14 DAY TRIAL // eReaders and tablets seem to be some of the hottest topics in tech right now so why not combine the two inside a single device, Barnes & Noble just introducing the $249 NookColor eReader that features a full-color touchscreen display as well as wireless Internet access to redefine the border between the eBook readers and tablets.
Featuring a 7 inch screen and Android operating system this stylish yet compact device is moving away from its eInk legacy, Barnes & Noble adding to the NookColor a tablet-style user interface as well as built-in WiFi (802.11b/g/n) and 8GB of storage to join that newly added 16 million color, 1024 x 600 IPS display.
Facebook and Twitter integration is also present as well as a microSD slot, the only thing missing being 3G connectivity, although there is a chance that we could see this added to the NookColor sometime in the not so distant future.
Unfortunately, going for a full-color IPS panel (however good it may look) also has its disadvantages since the NookColor comes with a rather paltry 8 hours battery life, compared to the 10 day autonomy featured in the original Nook that used a eInk display.
"With NOOKcolor, we've combined the functionality and convenience of a 7-inch portable wireless tablet with the reader-centricity of a dedicated eReader, and employed a breakthrough color screen technology that will wow customers," said William Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble.
"NOOKcolor enables Web browsing over Wi-Fi, music, games and much more, but reading anything and everything in brilliant color is the killer app and squarely the product's focus.
At $249, NOOKcolor offers a tremendous value, particularly in comparison to the many other 7-inch tablets coming to market at twice the cost and often requiring expensive data plans.
Most importantly, NOOKcolor is designed for and differentiated by what Barnes & Noble knows best: reading," concluded the company's rep.
End of it all, although I can't deny its added functionality, I still think that users that actually want to read books would be much better off with a eInk reader, as the original Nook, these color screen eReaders/tablets being better suited for Web surfing and the like since they have a limited battery life as well as worse legibility, but then again the NookColor is quite attractively priced so it may just turn out to be a success.