Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Barnes & Noble got into the e-reader market with its Nook devices and
multi-platform software, including two apps for the iPad. The Nook for
iPad app differentiates itself with more choices for text rendering and
layout. You can customize both text and page colors and save those
combinations as themes, as well as modify leading (the space between
lines) and margins. Barnes & Noble was also the first company to allow
you to lend titles to other friends with Nook devices or software, though
not every title is available to lend (it's up to the publisher to decide);
Amazon has followed suit with a similar two-week lending feature.
While iBooks now offers children's picture books, the Nook Kids app is
dedicated exclusively to this genre. And some books can read to your
toddler (with a more human-sounding voice than the iPad's VoiceOver
feature). Look for titles carrying the Nook Kids Read to Me marker on the
Barnes & Noble Web site.
Voracious library users might feel a shock to the pocketbook, as the
switch from free borrowing to ebook ownership can put a dent in the
entertainment budget. But there's hope for the topic hungry as more
libraries are now lending ebooks.
However, getting library books onto your iPad isn't as straightforward
as downloading from iBooks or even connecting to an Amazon or B&N
account. For starters, the selection tends to be smaller (as not all publish-
ers participate) and won't include the most recent bestsellers. When
you do find a title, you'll most likely need to sign up for an Adobe ID to
access the DRM-wrapped titles (in EPUB and PDF formats). And you'll
typically be able to read a title on only a single device—if it's opened on
