Sunlight.
Couldn't have asked for a nicer day for this field test. Gorgeous blue skies, a soft breeze. Exactly the sort of day I'd slather sunblock, pop on the shades, and find a sunny park with my book. I know Kindle's e-ink can handle this kind of afternoon no problem.
So, I fired up the Nook with some good test cases: a Rizzoli and Isles short story and a Terry Pratchett novel. Thus far- no money spent. Hoping to keep it that way for the duration, until I've made a decision.
Shade/Some Sun: Nook functions well in the kind of dappled mostly-shade someone as pale as yours truly should sit in. It's a little shiny on the surface, which takes some getting used to.
Could I get used to it? Not sure! It did sort of make for some squinting while I was setting the book up to read.
Reading was fine, if a little glassy-surfaced.
Direct Sun: Bad news! My favorite sort of lovely, warm, basking sun makes the Nook screen all glassy and mirrored and flashy. I can see myself in this book. And not in a literary interpretation kind of way.
[caption id="attachment_3267" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Self Portrait, in Nook Screen! Boo!"]
[/caption]Learning how to tilt and angle the screen cuts down the glare somewhat, but still, it impeded the reading experience.
I hear from Rachel, one of my guides through this Nook process, that there's a special anti-glare screen you can get for $15. Didn't hear about that in the store. Wonder if return policy applies to it + Nook. That might help.
Overall winner: Kindle
Round 3, Special Teams: Although not central to the experiment, I have also learned a few other neat things about the Nook.
There's a free crossword app. I kind of love the touch screen manipulation, and the fake handwriting font.
Rachel just lent me a book! I'll finally read The Hunger Games! (Book Blogger world stops in its tracks.)
So... I have discovered useful things. The shiny screen is very much not my favorite thing, but I do love the workings of the Nook. Remains to be seen if I get too distracted by its shiny toy possibilities to actually, ya know, read on it.
Winner: On the sheer number and variety of accessible options- the Nook Wins! Even before I root it, it has more going on than the Kindle. Not sure, as a reader, whether that's a good thing, though....
Get ready for The Next Test: Bedtime reading!
I have 13 more days- what other tasks should I set myself on the Color Nook to see if it's the e-reader for me? Any other battles I can wage against the Kindle?
[...] that much, to my surprise. I didn’t love the feel of reading on it. Too glowing? Too shiny? I know it was tough to read in bright sunlight. Reading in bed felt odd too, like being on the computer too long at [...]
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