E-readers, like the Kindle Fire and NOOK, are becoming increasingly popular among readers. The story of the relationship between NOOKs and books models a thriller, though it may be seen as a tragedy to the print industry because we all know only one will survive an inevitable downfall. So far, NOOKs have been successful in penetrating the literary society in every nook and cranny.

Compared with the NOOK Color and Kindle Fire, the NOOK Tablet has the most memory and storage space and the capability to store up to 10,000 books. It allows readers to save physical space and store more. It’s like a library in a lap. The NOOK Tablet also beats the Kindle Fire and its cousin, the NOOK Color, in battery life by three and a half hours.

In addition to the NOOK, NOOK Color and the NOOK Tablet, students can access online textbooks by using the nook study software. Students can download the software to a Mac or PC to interactively read books and take notes on or offline. In fact, the nook study is available for some textbooks in the university bookstore.

While the NOOK doesn’t have an in-store display with the pomp and circumstance of lots of white space and design like Apple, it does have a modest display in Barnes & Noble bookstores. While Apple stores can feel like stepping into a different world, the NOOK set up is less threatening and more down to earth. This may attract prospective buyers, or not.

Some readers still prefer the feel and aesthetics of flipping pages of a book or magazine.

I am proud of my own large collection of mostly fashion and science magazines that rest in stacks in my room. However, I am also the proud owner of a NOOK Tablet. I find myself in a constant battle between the use of books or my NOOK. For instance, I want to read “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?”, but I must check to see if it is available on my NOOK Tablet simply because I feel obligated to stay faithful to my new investment. This sense of obligation is probably guilt of still having feelings for books.

The temptation to stray from my commitment to the NOOK Tablet is probably short-lived, though I can’t help wanting to flip rather than click a page.

The NOOK may seem like just another device to students who already have to manage their PC’s or Macs, iPads and smart phones which could help explain why the NOOK hasn’t taken off as fast as other forms of technology. The NOOK is a device for avid readers and more specifically readers who are willing to take on the novelty of the NOOK.

Purchasing a NOOK can be much like purchasing shelves for books which can cost up to the price of any type of NOOK. When considering the purchase of a NOOK, consumers should see it as a smart investment, not a fad.

The NOOK deserves a second look from readers who have dismissed it as more junk. The NOOK probably won’t replace every book but it is rocking the boat — or at least the shelf.
Would you prefer a NOOK or a book?

“I like the old-fashioned way of reading. Like flipping the pages,” sophomore strategic communication major Erinn Loposer said.

Senior mathematics major Jordan Smith said, “I’m kind of neutral. It’s kind of like the shift from home phones to cell phones.”

NOOK Pros and No’s
Pros:
–     Free wifi
–     Loaded with free classics and subscriptions
–     Netflix
–     Portable
No’s:
–     Limited insurance coverage
–     May only be first generation, like the iPad 1 or first iPod

LyTer Green is a senior strategic communication major from Fort Worth.