Developer | Barnes & Noble |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Foxconn |
Release date | 10 June 2011, Wi-Fi version |
Introductory price | US$139, Wi-Fi version US$99, 2011-11-07 |
Operating system | Android 2.1 "Eclair" |
CPU | 800 MHz TI OMAP 3621 [1] |
Memory | 256 MB |
Storage | 2 GB internal (1 GB for content, of which 750 MB is reserved for B&N content), microSD expands up to 64 GB |
Display | 6 in (152 mm), 600 x 800 pixel, 167 PPI, E Ink Pearl [2] [3] ED060SCE(LF)C1 |
Input | IR matrix Touchscreen, left-right paging buttons, home button |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, USB |
Power | 3.7 V, 5.66 Wh (1,530 mAh) lithium-ion polymer battery (2 months with Wi-Fi off) |
Dimensions | 6.5 in (165 mm) H 5.0 in (127 mm) W 0.47 in (12 mm) D |
Mass | 7.48 oz (212 g) |
Website | www |
The Nook Simple Touch (also called the Nook Touch) is the second generation Nook e-reader developed by Barnes & Noble. It features a 600x800 E Ink screen with a touchscreen that uses a network of infrared beams slightly above the screen surface. The device also has wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and a micro USB port for charging and connecting to a computer. [4]
In April 2012, Barnes & Noble introduced a Simple Touch Reader with "GlowLight" LED technology.[ citation needed ] On 30 October 2013, Barnes & Noble released the Nook Glowlight, which replaced the Simple Touch with Glowlight.[ citation needed ] The Simple Touch was still sold until late February 2014, when it was discontinued.[ citation needed ]
Since its release on 25 May 2011, the Nook Simple Touch has received generally positive reviews. The summary of a PC Magazine review observed: "Thanks to plenty of upgrades and a laser-sharp focus on the reading experience, the second-gen Barnes & Noble Nook Touch Reader is our new Editors' Choice for ebook readers." [5] Laptop Magazine termed it "the best E Ink eReader on the market right now". [6] An MSNBC critic favored the Nook Simple Touch over the Kindle Touch, citing the Nook's superior user interface and an "over two months" battery life versus the Kindle's "up to two months". [7]
Engadget initially expressed confusion over the device's name and dubbed the device the "Nook Wi-Fi" in its review. [8]
As an Android device, the Nook Simple Touch can be modified to run Android applications (including those obtained via Google Play) through a process called rooting, which grants users root access to the Nook Simple Touch's file system. Doing so voids the device's warranty in some jurisdictions, [9] although it can often be restored to (non-rooted) factory defaults for warranty claims. [10]
The Nook Simple Touch is somewhat limited due to the slow processor and the E ink screen. These issues have been overcome via a custom kernel, which overclocks the processor and enables multitouch. [11] [12] The slow refresh rate and flashing screen were overcome by an app called NoRefresh (or Fastmode), which increases refresh rate by reverting to 1-bit depth (black and white, no greyscale). [13]
Another limitation has been the lack of audio. The Nook Simple Touch has no external speakers or headphone ports. This has been overcome with more kernel modifications. [14]
Various custom operating systems (or ROMs) have also been developed, such as the 1337 ROM. [15] These ROMs are similar to the stock OS, but have been modified with several of the tweaks listed above.
E Ink is a brand of electronic paper (e-paper) display technology commercialized by the E Ink Corporation, which was co-founded in 1997 by MIT undergraduates JD Albert and Barrett Comiskey, MIT Media Lab professor Joseph Jacobson, Jerome Rubin and Russ Wilcox.
An e-reader, also called an e-book reader or e-book device, is a mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and periodicals.
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Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store. The hardware platform, which Amazon subsidiary Lab126 developed, began as a single device in 2007. Currently, it comprises a range of devices, including e-readers with E Ink electronic paper displays and Kindle applications on all major computing platforms. All Kindle devices integrate with Windows and macOS file systems and Kindle Store content and, as of March 2018, the store had over six million e-books available in the United States.
The Nook 1st Edition is the first generation of the Nook e-book reader developed by American book retailer Barnes & Noble, based on the Android platform. The device was announced in the United States in October 2009 and was released the next month. The Nook includes Wi-Fi and AT&T 3G wireless connectivity, a six-inch E Ink display, and a separate, smaller color touchscreen that serves as the primary input device. In June 2010 Barnes & Noble announced a Wi-Fi-only model of the Nook. On June 5, 2018 Barnes and Noble announced support for logging in to BN.com and adding new content to the device will end on June 29, 2018. The second-generation Nook, the Nook Simple Touch, was announced on May 25, 2011 with a June 10 release date.
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The Nook Color is a tablet computer/e-reader that was marketed by Barnes & Noble. A 7-inch (18 cm) tablet with multitouch touchscreen input, it is the first device in the Nook line to feature a full-color screen. The device is designed for viewing of books, newspapers, magazines, and children's picture books. A limited number of the children's books available for the Nook Color include interactive animations and the option to have a professional voice actor read the story. It was announced on 26 October 2010 and shipped on 16 November 2010. Nook Color became available at the introductory price of US$249. In December 2011, with the release of the Nook Tablet, it lowered to US$169. On 12 August 2012, the price lowered to US$149. On 4 November 2012, the price was further lowered to US$139. The tablet ran on Android.
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