Barnes and Noble has just unveiled its new Nook Tablet, an improved version of last year's Nook Color that features the same book and app stores as the old one, plus improved hardware specs and HD video content from Netflix and Hulu. Despite the release of numerous Android-powered tablets in 2011, the Nook Color quickly became the iPad's only real rival, with extensive retail support and a brand name that helped power sales.
Here's how the two tablets compare:
Price and release date
The Nook Tablet will cost $249 when it is released on November 18. The iPad 2 comes in a variety of models -- organized by case color, Wi-Fi only or 3G support, and the amount of flash memory they have -- but the base model sells for $499. A new model is expected sometime in 2012, probably early in the year as the last two iPad models were released in the first halves of 2010 and 2011.
Size and form factor
Apple's iPad 2 weighs one and a third pounds, and has a color multitouch screen that is 9.7 inches across. The Nook Tablet weighs less than a pound ("1/3 lighter than the leading tablet") and has a 7 inch color multitouch screen, with 169 pixels per inch compared to the iPad 2's 132. It has a sharper display and is easier to hold in one hand while reading for long periods of time, but it lacks support for the iPad 2's Smart Cover accessory and its screen is half the size of the iPad's.
Hardware specs
The Nook Tablet and the base $499 iPad 2 model both have 16 GB of flash memory, for storing movies, ebooks and apps. The Nook Tablet also has a microSD slot, allowing for up to 32 GB of expandable memory to be added on. Both feature a 1 GHz dual-core processor, and both have roughly 10 hours of battery life.
App and product stores
The iPad 2 uses the iTunes App Store, and has over 140,000 apps designed just for it, including the iBooks and Newsstand apps. Nook and Kindle apps are also available for it, although due to Apple's policies you can't buy new books from them. Netflix and Hulu apps are also available.
The Nook Tablet uses its own app market with a selection of specially-made Nook apps, including Angry Birds. Nook owners can buy books from the Barnes and Noble store, or view movies and TV programs on Netflix and Hulu. Nook Tablets also have Nook Kids animated children's books, as well as PagePerfect Nook books and a Marvel comic book app.
In-store support
iPad owners can go to the Apple Store for technical support or recommendations. Nook owners can go to Barnes and Noble retail stores for technical support, as well as free Wi-Fi, an hour of free browsing from the Barnes and Noble catalog, and in-store promos such as the Mighty Eagle character in Angry Birds.
Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.
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