Review of the Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight 4

The Barnes & Noble GlowLight 4 is a primary, compact e-reader for anybody who has a big library of Nook books, nevertheless it lacks the performance of opponents with comparable costs.

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK GLOWLIGHT 4 SPECS

Barnes & Noble’s newest Nook, the $149.99 , defies the pattern of larger-screen e-book readers. As an alternative, this small and cozy system includes a 6-inch show that showcases the system’s easy studying expertise. It’s simpler to make use of than its predecessor, the GlowLight 3, and we like that tactile page-turn buttons are nonetheless current. Nonetheless, the latest Nook e-reader isn’t fairly as competent or strong as Amazon’s or Kobo’s present fashions. Our Editors’ Selection choose for the class stays the $139.99 Kindle Paperwhite, whereas the $179.99 is a good different due to its robust public library assist.

A Compact, Barely Dated Design

The GlowLight 4 is a throwback: A 6-inch, 300ppi E Ink Carta HD panel from a number of years in the past remains to be in use. Most mainstream e-book readers used the identical 6-inch show for a very long time, though display know-how continues to advance. The brand new 7-inch E Ink Carta 1200 screens are utilized in Amazon’s and Kobo’s newest midrange e-book readers. In comparison with prior generations, these screens show extra textual content per web page and permit for sooner web page rotations.
The GlowLight 4’s smaller, 6-inch show, alternatively, isn’t all unhealthy; at 4.7 by 6.2 by 0.2 inches, it’s fairly gentle and pocketable (HWD). It’s about one inch shorter than the Kobo Libra 2 and is considerably smaller and lighter than its predecessor. One other advantage of the GlowLight 4 is that it has a much less reflective display than its opponents.
Different traits of the Nook’s design, akin to its recessed display, are apparent drawbacks. The recessed display type is troublesome as a result of it collects extra mud and dirt over time than the flat-front screens discovered on newer Kindles and Kobos, that are additionally easier to wipe clear. As well as, in contrast to equally priced Kindles and Kobos, the GlowLight 4 is just not waterproof.
The precise page-turn buttons on either side of the entrance of the Nook are a artistic and interesting addition. They’ve a light, pleasing click on and are appropriate for utilization by each proper and left-handed individuals. The GlowLight 4 expenses utilizing the most recent USB-C commonplace.
The GlowLight 4 has a color-changing entrance gentle, much like different present midrange e-book readers. Its bluest coloration setting is somewhat whiter than the Kobo’s, however its brightest yellow setting is sort of yellow. You might manually modify the colour or let the system do it for you depending on the time of day. I discovered the sunshine to be extraordinarily even in my expertise.

The smartphone is powered by an 1.5GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. The Nook has 29GB of storage, however solely 5GB is offered for sideloading; the remaining is devoted to Nook books, which is numerous house for an e-book reader that doesn’t assist audiobooks. It makes use of the 802.11n commonplace to connect with your Wi-Fi, nevertheless it doesn’t permit Bluetooth or music playback (it lacks each audio system and a headphone jack).

In response to Barnes & Noble, the 1,400mAh battery ought to permit the Nook to go for a very long time while not having to be recharged, however based mostly on my week of anecdotal testing, I don’t consider that is true. The e-book reader lasted about one lengthy e-book earlier than needing to be recharged, although to be honest, I didn’t must do it in the course of the e-book.

For the Function of Studying

The studying software program from Barnes & Noble is as rudimentary because it will get. You might learn ebooks bought from Barnes & Noble in addition to sideload EPUB and PDF paperwork onto the Nook. Each the GlowLight 4 and any Kindle system don’t assist as many codecs as Kobo readers do.

In fact, the place you’ve bought ebooks previously is essentially the most vital factor to contemplate in the case of format assist. Transferring Barnes & Noble, Kindle, and Kobo books throughout platforms is troublesome, partly as a result of the method for eliminating DRM is cumbersome. For instance, the commonest strategy for eliminating Barnes & Noble’s DRM is to make use of Android developer instruments.
The house display is ready to an summary design by default, and in contrast to a Kindle, there aren’t any adverts. The principle interface shows your e-book library (you could arrange titles into cabinets or collections), the shop, and Barnes & Noble Readouts, a that shows excerpts and serials that the shop is trying to market. Not like its sluggish predecessor, the primary UI is lightning quick.
Inside books, you’ll discover eight fonts in varied sizes and margins, in addition to the usual desk of contents and bookmarking decisions, in addition to a dictionary. You gained’t discover any of Amazon’s Kindle’s added X-Ray or Goodreads capabilities on this system.
Public libraries are underserved by the GlowLight 4. Getting a e-book out of your library to your Nook is a careless course of that requires you to memorize an Adobe password, obtain books to your PC, after which copy them to your reader via a cable. You may borrow books from a Kobo instantly out of your system. You will get titles out of your library’s web site wirelessly on a Kindle.

Many individuals hack Nook e-book readers to run Android apps, which you’ll’t do with a Kindle, which is exterior the scope of this text. We don’t consider anybody has accomplished so with the GlowLight 4, though the merchandise remains to be comparatively new. In any occasion, the Onyx Boox Poke 3 ($189.99) is a greater different in case you really need to run Android apps on a smaller e-book reader as a result of it runs on Android 10.

Nook aficionados will respect this replace.

Though most e-book readers now have bigger screens, the Barnes & Noble Nook GlowLight 4 has a smaller (however nonetheless sharp) 6-inch panel, making it a extra pocketable choice. Its clear, fast interface and high-quality page-turn buttons are particularly interesting. The GlowLight 4 is an honest improve from any of its predecessors in case you possess numerous Nook books and want a brand new e-book reader.

The Nook, alternatively, can’t fairly match with Amazon’s and Kobo’s newest e-book readers. Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite, for instance, is waterproof, has a flat entrance, and has a bigger display, nevertheless it lacks bodily buttons. In the meantime, the Libra 2 from Kobo is waterproof, has tactile buttons, and integrates higher together with your public library’s digital assortment. We suggest both of those gadgets over the Nook in case you’re shopping for an e-book reader for the primary time.