<p>My sister and I would like to get a Nook for my mom’s birthday, but we disagree on Color versus B&W. I can’t figure out why you would want/need a color screen to read books. I know you can read magazines, but my mom would definitely be more of a book reader. What do you smart people think? It’s $139 for B&W and $249 for color. I would rather spend the extra $100 on books.</p>
<p>Also, does she need a wireless router to hook the Nook to the internet? It says “WiFi” but I haven’t had time to read the fine print. </p>
<p>The Nook Color vs. the Nook Simple Touch Reader are totally different animals. The color one uses a backlit LCD screen - so reading off that will be a lot like reading off a computer or an iPad. The Nook Color is really not an e-reader as a simple tablet computer. You can run apps on it, access the web, etc. in addition to reading books.</p>
<p>The regular Nook, OTOH, uses a “e-ink” screen, just like its competitor the Amazon Kindle. This is not a backlit screen, and replicates the experience of reading a physical book. You can’t read it in the dark as it doesn’t provide a source of light, but you can under sunlight as there is no glare. Power is only needed when the page changes - so as a result, you get a very long battery life (B&N claims up to two months of light reading with the wireless off).</p>
<p>Yes - you will need access to a wireless network for the Nook to access the bookstore and download items, or for the Nook Color to access the internet. Formerly, Nook e-readers were offered with the option of 3G, where users can spend more money to purchase the device but received a lifetime of 3G connectivity - allowing them to connect from anywhere (at least where there is the 3G cell phone signal), but that 1st generation Nook feature has been discontinued on the second gen, assumably because the data charges were not sustainable for B&N.</p>
<p>3G enabled options are still available on the Amazon Kindle. The Kindle 3G is priced at $189 or $164 w/ ads, and will grant the user a lifetime of connectivity from anywhere.</p>
<p>Please note - that the current generation Nook Simple Touch Reader no longer offers “internet access”. It is a purposely stripped down product meant to do one thing and one thing well - reading. The purpose of the WiFi is to only browse the store and purchase/download books, as well as some social networking features I believe, like share a passage on Facebook.</p>
<p>The current generation Kindle (both the WiFi and 3G versions) does wtill come with a basic web browser, as well as other features like text-to-speech, basic mp3 playback, and audiobook capability.</p>
<p>I have the nook color and love it. I like to be able to connect to the internet, though it is much more of a e-reader than a computer, but you can check email, facebook etc. Magazines come through very well with th color. I was not sold on getting a e-reader, but now I would not be without one.</p>
<p>I have the Nook 1st edition as does my DH and I love it. I download the books using the wifi (I didn’t spring for the 3G version as I don’t travel enough to justify the expense.) I waffled on the color version for a while. To me the only reason to get the color is if you have little kids who want to read picture books, or if you want to read a bunch of magazines (most magazine subscriptions are not available on the b/w version.)</p>
<p>I have a Kindle not a Nook, but I will say 3G is an incredible feature for those who travel or carry the ereader everywhere like I do. Even though I always have unread books on my Kindle, I sometimes want a specific book when I want it, right then and there. My Kindle is B&W and all I use it for is reading books.</p>
<p>And I would add that some people (like me :)) find reading e-ink to be much easier on the eyes than reading a backlit screen. So AllThisIsNewToMe, you might want to consider that if your mom’s eyes tire easily, or if she likes to read for long, uninterrupted stretches.</p>
<p>^^^^^^
I agree. I find my kindle to be much easier on my eyes than my iPad, and it’s even easier than an actual book. I have little vision in one eye, and my kindle allows me to enlarge the print–plus since it doesn’t have two pages I am not constantly shifting it back and forth like a regular book to get in the “sweet spot” of my bifocals!</p>
<p>I have to agree that I find my Kindle easier to read than books. I can make the font easier to read. I was reading Vanity Fair yesterday and had a terrible time! Gave me a headache to read type that small.</p>
<p>I bought the Kindle with wifi and wish that I had sprung for the 3g. Even though most of the time, I’m at home when I’m buying a book, I’ve been stuck between books a couple of times and wish I could have bought something on the road. I’m going a vacation next week to somewhere without internet access and I wish that I didn’t have to get my books before I go. </p>
<p>My S and I looked at the Nook Color and didn’t really like it. Too shiny and we didn’t like the backlit format. We bought Kindles and love them.</p>
<p>Yes definitely - if your mom prefers to just read novels - definitely go for a reader with e-ink, such as the Nook Simple Touch Reader, rather than a blacklit screen.</p>
<p>If your mom likes to read magazines just as much - then consider the Nook Color.</p>
<p>Note that if you check their website, B&N now advertises the Nook as being the e-reader, while the Nook Color as being “the reader’s tablet” - so you can infer from that that they are meant for two different markets. I definitely don’t consider the Nook Color to be a color version of the nook - but rather as a light tablet as opposed to an e-reader.</p>
<p>PS - I can attest to the power of free lifetime 3G - quite a value for just the initial $50 more difference in price! Remember - it gets you more than just the ability to download a book anytime anywhere, but also (on the Kindle and the previous generation Nook) allows to surf the internet to do simple tasks that are not media heavy, for example check your email, facebook, news, weather, Yelp, etc.</p>
<p>I’ve even been able to surf the internet while traveling abroad in a number of countries over several continents - all for free!</p>