Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet Review
The Nook Tablet is the Kindle Fire's closest competition in terms of price and ability. Its Android operating system is heavily customized to tightly integrate with Barnes & Noble's online services, including apps, so it has a bit of a different look and feel than other Android devices. Reviewers praise its overall performance and responsive, fantastic-looking touchscreen.
Amazon's Kindle Fire has stolen much of the limelight recently in the ongoing tablet wars, but the new Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet is not to be overlooked. Experts are generally pretty impressed with this device, according to Nook Tablet reviews. CNET editors praise the speedy web browser and vibrant screen. CNET's Nook Tablet review also notes the 16 GB of memory and the microSD slot, which lets users add up to 32 GB of additional storage. However, CNET and Gizmodo both warn that only 1 GB of that 16 GB is available for personal files; the other 15 GB are reserved for Barnes & Noble content, which is a drawback. Having said that, Gizmodo finds a lot to like in the Nook Tablet. For example, the site's Nook Tablet review notes that clicks register well on the touchscreen, something the Kindle Fire has trouble with on occasion.
MSNBC.com's Technolog reports in a Nook Tablet review that the battery life is better than the Kindle Fire's. MSNBC.com also notes that high-definition videos look excellent on the device's 7-inch VividView display, even though the screen itself is not high-def. (The New York Times' David Pogue criticizes Barnes & Noble for its promise of high-def video, given that the Nook Tablet's 1024x600 resolution falls short of the number of pixels required for a true high-def display.)
A Nook Tablet review by PCWorld points out that, like the Kindle Fire, the Nook lacks some features commonly found in pricier tablets, such as a GPS and cameras. But the expert reviewer is very impressed with the Nook Tablet's speed and calls the display dazzling. The Nook Tablet supports 802.11b/g/n wireless network connections and runs on a 1 GHz dual-core CPU. It also includes some preloaded apps, such as Netflix and Hulu for video streaming.
We don't envy those who have to choose between a Nook Tablet and a Kindle Fire. Both devices are very good, but both have strengths and weaknesses. The Nook Tablet seems to be peppier and more responsive, and we like that you can add more storage to it. The Nook Tablet also has better battery life and a better screen than the Kindle Fire. On the other hand, Barnes & Noble can't match the content available to Kindle Fire users, and that's going to be a difficult challenge for the Nook Tablet to overcome.
