Nookcolor Unbox by Alan

Package

NOOK Color packed in cool designed cardboard boxes, NOOK Color’s box along the high and narrow when compared with the Kindle and iPad. The box can be opened into two parts on the machine containing the NOOK Color and the bottom is a box set of accessories, including

• NOOKcolor
• USB Cable
• Quick Start Guide
• Power Adapter
• Rechargeable Battery

Body

First feeling on NOOK Color is a ‘hard’ and ‘tight’, the quality very well and my feel its really strong quality the part of materials. B&N carefully selected materials to make it. Aside from the screen frame are made of synthetic plastic look tough gun metal gray frame around the machine seems to be made of aluminum. Back panel of unit coat with rubber help it non-slip and great handle.

Screen

Display screen as IPS type (In-Plane Switching). LCD panel is new perspective on screen its wider than normal while maintaining the quality of light and color as well. Screen size measured along a line diagonal angle 7-inch, 1024 x 600 pixel screen with multi-touch layer for touch-control commands that are becoming the type of modern computer tablet already.

Say that the quality of the screen very well. In terms of color brightness, contrast and sharpness, but the proportion of the screen you will see the NOOK Color along the narrow and long. The area of high rise straight bottom of the screen will be used to display button controls, touch and keyboard but the bottom of the screen is the logo “n”, the “n” is actually the key Home. The left side have light sensors to measure brightness and can be adjusted to fit automatically.

Ports

On the right edge of the unit has headphone jack. The headset can be used with a mini-jack on the left is a typical button power on / off. Right on the edge of the button is located below the volume control and a Micro USB port for charging. And transferring data to your PC. The rear panel on the bottom have speakers that sound quality not bad.
Another cool ideas of the NOOK Color is “corner slot”, which stuck to the machine on the left lower. I could be used to strap when it drop while reading. On the back have a small cap when turned it out will found Micro-SD Card slot, cover to opened is a small frame attached to the main machine with magnetic.

Usable

When you start NOOK Color as a first time it will run brief video how to use it. After that, the system displays the Home page, which will include a cover image icon that we chose to put on this page. When a finger touches the cover letter it will open the book. The Contents page will be the first in a new book and the last in a book that we read and hold.

When a tap on the main menu (the button with multi-touch quarter arrows pointing up), the monitor will display the main menu : Library, Shop, Search, Extras, Web, and Settings.

• Library is a collection of content for all to read on your computer. Divided into books, magazines, newspapers and documents, such as Word document files.
• Shop is online store of Barnes & Noble, if located in the United States. We able to purchase books directly.
• Search is a search function. The system will search for content such as books, music or photos on your computer. Whose name matches the keyword or content type that we also have the option to extend the search to the internet, B&N online stores and Wikipedia.
• Extras include the Apps that are on your computer. Default 8 apps, Chess Contacts Crossword Gallery LendMe Music Pandora and Sudoku.
• Web Browser
• Settings page includes options to set the wireless device, brightness of the screen, volume, time zones, passwords etc.

e-Reader

Web browser apps that not mean you can use NOOK Color in a wide range as much as the computer Tablet. But the key function still designed  for read, B&N have to switched LCD screen color instead of the e-ink. I guessed B&N point to the group of users who read pdf’s magazines and children’s books. Nook Color support e-book format, ePub as Nook (black and white screen models) because ePub is common format that big companies like Apple and Sony as well.

Features in there to read in fully. From the stands – expanded character made up to 6 size, choose Font from the sixth form adjust the separation between the lines of three levels and can also adjust the width of the line for 3 at best as a display mode. You can select the background color and font color to match the lighting conditions at that time was 6 formats such as white letters on a black background. Black text on a white background. And white letters on a gray background etc and you can reduce the brightness of the screen. While reading the book, readers can turn to highlight words for dictionary or write short notes in the book are simple and intuitive multi-touch system with just a finger tap on the desired moment and system menu is automatically selected.

There is also an integrated networks function, you can pick a sentence or sharing via Twitter and Facebook.
In this new NOOK Color function, reading, listening (Read to Me), but the same system to listen to the reading of the NOOK Color as seen from children’s books that come free with the machine.Audio reading is recorded in advance like Audio Book is not read real-time processing of letters like the Kindle.

PDF

One of the capabilities that B&N advertised a lot for you NOOK Color is the ability to read PDF files, which on trial really showed that NOOK Color can be used with PDF documents, best mod to turn the page is done by a finger swipe up – down the page to load each page rather quickly done. No stroke or hold too much difficulty. Display the text. Vibrant colors and sharp images arranged in a very good step. Readers can use “Pinch” to zoom in – out on the same page PDF document but not smooth like a touch-screen device from Apple.
To read PDF. Can be both vertical (Portrait) and horizontal (Landscape) by the degree of the machines can capture screen automatically. Readers can also select the document to fit the width fit. Or the height of the page also.

However, many books from PDF files that were tested showed that NOOK Color does not support Table of Content (at this point still not 100% confirmed), then read across the page – to multiple pages. The only way to do this is to use the command Go to Page function.

Personal opinion of the NOOK Color test, even if you have the ability to use a PDF document in a very good level. But limits on the size of the screen is still more. The main reason that users need to consider to find a machine for reading PDF document, PDF Page desirable because in most cases as they were to come in A4 size or smaller. The display screen size 6-7″ more difficult to read, it too small individually to see whether the Kindle DX and iPad is a PDF document reader that best

Web Browser

Browser of the NOOK Color display accurate as the form of desktop browser but not support FLASH content.
Another disappointing of the browser is to display the video. The resolution and frame rate is quite low that if there is a movement in the video.

Music Player

NOOK Color Music Player App installed with the devices. You can run it from the menu Extra >> Music, the application easy to use not complicated. Music Player features a common standard is the Play / Pause Previous / Next add the songs into the playlist, and browse, which are available by song by artist by album and by playlists.

Photo album  look not beautiful (terrible detailed) like ipad or ipod touch, and sound from the speakers built-in very soft. Users can plug headphones or speakers connected to the outside.

Other Apps

Apps that come with the machine (in the Extra) a game [Sudoku Chess Crossword], Pandora Radio (online radio stations), Contacts, Picture Gallery and LendMe a feature for books with the owner NOOK (only content purchased from B&N.)

Conclusion. -

Positive :

• Screen is sharp and colorful touch Multi-touch.
• Quality of the hardware is BEST.
• storage capacity 8 GB.
• built-in wifi.
• A variety of extra functions like music player, browser, game, dictionary and etc.
• Relatively easy to use.
• Read the PDF ebook and office documents like MS Word and Powerpoint.

Negative :

• The LCD screen may cause eye pain, if reading a long time.
• Battery life is relatively short (about 8 hours) compared with the e-reader [e-ink] (7 or more days).
• Heavy
• Touch screen systems also have some jerk.
• B&N book can be purchased directly US only.

Tagged as:  new nook, nook color, nookcolor, unbox   ·   Categories:  Review