to prevent this from happening and future improvements should take a look at this feature.
 


Conclusion
While I have to admit that I was a skeptic about reading books on the original NOOK because I like the feeling of sitting down and turning the pages of a picture book while snuggling under a blanket, the NOOKcolor provides a different and reading experience thanks to a gorgeous color touch screen that makes reading favorite books, magazines, newspapers, and children’s books far more enjoyable than with the original device.  
Due to the NOOKcolor’s popularity in our house, I’m finding that having the free NOOK app on my iPhone and iPad is a great way to access books I want to finish when the device is being used by someone else in the family!
Overall, the NOOKcolor is a great device for avid readers who like to read anywhere and everywhere.  True it is $100 more than the original NOOK ($149) but the touch screen and bright graphic display make it worth the upgrade.
 
GIVEAWAY!
Barnes & Noble has generously provided a NOOKcolor as a giveaway!  
To enter to win one for your family, leave a comment describing how the NOOKcolor would transform reading in your house and some books you’d like to read on your new NOOK!  Be sure to include your email or Twitter handle in your entry in order to be eligible to win!  Winner will be notified on Friday, January 14.  Please see fine print below for contest rules.
 
For extra entries, you must complete the above and then any of the following:
  • Tweet this daily and leave the link in your comment: I want to win a #NOOKcolor from @TechSavvyMama to transform the way my family reads!  Enter here: http://bit.ly/fcztdw 
  • Update your Facebook status to read: “I entered to win a NOOKcolor from TechSavvyMama.com to transform the way our family reads!” and leave a comment below.
Fine print:  Winner will be selected on Friday, January 14 via Random.org and will have 24 hours to supply their full name, email, and US mailing address or another winner will be chosen.  No P.O. Boxes will be accepted. NOOKcolor will be directly shipped by Barnes & Noble.  Leticia- Tech Savvy Mama is not liable for lost, damaged, or delayed prizes.  
I received a NOOKcolor from Barnes & Noble for review purposes and also one as a giveaway.  No compensation was received for this post.

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Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Teresa says

    I can just see my daughter reading now 😀 I think it would help young teens get excited about reading.

    tssk10(at)gmail(dot)com

  3. Bonggamom says

    My sons would want to load up all the Captain Underpants books 🙂 and my daughter would load up all the Percy Jackson books. It would be great to have in the car so we don’t have to take a whole mountain of books along with us!

    bonggamom@Yahoo.com

  4. Rebecca Graham says

    A Nookcolor would encourage my husband to read more since he would have a gadget in his hand instead of a book. That would be more manly to him. For me, I would read these books on the Nookcolor, The Judas Gate by Jack Higgins, Secrets to the Grave by Tami Hoag, and Damage by John Lescoart.

    rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

  5. Soulfliesfree says

    I already have a Barnes and Noble account for pc and I believe I can sync it with the nook, and this would be fabulous because I could get rid of all the books that I buy and just simply put it on the nook. It will save shelf space and we like to pass around the book on story night and this would be great for that and for traveling, easy to pack small and loaded with options for reading. For the family I would definitely add Anne of Green Gables and Alice and Wonderland

  9. Christina Z says

    Oh this would be an awesome piece of technology to have in my house for me and my kids. My daughter has hard time reading and I can see from that video how cool this is would have the kids really wanting to read more. I like how you can borrow from your friends books and if you have the Ipad can use on your Ipad if someone is using the nook. Some books I would like to read or for my kids would be diary of wimpy kids, Judy Blume, Book Cover Image. Title: The Forgotten Garden, Author: by Kate Morton
    The Forgotten Garden, Twilight books any self help and organization help books, I would definitely use for magazines I read too.

    chrissiemz (at) YAHOO dot COM

  24. Charro says

    I have a 2 yr old and this would be great to keep her entertained when we are traveling, dining out, etc. She is already a bookworm and I could expand her library without it taking up so much space. I would love it for the magazines and cook books. Thanks!!
    @ChaCha572
    char_ro_ro(at)hotmail(dot)com

  25. Some Lucky Dog says

    I would really love to read most of my magazines on this instead of having a paper subscription. Our grandson (that lives with us) would love reading books on this, too…it would really encourage him to do moe of it!

    I’d want to download “To Save America” (N. Gingrich), “Full Dark, No Stars” (S. King), “The Middle Place” (K. Corrigan), and “Stalin’s Children” (O. Matthews).

    someluckydog at gmail dot com

  30. hendy says

    Well I can tell you one big way it will transform reading in our house-it would eliminate the extra bookshelves we have to keep buying because the books keep filling them up. It would give us our basement back. The book I’m most excited to read is Decision Points by George W. Bush as well as all the Chelsea Handler books.
    hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

  39. cotysloan says

    Ok, this is really exciting! I would love love love a nook. I am really getting into cooking more, along with the rest of the people in my house and I think it would be awesome to download some cookbooks to have available to learn new recipes with.

    Some books I’d like to read on it include: Discovering God In America by: Newt Gingrich, The Shack by W.M. Paul Young, and Forgotten God by Francis Chan

    cotysloan at yahoo dot com

  43. Anonymous says

    I “like” Barnes & Noble period. But also liked them on Facebook as well.

    cotysloan at yahoo dot com

  44. Kelly says

    In our house I’m sure this would get passed from reader to reader. I hope there will be updates in the future that allow us to have various folders for family members.

    I’m sure the first books I download would be some of our favorite kids titles. 🙂

  46. tracey solomon says

    How would a Nook color transform our families reading?

    1) portability- having reading materials available for the whole family in one small unit is a dream. (I have 2 in college and a 9 year old… our “book bags” are immense. Portability means those boring moments of waiting can be transformed into exciting moments of reading.

    2) fun- my 9 year old is a techie lil guy— he likes to read- but this would push him into the “love to read” category. (He received a V-tech reader for christmas and is disappointed in the limited titles available..he’s just too old for it:( )

  54. Mami2jcn says

    This would be great for me because I could read while I’m waiting in the carpool line at my sons’ school! I would love to read The Kite Runner.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

  60. naomi says

    Nook would transform my reading because you know me I always have to have a book to read and have to carry books wherever I go and travel. As a media specialist I often read young adult books which are quick reads which makes my bags even heavier because I need to bring more books 🙂

  64. abbysmom says

    My 5 tear old tech savvy daughter (who takes after her dad in that department) has just stated reading. We sometimes find it hard to encourage her to read more (she loves being read to though) since she says it is “hard.” I think being able to read from a “computer book” would be just the extra encouragement she needs.

    abbysmom1005 (at) gmail (dot) com

  66. Rachel says

    My nine year old son is already asking for an e-reader. I have the Kindle, which I love, but I think the Nook would probably be better for him since it’s in color.

  80. Stimey says

    I would love to win a Nook. I am trying to get Jack to read chapter books. I wonder if having them on an electronic device would make him more interested, as he LOVES technology. It would also be nice because he could read some more advanced picture books on it as well. So cool!

  83. Stimey says

    I just tracked Nook down on twitter to follow them. The link you have to their twitter account is broken, but I found them at @NookBN.

  84. MellyHank says

    Having a nook would be absolutely wonderful for my children ages 5 and 6 months. I plan to home school my 5 year old next year and would use this as a daily tool for learning. My 5 year old is already starting to read and says that she would love to read, A lady who swallowed a fly.

  89. melanie says

    i would love to be able to pack more lightly for all our car trips. plus, i am always worried about losing the library books the kids want to take along with them.

    melanie(dot)myatt(at)gmail(dot)com

  92. LaurelAmy says

    Having a NookColor would help bring some organization to our home, since both my kids, 10 and 12, always have piles of books stacked around the house. In addition, there are some educational applications that would be greatly preferable to taking their iTouch or DS on trips.
    Sincerely,
    Tim C (tscampbell(at)gmail(dot)com
    P.S. Nice blog!

  93. Michelle says

    We are all big readers at my house. It sure would be nice to have books that everyone would enjoy all on one device! My daughter would love Olivia and Fancy Nancy, my son would love Cowboy Camp and I’ve been wanting to read Water for Elephants. Thanks for the chance to win!
    mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

  108. Kate says

    I would probably get Dr. Seuss on the Nook — then I wouldn’t have to do the tongue twister reading : ) It’d be great to have a bigger screen for my daughter to experience, right now she looks at a few book on our ipod touchs.

    kateered (TWITTER)
    robe0255 at umn dot edu

  109. tannawings says

    I don’t know what I would read first-likely the new Stephen King or something along that line. I normally buy secondhand, and wait until the newer stuff shows up- it would be nice to be current 🙂 I love books, but this would be nice while waiting in offices or a way to keep the light off in bed!

    baypayments@yahoo.com

  111. Anne says

    This would be great for my teen daughters, and I’m sure they load it up with YA novels involving vampires, fallen angels and werewolves.
    ajolly1456 at gmail dot com

  119. teachmama says

    soooooo desperate for a NookColor! I can imagine that it would transform our reading in a positive way–I’d like for my son to be as interested in books and reading as his sister, and because he’s so tecnhicaly savvy, I’m betting he’d really dig this!

  124. Heather says

    The Nook would make our bookshelves less dusty and would enable to read so many more books quickly! No more long waits for the latest releases at the library! And the Nook lets you download ebooks from the library for 3 weeks. Awesome!
    heathercmd@yahoo.com

  146. DrBabyMamaDrama says

    The Nook would be a great way for us to reduce the volume of books we usually take with us on vacation. My daughter would love to be able to read her favorite books. I am your fan on Facebook and I “like” B&N and follow Nook on Twitter.

  151. Tabathia says

    Well we all love to read (my kids and I) and it would transform by making it more mobile and less books taking up space and some of the first books I would read would be the deadly series by brenda joyce and the harry potter saga again and my daughters would read richelle mead
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  158. The Owl says

    jtmccoy3@msn.com
    I am a pre-student teacher wanting to make a difference teaching young children. You need to be able to read to succeed. I would use with children in my classroom to promote the importance of reading. I would have the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series downloaded and other series; Hidden Alphabet and lots of picture books to enjoy.

  159. Julie says

    This would be so much fun to use while reading to my two sons. We are a tech savvy family and I just think this is the coolest

    @finntannermom on twitter

  165. bettycd says

    We would love to have a Nook to upscale our reading. I agree that gadgets make reading so much cooler for the guys. We share books and I’m thinking as a side benefit, the Ebook readers cut down on sharing germs.
    My son is working thru Terry Prachett’s Disk World books while my husband and I are looking forward to reading Tony Hillerman’s latest Jim Chee novels. We started reading those after living in AZ and now need to catch up on the last 2 published. maybe 3 by now
    my email is in profile – but you seem to want them posted openly in thread ?? tjandbcd at optonline.net

  174. Texas Type A Mom says

    A Nook Color would transform reading in my house by reducing the clutter of books floating around everywhere. It would also be super convenient to carry in my purse and always have something to read close by! I’d love to own some children’s titles for the Nook (Go Dog Go, Fox in Socks, etc) to keep my 2 year old entertained!

    texastypeamom(at)gmail(dot)com
    http://www.texastypeamom.com

  185. Julie/Just Precious says

    I’ve only had my Kindle for 2 weeks, and already Big is begging me to add books for him. So my Nook would quickly become his Nook and it would be full of Magic Tree House, Cam Jansens and similar books.

  190. Julie says

    And… the secret password is kaboomafoo!

    (okay, don’t count that one. I’ll probably retweet a bunch for you, too.)

  198. bamalynn says

    It would keep pages in books from being ripped out by our toddler! I’d like to read cookbooks while I’m cooking and be able to scroll through multiple pictures.

    bamalynn75 at yahoo dot com

  206. Asianmommy says

    Right now, we have books strewn all over the place. The NOOKcolor would make my house a lot less messy. My daughter would read The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.

  208. Parisian Heart says

    NOOKcolor would provide enjoyment and practicality both in and away from my house. In my house, I really am out of room for more books, and I’ve nearly stopped buying magazines. NOOKcolor would allow plenty of space for both and would allow me to carry lots of reading material, as well as music and photos, everywhere I go. Among many other titles, I would like to read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Claude and Camille by Stephanie Cowell, and Eiffel’s Tower by Jill Jonnes on my new NOOKcolor.
    twitter: iloveparis

  212. lindaturner51@yahoo.com says

    I used to be an avid reader, but since the invention of the PC, I hardly ever read any more. Maybe I would if I had a Nook.

  223. Callie says

    Having a Nook would make my life so much easier–I’d be able to bring just my little nook on my trips and not all the novels I normally want to bring!
    catherine(dot)alley(at)gmail(dot)com

  227. punkcurmudgeonredux says

    It would be some much easier to keep track of multiple books and where we are in them as we read together with the kids. We read different books with each kid. Star wars youth series and world war Z are just some of the books we would read on it.
    Liked Barnes and Noble, subscribed to the newsletter and followed on twitter.
    thanx for the great blog and contest.

  233. coriwestphal says

    I would love to read My Sisters Keeper! And this would REALLY help me out! We just moved, and I realized how many books I have, and how heavy they are! We are moving again soon and I’d love to be able to transform my book collection from 15 heavy boxes, to one portable reader!

    coriwestphal at msn dot com

  238. coriwestphal says

    Your ‘follow Nook on Twitter’ link didn’t work so I followed @NOOKBN on Twitter: @coriwestphal

    I hope that’s the right one! 🙂

    coriwestphal at msn dot com

  246. jbafaith says

    Having this Nook would be such a help to me – easier on my back than lugging a pile of books with me when I travel so I won’t run out of reading material & I travel quite a lot to see grandkids, other family, etc. It would also be great for research so I could have my sources with me for cross reference. I love the color!
    I could bring new books to read to the children too! Yay!

    jbafaith2001 at yahoo dot com

  257. richied.becky says

    a nook would so help the readers in my house. I love the fact of quick delivery of the books and how some of the classics are free to download and it would enable the kids to read the old classic books from when I was a kid. And also the fact of not having to carry around a heavy book just to read.
    @QueSeraSera68
    richied.becky@yahoo dot com

  259. Kevin E says

    My whole family would love the Nook Color. My wife could read her novels without having to go to the library to borrow books, and my daughter would love interactive books and games. She loves the A to Z Mysteries!

  266. Mama B. says

    I’m not a mom quite yet…but I’m expecting to become one through adoption in July. As an avid reader, having a Nook could ensure my kid(s) will never be without something to read, whether we’re at the park, in the car, or running errands! It would also allow me to have quick access to adoptive parenting resources without having to lug (or own!) hard copies around!

    ~2beasinglemama (Twitter)

  271. Allison says

    Was just thinking it would be awesome to get the NOOKcolor, so would be even more awesome to win one! My whole family loves reading books and we all love gadgets, even the 2 yr old can navigate my iPhone. A NOOK would allow us to take our library anywhere we go, which would be great!
    My older son loves the Magic School bus series and the younger one loves Eric Carle.

    Thanks for a great review and great giveaway!

    aewong7 at gmail dot com

  277. stacythemagnificentmommy says

    oh it would make life so much easier to have that in the bag! church, errands, in the car, you name it. we love to read. we’d read the old golden books or curious george, anything dr seuss.

    hancoci_s at msn dot com

  283. Anonymous says

    A NOOK would help transform reading in my house by making reading more accessible. I would be able to carry the nook in my laptop bag and have it with me everywhere I go. I know my husband would also really enjoy being able to read some of his books on the NOOK. The books I would most like to have on my NOOK would be “The Hidden Reality” by Brian Greene and “The Confession” by John Grisham.

    -Heidi

    writeme at heidimail dot com

  286. CARRIE says

    I think it would be great for my family, it seems no one seems to want to read a book anymore, but if it is on a computer, they are all over it. I would love to read my 2 1/2 year old Hugo and the really really really long string, by Bob Boyle.

  294. Danielle J-9 says

    A nook would not only help me keep busy at the gym while working out and long car rides or anytime for that matter, but my 4 year old is just starting to read and is oing AMAZING!this would help her out so much more, the other night she read ME her bedtiime story ( with some help from mom of course)and it brought tears to my eyes.
    Robscinderella03@aol.com Danielle Unruh on Facebook

  298. Catherine says

    I’ve updated my facebook status to say: Catherine Sobieszczyk
    entered to win a NOOKcolor from TechSavvyMama.com to transform the way our family reads!

  307. Annette Gaetz says

    We are a homeschooling family of 5. This would be an amazing thing for us to win. My younger 2 children love being read to, so this would be really fun and I wouldn’t have to have a huge stack of books in my lap along with the children and I could stop trying to keep my 2 year old from ripping pages! My oldest is 7 and he is a reluctant reader. He loves computers and tech stuff though, so I think this could be a great way to get him more interested in reading.
    Thanks for the opportunity!

  321. Sarah {Tech4Moms} says

    I dont think my first entry went through, if it did, just delete this one.

    My family would definitely read more, as we would have a book available to us at all times. Being able to carry around several childrens books at the same time, withough loading down my bag would be awesome!

    I want to read the Princess Bride, I’ve read it several times, and could read it a hundred more!

  323. royaldixie says

    I would love to use my NookColor to read books to my 2.5 year old. He loves bedtime reading but we usually have a million books piled up on the couch. This would eradicate that problem!

    THANKS!
    newmommyin08 AT yahoo DOT com

  327. dropastitch@yahoo.com says

    With a Nook, hubby can read without turning on the bedroom lights and waking me up!!!

    He loves to read N. sparks novels, books profiling great business leaders, and the Girl with the Dragon tattoo books

    @dropastitch

  342. Welcome to My World says

    I would have so many choices of books to travel with on a daily basis since B&N has 2 million to choose from. How awesome! Would love to start by reading Eat Pray Love and The Green Mile.
    davisesq212 at aol dot com

  362. Andrea Hatfield says

    We would use the Nook Color to introduce our children to more of a variety of books. Some of the first books I would download would be from R.L. Stine and other mystery writers because that is the type of books my boys like. Of course I would also download some cookbooks and other fun books for myself!

  371. Earth_Mommy says

    This would be a wonderful addition to our homeschooling classroom. New readers can learn and I won’t have to worry about 2yo ripping the pages out – plus, I would get my iPad back!

  379. Heather says

    AS a homeschool mom, we encourage reading at every turn…but there are times when being out of the home makes that dificult. I could take the timeles classics with me anywhere, and even get those hard to lend books from the library…right at my fingertips!!!

  383. lindaturner51 says

    Quite frankly, I’ve never even seen a Nook. But I’ve heard alot of friends and family talking about them. Those that have them love them and those that don’t have them want them. So I guess I’ll join the crowd and WANT one.

  388. whatsanitasdeal says

    I would love to read Eat Pray Love and some autobiographies like Warren Buffett. I will not be sharing the Nook hehehehe . I would love to take this on the plane and on vacation while laying by the pool instead of lugging books around. My other books were so thick I had to leave them behind. It would fit perfectly in my purse
    am i allowed to say that
    imnotarunner {at]{gmail}{com} imnotarunner is my twitter ID

  402. Brianne says

    I know my kids would love to “read” a book on what they would think was a mini computer. And no more torn pages! That is the best!

    @briannelynn26

  409. amweeks says

    I’d love to have a Nook! I’d be able to take it my daughter’s swim meets, so I & my son could read in between her races. And at home, my daughter could use it to read classics…one in particular that she wants to tackle is “Gulliver’s Travels”, since I tell her the book is nothing like the recent movie!

  417. Lindsey says

    Ahhh… since having my baby 7 months ago, it is just too hard for me to find time to go to the store, buy a book, and read. To be able to have a Nook, I could get back my favorite pre-baby hobby!!!
    lindseygalvez at gmail dot com

  420. parentingBYdummies says

    I SO very badly want this for my oldest son! He is an avid reader, we buy books every week or go to the library or both! He likes to reread books a lot so we do like to buy them so he has them available. I would love to get him the Percy Jackson series. He has the hardbacks and he’s reading them (sometimes until 11pm at night!) but they are heavy to carry around and he likes taking books in the car, to his Mimi’s house, and everywhere he goes that he may have a spare moment to read. Hope I win! @thenagainphoto

  422. Diane Mason says

    I’d love to win because I love to read, first of all. Secondly, I’d like to join this century and finally own a gadget. Third, I’ve moved to a smaller home, so obviously this item doesn’t take up the space that books would. dmason48@att.net

  429. Aimee @ Smiling Mama says

    I recently flew to San Diego and brought along two magazines and a paperback. Boy was I jealous of ALL the people around me who were holding a slim e-reader! I’d really enjoy using a NOOKcolor to read kids’ books with Lucas, too!