NOOK Color™ - Gets 1.4. Who needs a tablet?

I am so freaking stoked!!! Too bad I already took my lunch break. I never successfully dual-booted my Nook, for some reason CM7 and I don't get along (by the way, if you need something broken, send it my way).

I went into a B&N the day the tablet dropped and saw that new Nook Color's were shipping with 1.4. For the last 3 weeks I have been anxiously waiting my software update. And now it's here!!! I got the email less than an hour ago (about the only good reason to register your devices, people). So it's not as fast as the Nook Tablet .. I can live with that. Over the last few months I have realized that I am not the demo for a tablet user. I use my laptop for way more things than the casual tablet user. And my phone. But I read (and play Scrabble) a LOT on my Nook. And now I can watch Netflix (and other streaming content) while my boyfriend watches sports on the big screen :D

Image courtesy of Barnes & Noble

Among the new features, NOOK Color v1.4.1 now offers access to streaming popular movies and TV shows through Netflix, comics and graphic novels, new PagePerfect™ NOOK Books™, reading NOOK Books in portrait and landscape modes, and many other enhancements through-out the device. 

To get the update manually, you can download the software update to your computer at any time and then copy it onto your NOOK Color. Simply follow the steps below. Manual Download Instructions:

1. From your computer, click here for the software update file. Select Save and select Desktop as the location. Do NOT modify or change the downloaded file's name in any way. Do NOT open the *.ZIP file.
2. Press the Home Button and then tap Settings on the Quick Nav Bar. Then tap Device Info and make sure your NOOK's battery charge is at 20% or more.
3. Connect your NOOK Color to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device. A new, removable drive should show up in My Computer (Mac users will see the NOOK drive appear on the desktop or in devices). You should also see a "USB Mode" message on your NOOK screen.
4. From your computer, drag and drop the downloaded *.ZIP file onto the main directory of the NOOK drive. Do NOT open or unzip the file. You should not create a new folder on the NOOK drive or add the file to any other existing folder.
5. Eject or Safely Remove the NOOK drive after the file transfer is complete.
6. Your NOOK will automatically recognize the file after a few minutes when it goes to sleep mode, and proceed to install the updates.
7. Please do not turn off your NOOK during the installation process.
8. Once the installation is completed, your NOOK will automatically restart and go to the unlock screen.
9. On the bottom left status bar a green "n" will appear. Tap on it for additional information; the software has been successfully updated.

NOOK Color must remain turned on while the update is being installed. Once the software is installed, your NOOK will automatically restart. To verify you have the latest update, tap Settings from the Quick Nav Bar, tap Device Info, then tap About Your NOOK, and check to see that your software version number matches the number at the top of this page.

Congratulations, your NOOK Color has been updated! If you need additional help, please call Digital Customer Service support at 1-800-843-2665.

I wonder if I can install the update via Dropbox....

Nook Color - First Impressions

I've been keening for a Nook Color since about Mother's Day. I don't really *need* a tablet or a newer eReader, but I wanted one, because I am a gadget queen. I didn't even want one when it was announced last fall, mainly because I was looking at the Viewsonic Gtab as a tablet and already owned an Aluratek Libre Pro.

The Nook Color is being advertised as "the most affordable Android tablet on the market", and a pretty nifty eReader too. It's finally in my hot little hands thanks to @hankito. I was actually going to wait to save up the $250 (it's $249 from Barnes and Noble) but we can't pass up a good sale!


Now for the interesting bits.

Unboxing
I was so excited I didn't bother doing an unboxing video, but I was eerily reminded of when I unboxed my Nexus One. By the way, my Nook looks like the big sister of my N1! First impression - ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS! and then the let down as I waited 3 hours for it to charge.

I still booted up that night before going to bed. The color screen is amazing! I had to turn the brightness down a bit for playing with it reading in bed.

Weight
Girlish accessorizing bits aside, I am loving this eReader/tablet. Some people have complained that it's too heavy. I also have an Aluratek Libre, bought just over 15 months ago. I like it. The battery life could be longer, but it has served me well. And it is incredibly light. The Nook Color is just under a pound and feels comparable to a hefty hardcover. I can hold it in one hand comfortably for over an hour and not feel fatigued.

Formats and Media Storage
The main reason I chose the Aluratek over the Kindle was the formats that it handles. The same goes for the Nook:

• eBooks - EPUB (including Non or Adobe DRM), PDF
• Other Docs: XLS, DOC, PPT, PPS, TXT, DOCM, XLSM, PPTM, PPSX, PPSM, DOCX, XLX, PPTX    
• Graphics: JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP    
• Audio: MP3, MP4, AAC
• Video: MP4

I am not confined to one book store! I tested this by adding books I had bought from Borders to the NC. You need to have Adobe Digital Editions installed, authorize your device, and voila! Any book from NetGalley and Borders that I had previously purchased now reside on my Nook. I am a happy camper indeed. I also tested out safaribooks.com on the browser. You can read the books in the browser (the text flows beautifully), or download the PDF for offline reading. Win! I can also add to the included 8GB internal storage with up to a  32GB micro-SD card.

Screen
The screen is quite bright, but both screen brightness and font are customizable. You can choose between six different font sizes, six different page flows/margins, and six fonts - three serif and three sans serif.

I got a cover to go with the NC to protect it and give me that feeling of holding a traditional book.

The only thing I miss is the "Back" button, but I am getting used to pressing the home button or the "app drawer" that brings up the menu to go to my library, shopping, apps, the web, or settings.

Apps:
Of the pre-installed apps, I am addicted to the crossword puzzle game. Fair warning, to download any free books, apps, or even start your 14-day free trial of magazines you need to have a credit card on file. I did install goodreads and Seesmic since they are free. I have Angry Birds for free on my phone and didn't feel like paying to have it on my Nook. Right now most of the apps are premium, the main motivating reason for me to get it rooted. I want access to the Android Market.

The on-screen keyboard is amazingly responsive, as is  auto-rotate (which you can turn off in settings if you need to). I want to get HBOGo on it so I can catch up on episodes of Game of Thrones!

Things I still need to test out:

• Root with CM7 Nook mod
• Maybe install NookieHoneyComb 
• Test out the actual battery life. It's advertised as 8 hours of reading with wi-fi off
• Nook Friends and LendMe - I connected to twitter and Facebook and my address book and it found a few of my friends who also use the LendMe option. 
• B&N Specials
• Bring NOOK Color into any Barnes & Noble store to get exclusive articles from top authors, and great offers including cafe treats and unique deals.
• Read NOOK Books free when connected to the free in-store Wi-Fi®.  I can do this while the Teen browses for hardcover versions. He hates using an eReader.