As tens of thousands gear up for a much needed summer vacation, the matter of choosing the best e-reader to accompany lazy days of relaxation is becoming a rather important matter to many. What has been made clear, if quite astonishing, is that unbearable screen glare in bright sun has all but ruled the iPad out of the running, leaving the Kindle Vs Nook battle free to rage on of its own accord.
The so-called ‘E Ink’ technology used by such device offer fully glare-free, matte finish surfaces, though the unfortunate sacrifice for such a privilege is a monochrome display that lacks any backlighting. That being said, such does not seem to be of great concerns to the millions who have already welcomed the purely purpose-built e-readers into their lives, with the only matter left for debate being which rules the roost?
Tricky question really – both use E Ink’s Pearl Display for brighter, sharper contrast and are small, sleek and light enough to toss into any bag without so much as a second thought. Furthermore, prices are little over $20 different and both can download books in an instant using a Wi-Fi connection.
However, the Nook sports one feature that the Kindle lacks – that being a touch screen. While Amazon’s offering of a physical keyboard is certainly functional, navigation of the Kindle can feel sluggish and a little dated. The Nook on the other hand is a joy to navigate using taps and swipes, along with the on-screen keyboard that appears as and when needed.
It would therefore appear that, although for arguably minor reasons, the Nook currently has a slight but highly important edge over the Kindle. Even without the touch screen, the two-month estimated battery life almost doubles that of the Kindle, which can prove something of a Godsend when outlets are scarcely available.
That being said, new and improved models of both are expected to be launched in the not so distant future, so with each manufacturer taking valuable examples from the other, the real winners by later 2011 are set to be the buyers themselves.
