Which is the better eReader?

The Kindle from Amazon and the original Nook from Barnes & Noble are two very popular eReaders available to buy today. Both have been around for a while and both have upsides and downsides. In this Kindle v Nook review I will provide you with an honest and unbiased look at them both so to make it easier for you to make the right decision for you. At this point I would like to inform you that I am a long time eReader enthusiast and I would never review a product I hadn't tried and tested (which is not the case with most other so-called "reviewers" out there). So, I hope you enjoy my review and feel free to comment or ask any questions you may have.

I have categorized the various features of the two as to make it effortless for you to navigate your way through this review.

Speed

In the world we live in, speed tends to mean everything to people. Our lives race along at 100 miles an hour and if we can save 5 minutes per week having a more zippy eReader, it matters to some. If all you care about is speed, the Kindle 3 is your obvious choice. Amazon took the old Kindle 2, which was already quicker than the Nook, and made it even faster with the Kindle 3. The time it takes to turn a page feels like an eternity on the Nook compared to the Kindle 3. Now, not all of us are in such a hurry, but I have to say having tested both, once you have tried the Kindle it somehow feels like you are wasting precious seconds of your life with the Nook.

Another thing that is much quicker with the Kindle is the navigation. This means its ability to move the cursor around the page in a smooth and predictable manner. The Kindle has what is called a rocker-button which can be moved around 5 ways and it moves very quickly. On the Nook you have to activate the LCD screen which lights up a little virtual rocker-button that has to be touched to move the cursor around the screen. Compared to the Kindle, the virtual rocker-button on the Nook appears very slow and sluggish. Again, this might not matter to you, but when you get used to the Kindle, going back to the sluggishness of the Nook can be rather irritating. I do know that Barnes & Noble have released software updates that has made it quicker, but it still does not perform like the Kindle.

Screen Contrast

The quality of the screen of an eReader is really important. I could handle slower page turns, but if the screen has glare or it hurts your eyes to read more than half an hour it's going in the bin. Amazon took the Kindle 2 and improved the screen drastically when they released number 3. The official numbers say 50% better contrast than the Kindle 2 and I believe them. The screen contrast of the Nook is about the same as Kindle 2 so the new Kindle is miles ahead. Effectively what this means for you as a user is an eReader that can be read both inside and out in any conditions and keeps the strain on your eyes to a minimum. After an hour or so here on the Nook I've had enough, especially if the lights are a bit dim, but I still haven't reached my limit with the Kindle 3.

If you are reading in well lit conditions the Nook will do just fine, but if you are anything like me, you may like to read in bed, and bedrooms may be poorly lit. Take the Nook to bed with you and you'll have a headache within the hour unless you have a decent bed side table lamp.