I’ve had my nook for close to 4 months now. I would say I read at least 1 book a week on it, if not more. While I’m still very happy with it, there are several things that bother me about it.
1) Lend Me: this was one of the things I was most excited for when the nook was released. The ability to lend e-books is a fabulous one. But it doesn’t work like I thought it would, and I have to say I’m highly disappointed in it.
You can only lend an e-book once with the nook. One time. That’s it. I loaned a book to my brother several months ago. Because there was an issue with the B&N app for his iPhone he wasn’t able to read it. So I thought I’d lend it to him again. Only it wouldn’t let me. The Lend Me button was missing.
After doing some research, it appears a book can only be lent once. Not just once per-person, but one time only.
The way I understood it when all the buzz was going on about Lend Me, you’d be able to lend an e-book just like you would a print book. That obviously isn’t the case. I can loan my print books multiple times to the same OR multiple people. I’d like to be able to do the same with my ebooks, especially since I think the function was misrepresented.
2) Notes/Highlights: The ability to take notes/highlights is a big deal for me as a book reviewers. Especially since my memory seems to…relax..the older I get. I love being able to highlight passages I want to quote, or that tickle me so I can reference them later. I also love being able to type in a quick note about something I don’t want to forget or that strikes me as particularly captivating/frustrating/lovely/terrible.
This feature is available on the eBookwise and I used it all the time. Underlining passages or making notes saved me many times when it came to reviewing. When I saw it was available on the nook, I was very glad. Only the feature doesn’t work like it should.
There’s no way to search out just the highlights or notes. If you want to see the highlighted sections, you have to page through the entire book. Same with any notes. The only way around this – as far as I can tell – is to bookmark each page where you make a notation. Which works, I suppose, but I’d much prefer the ability to search for them, or have them listed in the “go to” menu.
If B&N would have focused on those issues – and possibly on adding an organizational tool – during their last update, instead of worrying about a browser and games, I think the nook would be close to perfect.
*image credit Interesting Finds
From what I’m given to understand, the Lend Me feature was supposed to be a lot more comprehensive but many publishers flipped out and BN backed off to one only.
IMO, 3-5 times is fair and makes the digital book closer to a paper book’s use rights.
Thanks for the Nook update. I have been thinking a lot about it. Still thinking.
@Lauren Dane – why did they flip out? I can lend a print book as many times as I want..so what’s the difference here? It’s so frustrating not to have equal – or even partial – rights to print books. Especially since I pay basically the same price for both formats.
@Kwana – There are many things about the nook that I love, but it isn’t a perfect reader. But then, will there ever be one? With the market and technology growing and changing as fast is it does, I don’t think we’ll ever be satisfied.
Of course, that doesn’t stop me from craving perfection…
I don’t really know anything about the nook, but I do remember hearing about the Lend Me feature. Could it be that you lend the book to your brother and then you can’t lend it back out until he returns it to you? If that’s not the case, then something like that might work. Because I know that there are libraries that lend out ebooks, but there is a wait. Only one person can check out the ebook at a time.
@Jill D. – the way the LendMe technology works, the book is loaned for 14 days. During that time it isn’t available on your bookshelf, but it is available on the other persons (the title still shows in your library, but you can’t open it).
At the end of the 14 days, the book disappears from the other person’s library and is available on yours again.
Which is fine. I have no problem not being able to access a book I “lent” to someone else. It’s no different from lending a print book.
The issue here is that the book can only be lent once, period. If I loan you the new Lisa Kleypas novel, I can’t lend it again. To anyone. Ever. It’s a one time deal only.
The most frustrating part is that isn’t how they were selling the LendMe feature at first. About a month before the launch I participated in a conference call with the CEO of B&N and he had quite a bit to say about LendMe, and there was nothing to indicate it would be this limited.
I have to assume Lauren is correct and they made changes after the fact.
I completely agree about the need to search your notes and highlights. As a writer and book reviewer, I am constantly highlighting. Because I have at least 3 books going on my Nook at any given time, it takes forever to find the quote I want. But it really is the only substantial flaw in a great device.
@Mike – I would also like to be able to organize my shelves. Otherwise I agree, it’s a great device.
HIGHLIGHT AND NOTE SEARCH:
Tap the page (any page in any book you’re reading)
the little blue menu that pops up at the bottom
Tap “Content” (the first tab in the little blue menu)
There are 3 tabs.
TAP “Notes and Highlights”
it will display all the highlights and notes you’ve made in the book.
Its RIGHT THERE, you guys. *sheeze*
@Anon – when I wrote this article, that feature was not available. Since then B&N has upgraded their software.