Slate vs. Nook

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Slate: Full Windows 7 Pro, dual core 1.86 mHz Atom processor with 2GB Ram and 64GB SSD storage, expandable with SD cards upt 64GB, 1024x768 touch screen, Wifi, Bluetooth, USB ports. Front and rear cameras. No GPS. Weighs about 1.5 lbs and is 9.21 x 5.91 x 0.58. Basically a fully capable mini notebook computer. About 5-6 hours of continous usage.

Uses: replaces notebook for light usage. Capable of running any windows software including VPN, Office 2XXX, etc.

Nook: Android 2.2 (Nooter'd), with 8GB of storage (expandable with Micro SD to 40GB). 1024x600 screen, Weight 15.8 ounces, dimensions: 8x5x0.48, 8 hours continous usage, Wifi, Bluetooth with software upgrade. No GPS.

Uses: light surfing, video watching, e-mail, book reading, playing effing Angry Birds, etc. Anything you can do with an Android phone, except make calls.

Typing: both on screen keyboards are way better than my touch screen phone. I can actually live with the on-screen keyboard. I hate it for the phone. Android seems to do a better job (maybe it's the applications) with accidental touching of the screen.

External support. The nook has the circuits for Bluetooth, but it is not operational. I have the software to add this, but haven't tried it yet. The Slate works great with external mouse and keyboard.

Wifi: Wifi works fine on both. The Slate will connect to a phone based Wifi or Bluetooth internet connection with no issue. I'm having trouble with the Nook connecting it to my phone. It doesn't seem to like ad-hoc Wifi connections. So, no "tethering" yet. I expect this is the built in Wifi connection wizard limitation, so a software change will probably fix it.

How have I used them? The Slate has basically replaced use of my Notebook computer. When I walk out to door during the day, I always slip my Slate into it's cover and take it along. If I need business access to anything, I have it. And it is so easy to hook up to the internet. I haven't run into an issue with the battery life yet.

The Nook is more "toy". I've been using it for light surfing and mostly playing Angry birds. I added some e-mail software and it works fine. I think this would be a good machine for light reading, some video, light surfing and light e-mail. Lack of a camera means it cannot use a lot of applications (price checking, etc).

Problems

Slate: Windows 7 is NOT optimized for touch screen. I've found going to larges icons helps a lot and that using the precision pointer is a good choice for some software. Also, it is not the speediest machine in the world. It is, after all, a full Win 7 Pro machine running on a dual core 1.86 GHz processor. It runs fast enough, just don't expect Desktop speeds on applications.

Android: I think it is mostly the hardware limitations and having to setup everything myself. If this were an Android 2.2 unit out of the box with Bluetooth and GPS, I think it would be better. The Barnes and Noble applications are not slick and need replacing. I can't complain too much for $200. But I think there are probably better $200 Android tablets around!!!

So in conclusion:

Slate 500: Light Notebook/Fast Netbook replacement for those needing a Full Windows machine.

Nook: Not bad, but I think you'd be better off with a designed to be Android Tablet.

BlueSkyJaunte · 03-22-2011, 08:20 AM

Good write-up, but remember the nook really IS Android underneath all of the B&N crap. That's why nooter works. The hardware is actually quite capable (and over-clockable) but development is hampered a bit by B&N's laziness (not bothering with Bluetooth, for example).

I'd be curious to know what other $200 Android tablets you'd consider "better" than the nook?

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

I haven't researched it, yet anyway. I'm starting to see deals on the deal-a-day site for under $200 for Android Tablets. I expect those will have GPS and Bleutooth out of the box and not require the work. Better is a subjective word. I don't mind playing around getting full android to work on the Nook, but most people want something that works out of the box.

I think the Slate is super slick for the money. It really is in a different class than the other tablets. I think Android and iPads are shooting for the same basic market. Not so with the Slate.

Joeaksa · 03-22-2011, 08:35 AM

I have one of the Nooks and like it but then I won it at an event, so the price was right. Still need to root the thing...

BlueSkyJaunte · 03-22-2011, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

I haven't researched it, yet anyway. I'm starting to see deals on the deal-a-day site for under $200 for Android Tablets.

I've read a few reviews of those things--not good, to put it mildly, and without the support of a solid dev community they're pretty much dead-end devices.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

A couple more notes, posted from the Nook. By changing the default browser and application loader it is far far better. The first copy of Opera I loaded the pinch/zoom feature didn't work in portrait. Works great.