Barnes & Noble NOOKcolor Review

The NOOKcolor is very similar in size to the original nook reading device that was released last year. I like the heft of the device as well; the NOOKcolor is weighty enough to feel solid without being too heavy.

We didn't encounter any eyestrain at all, but then again I've been reading eBooks on LCD screens for the past several years, on a variety of devices. That said, I am impressed with the screen on the NOOKcolor. Colors are rich and the illustrations in my books look great, especially the bright paintings in the sample childrens books that were included with the device.

There are no immediately discernable buttons on the NOOKcolor. The volume control buttons are exactly the same in style, flush with the upper right edge of the device. The small nook logo at the bottom of the screen is actually a button that brings up the home screen of the device when you press it. The only other features are a headphone jack at the top of the device and a microUSB charge/sync port centered on the bottom edge of the device.

The reading experience on the NOOKcolor so far is simply delightful. 

Press the "n" button at the bottom of the screen to access the home screen of the NOOKcolor. The home screen is customizable; you can choose your own wallpaper and also drag and drop book covers from the cover flow-style list at the bottom of the display up to the middle of the home screen, for access to your current reads. There is a small More icon at the top right corner of the screen that lists your most recently read books, periodicals, and files for quick access. Tapping any entry on the menu or any of the book covers at the bottom of the screen causes that item to open immediately.

At the bottom of the display, you will find a small menu bar that is always available. The menu on the right is for Quick Settings and allows you to control Wi-Fi, mute sounds, control screen orientation, and adjust the brightness of the screen.

Device info includes the battery charge level and amount of free space available, as well as microSD card capacity. The Screen menu is where you'll find the orientation lock, screen brightness control, and timeout options. Everything here is self-explanatory, with the most-used settings available from the quick menu at the bottom right corner of the screen at all times.