Kindle vs Nook
Two of the biggest e-book readers are the Kindle and the Nook, due in part to being from two of the biggest names in selling books. Kindle is from Amazon while the Nook is from Barnes and Noble. This is probably the most significant difference between the two if you prefer Amazon over B&N or the other way around.
Looking at the hardware, it seems that the Nook has a color screen, but it is only the lower portion of the screen that also serves as the main input device. Instead of having a physical keyboard like the Kindle, the Nook uses a software keyboard that you can use when needed. Although some users prefer the tactile feel of a keyboard, the Nook’s LCD is a plus since it can be used for a lot more things like thumbnails. Some users have qualms with the LCD screen though as it does consume a lot more power.
Another plus for the Nook is the microSD card slot and user replaceable batteries. This allows the user to use external storage to store other files, virtually making limitless the storage capacity of the Nook. You can also purchase a battery and just slap it right in when the battery of your Nook dies; unlike the Kindle, which you need to have serviced in order to replace the battery since the device needs to be opened up. It also allows using spares despite being largely unnecessary due to the extremely long battery lives of these devices.
A cool feature that the Nook has is the LendMe feature. This allows you to ‘lend’ a copy of a book to someone else’s Nook for up to a week. Although it is rather limited, it’s as close as you can possibly get to lending a book to a friend in the digital age. The Kindle lacks this feature but you can always lend your Kindle to a friend if you want to; but it’s more like lending and entire library than a book.
Summary:
1. The Kindle is from Amazon while the Nook is from Barnes and Noble
2. The Kindle uses a keyboard for input while the Nook uses a touch screen display
3. The Kindle does not have a microSD slot like the Nook has
4. The Kindle has an integrated battery while that of the Nook is user replaceable
5. The Kindle lacks the LendMe feature of the Nook