NOOKcolor as a tablet
Launched on Nov. 16, 2010, the NookColor is a hybrid tablet/e-reader, the latest in Barnes & Noble's Nook family of e-readers. While it's marketed as sort of an e-reader on steroids, its hardware specs are actually that of a very respectable tablet . . . and the firmware it's running is a modified version of Android . . .
. . . now, those familiar with Android (you are on Android Central after all) will know that if something is running SOME version of Android, the development community can hack it to run pretty much any version of Android . . . that is, as long as the hardware supports it. The NOOKcolor's hardware most definitely supports it.
Voila: the NookColor is now an Android-powered tablet.
So why bother buying this pseudo-e-reader and turning it into an Android tablet, when there are already Android tablets out there just waiting to be bought? Well, the really sweet part of this is that since the NookColor is being sold as a high-powered e-reader, it's also priced as a high-powered e-reader:
The Samsung Galaxy Tab, also running Android, retails for $500-600 off-contract.
The cheapest version of Apple's iPad will set you back $500.
The NOOKcolor is $250.
Suddenly it's looking like a very appealing option . . .
Now, there are things that you'll get on other tablets, like camera, GPS, microphone, and the latest state-of-the-art processors that the NOOKcolor doesn't support. If those are deal-breakers to you, you'll probably want to invest in one of the more expensive alternatives . . .
. . . but if you're like me, and mostly want a tablet for the apps, the web-surfing, the word processing, the photo editing, the music and video playing, the games, the Android, and--oh yeah--the e-books . . . then a modified NOOKcolor just may be the tablet for you.
Check out all of our stickied NOOKcolor threads to find out what to do next!
Launched on Nov. 16, 2010, the NookColor is a hybrid tablet/e-reader, the latest in Barnes & Noble's Nook family of e-readers. While it's marketed as sort of an e-reader on steroids, its hardware specs are actually that of a very respectable tablet . . . and the firmware it's running is a modified version of Android . . .
. . . now, those familiar with Android (you are on Android Central after all) will know that if something is running SOME version of Android, the development community can hack it to run pretty much any version of Android . . . that is, as long as the hardware supports it. The NOOKcolor's hardware most definitely supports it.
Voila: the NookColor is now an Android-powered tablet.
So why bother buying this pseudo-e-reader and turning it into an Android tablet, when there are already Android tablets out there just waiting to be bought? Well, the really sweet part of this is that since the NookColor is being sold as a high-powered e-reader, it's also priced as a high-powered e-reader:
The Samsung Galaxy Tab, also running Android, retails for $500-600 off-contract.
The cheapest version of Apple's iPad will set you back $500.
The NOOKcolor is $250.
Suddenly it's looking like a very appealing option . . .
Now, there are things that you'll get on other tablets, like camera, GPS, microphone, and the latest state-of-the-art processors that the NOOKcolor doesn't support. If those are deal-breakers to you, you'll probably want to invest in one of the more expensive alternatives . . .
. . . but if you're like me, and mostly want a tablet for the apps, the web-surfing, the word processing, the photo editing, the music and video playing, the games, the Android, and--oh yeah--the e-books . . . then a modified NOOKcolor just may be the tablet for you.
Check out all of our stickied NOOKcolor threads to find out what to do next!
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