Kindle Oasis vs Nook GlowLight

2023. Nook firmware update adds useful FAQ and custom book sorting



Barnes & Noble has recently rolled out a new firmware update, version 8.13.160, which introduces a new FAQ system in the support section of the settings menu. This update addresses many of the questions and concerns that new users may have about the Nook brand, eliminating the need to use a computer or visit the Nook website online. Now, you can access this information directly on the e-reader. The Nook also features a new system for custom sorting of shelves, allowing users to reposition shelves or books within a shelf in their preferred order. Select the custom option from the sort-by menu to begin. Essentially, content and shelves now have arrow keys that can be used to adjust the layout. Finally, you can now sort and view all your notes and annotations made in ebooks directly from the search bar. This makes it convenient to look up notes you’ve just taken without having to open the book and find them manually.


2021. Nook Glowlight 4 gets smaller and lighter design



Barnes & Noble has launched a new Nook Glowlight 4 and it’s now available for order on B&N’s website. The new Nook is a 6-inch model with 32GB of storage, USB-C and features a new, smaller and lighter design (though the exact weight reduction isn't specified). Like its predecessor, it still has page buttons on both sides of the screen (now positioned closer to the edge) and includes a frontlight with adjustable color temperature, referred to by B&N as Night Mode. It boasts a 300 ppi E Ink display, which likely incorporates the newer E Ink technology with deeper blacks, as B&N notes it has “enhanced contrast.” It is powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz CPU and the software is based on Android 8.1. The price is $149.99.


2019. Kindle update makes page turn speed faster



In the infinite improbability drive that is Amazon's firmware rollout, a new update (Version 5.10.3, if you’re keeping score) has been beamed to an impressive assortment of Kindle e-Ink e-readers—models like the Oasis 2, Paperwhite 4, and Voyage, which already sound like they could double as names of intergalactic starships. Ostensibly, this update "improves performance issues," a phrase about as descriptively useful as saying a towel is "quite handy." However, those brave enough to poke around will notice that page-turning via swipe or tap now zips along with the grace of a well-tuned starliner, and ebooks themselves leap open as if they’ve just spotted Zaphod Beeblebrox at the helm. Expect this magical improvement to hitch a ride on your Wi-Fi any day now—because the universe, it seems, has a soft spot for readers.


2018. Barnes and Noble unveiled charging dock and keyboard for Nook 10.1



Barnes & Noble launched their new Nook Tablet 10.1 this week and has now introduced two accessories. The Charging Dock keeps the tablet powered continuously while you listen to audiobooks or watch movies. It is priced at $34.95 and includes a limited 20% discount with the code STACKED. The Smart Folio Cover with Keyboard features a magnetic clip that attaches to your tablet without the need for pairing. You can use it to take notes or write that great American novel. It is priced at $39.95 and also includes a 20% discount with the same promo code as the charging dock. The Nook Tablet 10.1 runs on Google Android 8.1, allowing you to install all your favorite apps from Google Play.


2018. Nook e-Readers stop working without security update



Barnes and Noble has announced that their Nook e-readers will stop functioning after June 29th if the required security update is not installed. You will be unable to make any purchases, or download and manage your NOOK Content from your NOOK Device. Barnes and Noble is enhancing the security system for all of their websites and servers that handle customer data and process payment information. The e-readers affected by this new security system include the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight, Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD, Nook HD+ and Nook Glowlight.


2017. Barnes and Noble released Nook Glowlight 3



Barnes & Noble, not one to let e-reader enthusiasts float listlessly in a sea of obsolescence, has unveiled the splendidly named Nook Glowlight 3, their first fresh offering in two years. This whimsical contraption boasts a series of features that, were they a species of exotic bird, would undoubtedly make David Attenborough sit up in delight. Its page-turn buttons—clever little devils—can leap entire chapters with a cheeky double tap or whisk through pages at a breakneck speed with a simple press-and-hold maneuver. As if that weren’t enough, the Nook Glowlight 3 is the debutante of its lineage to flaunt a "comfortlight" system, cunningly muting the glaring white of the screen into a soothing, orangey glow. Running on Google Android—because of course it is—it sports an advanced front-lit display that’s bright enough to double as a lighthouse in a pinch. The pièce de résistance, however, is its tactile charm: physical page-turn buttons sit proudly on either side, as though inviting you to a polite but thrilling tug-of-war with your e-books. And lest we forget, the Nook Reading app hums along beautifully, offering zippy page turns and the rather audacious ability to Copy/Paste text directly into its note-taking feature. Clever stuff, really.


2017. Amazon's Kindle Oasis gets big and waterproof



Amazon is revamping its flagship e-reader Kindle Oasis in a dramatic fashion. It is Amazon’s largest Kindle e-reader to date, featuring a 7-inch display. It’s also the company's first waterproof model. It’s remarkably, almost paper-thin on one side (0.13 inches) and then expands significantly to a third of an inch on the other side to house the battery. Amazon has also boosted the number of over-the-screen LED lights to 12 (up from 10) for more even illumination. Another major update is the integration of the Audible audiobook service. Although Amazon owns Audible, it had never been included in the Kindle before. Now, you can browse and purchase Audible books directly on the device. Additionally, the starting price of the Kindle Oasis is now $249 with 8 GB of storage.


2016. Amazon unveils new Kindle Oasis



The new Amazon Kindle Oasis is the smallest and lightest Kindle to date and features a handle for gripping. It gets closer to the feel of a real book with a thickness of just 3.4 mm at its thinnest point and the new one-sided handle is designed to mimic holding the spine of a book while reading. The device includes two buttons for navigating pages forward and backward. It’s unusual to see buttons reintroduced after moving away from keyboards and buttons in previous generations. However, according to Amazon, users simply prefer buttons, so they are making a return. The WiFi version of the Oasis will be priced at $289 and the 3G version will be available for $359.


2015. Barnes & Noble created waterproof Nook



More than a year after phasing out the Nook and Nook HD+, Barnes & Noble is finally updating its flagship GlowLight e-reader with the GlowLight Plus, the company's first waterproof e-reader. It is the first Nook to feature user profiles, because, after all, couples who read together stay together. Named the Nook GlowLight Plus, the new model costs $130 and is now available. The Plus boasts a 300ppi display with twice as many pixels as its predecessor, an aluminum body that is slimmer but slightly heavier than the GlowLight. Most importantly, the Plus is waterproof, so Nook enthusiasts can read their favorite e-books in the bathtub.


2013. Barnes & Noble releases new ultra-light Nook GlowLight



In a move that would no doubt delight the Galactic Council of Overly Complicated Technology Upgrades, Barnes & Noble has unveiled the utterly reimagined Nook GlowLight, an e-reader that dares to ask the question, “What if slightly better, but $10 more?” This spruced-up cousin of the Nook SimpleTouch with GlowLight now struts about with a $119 price tag—the same as Amazon’s ad-laden Kindle Paperwhite (though GlowLight purists will smugly note theirs comes ad-free). Doubling its predecessor's storage to a positively cavernous 4 GB, the GlowLight graciously invites you to stash over 2,000 ebooks—assuming you’re okay with the departure of the microSD slot, which now seems to have been sucked into a black hole of design simplification. With a 6-inch E-Ink display flaunting 62% more pixels than its ancestor, the text clarity and contrast are downright poetic, while an upgraded LED light source ensures the illumination dances uniformly across your literary escapades. And, in a curious twist of engineering, the GlowLight’s luminescence beams down from the top edge, unlike the Paperwhite’s bottom-centric glow. Both screens are neck-and-neck in their radiant rivalry, leaving us to marvel that, despite the universe of tablets orbiting around us, the humble E-Ink e-reader remains stubbornly (and delightfully) alive, with both Barnes & Noble and Amazon doubling down on their galactic e-reading ambitions.


2013. B&N drops Nook GlowLight price to $99. Undercuts Amazon and Kobo



Barnes & Noble has just revealed a $20 price reduction, lowering the GlowLight’s price to just $99. This makes the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight the most affordable option in the high-end e-reader market. The ad-supported Kindle Paperwhite is priced at $119 and the Kobo Glo is $129.99. Featuring a front-lit display called GlowLight, the Nook Simple Touch GlowLight offers a gentle illumination that differs from traditional backlighting. It’s easier on the eyes, although the light reduces battery life by half — which is not a major issue since it still lasts for 2 months. The price reduction suggests that Barnes & Noble might be aiming to clear out inventory before introducing a new model. Remember, the company recently announced it will cease in-house tablet development but intends to continue producing e-readers.