Tech Smart: nook

January 2010 | Dental Lab Products
Tech Smart: Noah Levine

Won't be put in a corner

Barnes & Noble’s new nook sets itself apart from other eBook readers.

Change touches everything eventually. Recognizing the forces behind the change and adapting are the keys to thriving in the new landscape.

With that thought in mind, it’s fitting that after being handed the reigns to this column from TechSmart innovator David Lesh, CDT, my subject is the impressive new nook™ eBook Reader from Barnes & Noble, the champion of brick and mortar booksellers.

All that and then some

Long considered the top destination for reading material of all sorts, B&N recognizes that digital looks to be the future of publishing and is making a big move into that new arena. Among the hottest gifts for the holidays, nook has been on back order since November.

Demand for the paperback-sized tablet is well-deserved, as nook boasts all the features of other top eReaders (such as E Ink® display technology to make staring at the screen for hours easy on the eyes) while adding additional functions and expanding its interactive capabilities.

Powered by the Android™ operating system used in smartphones, nook lets users browse their digital libraries via a crisp color touchscreen interface that displays book covers as well as titles. When a more targeted search is called for, the interface conveniently converts to a touchscreen keyboard.

nook™ by Barnes & Noble

$259

www.nook.com

Mobile reading room

Adding new reading material couldn’t be easier because nook allows mobile downloads and features both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. Users even get access to AT&T’s 3G network without any set-up or monthly service charges, meaning the more than 1 million titles available from the B&N eBook store are always just a few touchscreen taps away.

Readers who prefer periodicals aren’t left out of the fun, as nook offers subscription and single-issue access to most major newspapers and a wide selection of magazines. (DLP is not yet among the available titles but, as always, is available on screen at www.dlpmagazine.com.)

Expanded usability

The 2 GBs of internal memory provide room for up to 1,500 books, but factor in ability to save to and read from Micro SD memory cards, and nook’s virtually limitless capacity should meet the needs of even the most voracious readers. Even more useful, nook can read PDF documents, allowing it to become a portable tablet for accessing just about anything from product or material instructions, to conference agendas, or even menus from favorite lunch spots.

The versatility doesn’t end there. Users can access their library from computers and smartphones running nook eReader software, and documents started on one device can be accessed on another with synchronization of both the last page read and margin notes. Sharing with nook goes even further via a lending feature that allows users to share books with friends regardless of whether they have their own nook or are running the eReader software. 

The stylish nook has features to make electronic reading convenient and comfortable, and groundbreaking extras that make the eBook a useful tool. I hope I can come close to doing as much with the TechSmart mantle. Beyond the column in every issue of Dental Lab Products, watch for extra TechSmart content online at www.dlpmagazine.com.

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