Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight
- Responsive, crisp touch screen
- Fast page turns
- Lit display
- Expandable storage, ePub support
- Fewer extras than Kindle Paperwhite
- No 3G option
Bottom line
The Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is basically the highly regarded Nook Simple Touch (Est. $80) but with a top-lit display for nighttime reading. Reviewers love its performance and focus on reading-oriented features, but some competing e-readers like the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (Est. $120 and up) offer more extras.
Performance
Nothing to complain about. Although the Kindle Paperwhite's display offers slightly better text clarity and contrast, critics say the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight's screen is also impressive. Pages refresh quickly and battery life is rated for a full 2 months.
The screen's light illumination can be uneven in the dark, but experts say the words are still clearly readable, and the variation doesn't intrude on the reading experience or cause additional eye strain.
Features
Slim, but useful. The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight takes a backseat to the Kindle Paperwhite when it comes to extra features. The Nook does one-up the Kindle with an expandable storage connection and support for the widely used ePub format, but there's no web browser, 3G connectivity or built-in dictionary. The Barnes & Noble bookstore is huge, however, and the e-reader supports ebook lending. It also lacks the lockscreen ads found on the Paperwhite. In a nutshell, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight's features deliver only a solid single-device reading experience.
Ease of use
Best in class. The Kindle Paperwhite provides an excellent user experience, but reviewers prefer the usability of the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight slightly more. Its touch-screen controls work great and experts appreciate its physical page turn buttons, which the Paperwhite lacks. Critics add that the Nook feels better in hand despite its comparative heft. Browsing the Barnes & Noble bookstore is seamless and pain-free.
| Barnes & Noble NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, Wi-Fi, 2GB, Includes Power Adapter | |
(332 reviews) In Stock. |
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Our Sources
1. ConsumerReports.org
The Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is included in ConsumerReports.org's ebook reader coverage, which is heavy on ratings but light on discussion.
Review: E-book Reader Ratings, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Not dated
2. CNET
Although Carnoy gives the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight the same rating and Editors' Choice award as the Kindle Paperwhite, the latter goes to the top of the site's list of the best ebook readers. "The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight sets the standard for E Ink e-readers going forward and is well worth the extra money if you do a lot of nighttime reading," he says, but he dislikes the lack of 3G and audio options.
Review: Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight Review, David Carnoy, April 23 , 2012
3. PCMag.com
It's the same song at PCMag.com, where Lendino gives the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight and Kindle Paperwhite matching scores and awards. "It's a winner," he says, and that was before a recent $20 price drop.
Review: Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch With GlowLight, Jamie Lendino, April 24, 2012
4. Laptop Magazine
Attkisson gives the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight an Excellent rating but not an Editors' Choice award. She says it's a great choice for heavy nighttime readers, but calls the non-lit Nook Simple Touch a better value.
Review: Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight Review, Anna Attkisson, April 24, 2012
5. MobileTechReview.com
The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is one of the few ebook readers to earn 4 stars out of 5 here, although Gade scores it just below the Kindle Paperwhite due to its uneven lighting. "Unless you're married to Amazon's ecosystem, it's well worth a look," she says.
Review: Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, Lisa Gade, May 31, 2012
6. PC World
Perenson's coverage of the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is lengthy and detailed, but lacks a formal numerical rating. This "E Ink-based e-reader sets the standard for silky-smooth reading and shopping," she says, although her more recent Kindle Paperwhite review puts the two ebook readers neck and neck.
Review: Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch With GlowLight Review: An E-Reader That Truly Lets You Read Anywhere, Melissa J. Perenson, April 24, 2012
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