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David Pogue savages the Nook in the New York Times: “A mess”
December 9, 2009 | 6:11 pm
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By Paul Biba
“Savage” is the only word for it. Along with the Engadget review, this is the most negative review I’ve seen elsewhere of the Nook—jibing well with Jean Kaplansky’s Nook pan in TeleRead.
David Pogue’s review is in the Personal Tech section of the New York Times, and here are just a few of the comments Pogue makes:
"And in the electronics business, Greed-Borne Insanity is contagious…”
After talking about some of the Nook special features Pogue says that buyers who believe the ballyhoo are afflicted with "Sucker Syndrome."
“…touch screen is balky and nonresponsive," and the main screen is even slower.
Of the one million titles offered, he says "… over half are junky Google scans of free, obscure, pre-1923 out-of-copyright books filled with typos."
"… missing features are symptoms of B&N’s bad case of Ship-at-All-Costs-itis.”
The software is "half-baked."
"Navigating the Nook makes the 1040 tax form seem like a breeze…. the Nook is a mess…."
Pogue almost seems angry about the product. The review is worth reading, if only for his colorful phrases.
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Comments:
Is there some reason you don’t link to the actual review in question in the article?
@Chris: Paul did link, via the words “Personal Tech Section.” I’ve switched the link so it is associated with the words “David Pogue’s review.”
Thanks,
David
MSNBC’s review isn’t all that better:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34350334/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/
It may be that the limited availability turns out to be a good thing; less units shipped, less disappointed buyers…
Mossberg aligns with Pogue
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704240504574586142630417418.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel
Had my hands on one today in B&N store in North Carolina. My purchase will arrive shortly and wait for my pickup next week. (Remember, I’m the guy who purchased a Rocket eBook from B&N ten years ago and never returned it.)
Screen is “quirky” when it changes from page to page. If you don’t remember the “nook” button “n” in bar between screens you get lost. The “go” button and up and down arrows on the touch screen are smaller than “buttons” on an iPod Touch. I’m worried about my loss of concentration when changing pages.
Personally, I like the “free, obscure, pre-1923 out-of-copyright books filled with typos” when they are viewed as “primary” sources. Many classics are there for free. The problem is picking, for example, the “right” copy of Walden.
I’m hoping that software upgrades will solve some of the problems. I was surprised at the weight of the unit. The door is now open for Apple, HP, Microsoft, Google or the like to enter the eBook or “data entertainment” market and plow over the present players. And, we need as soon as possible a device for education that will fulfill the “promise” that this type of device could really bring for our children’s future.
I feel like it is close to criminal (in gadget world terms) for Barnes & Noble to have been selling the Nook for six weeks BEFORE allowing any reviewers to assess it. It is just absolutely unconscionable.
Consider these devices as the landfill that a really useful infrastructure will be built on (the Rocket eBook rests in the substrata). In my mind there is no question that these devices will seem primitive in just a few years, but there’s no way around this trial-and-error period.
Apple’s game plan seems to be wait for the market to build to the point where people realize what crummy goods they’ve been sold, then come in with a product one step up the curve and look like geniuses.
ABCNEWS is a day late to the party but they found a new bug:
You can buy unreleased books on nook. It just doesn’t tell you they’re unreleased…
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/barnes-amp-noble-nook-book-reader-arrives-wrinkles/story?id=9297923&page=1
The bug will be fixed in an update due next *year*.
(Some of the other reviews talk of an update next *week* but apparently that is taking seriously a quote from a sample David Barry column included with the nook.)
“READERS’ COMMENTS
Not Yet the Season for a NookBack to Article »
By DAVID POGUE
Every one of the Nook’s vaunted distinctions from Amazon’s Kindle comes fraught with disappointing footnotes.
Comments are no longer being accepted.”
I liked Pogue’s Mac books but it turns out he’s a d*u*c*he. Dangit!
I found something interesting. Seems like there could be some bias towards Kindle for Mr. Pogue. If you check bn.com none of his books are in ebook format. Though, when I searched amazon I came up with 21. He also has a “Bibliography” page on Amazon complete with photo and biography. I wonder if Mr. Pogue got a check from Amazon to do that article.