First Look at the New Nook Glowlight 3
Barnes & Noble has yet to announce their new ereader yet but images – and even the product listing – have appeared on B&N’s website. (I found the images, but a reader found the listing – Thanks, BF!)
Edit: According to one report, the new hardware is in stores this morning.
The listing is now visible to all, but it lacks specifics. We do know the new Nook Glowlight 3 has a 6″ Carta E-ink screen with touchscreen and color-changing frontlight. It doesn’t appear to be waterproof, but it does have the page turn buttons some of us want.
It also has 50 days worth of battery life and 8GB internal storage. Retail is $119, and it will ship on 8 November.
I generally have a low opinion of B&N but I must say this device is tempting. It’s the only 6″ ereader that I can buy with both page turn buttons and a color-changing frontlight. (Yes, Tolino has a 6″ ereader with a similar frontlight, but I can’t buy it here in the US.)
It is a little on the large side, though – the bezel makes the Glowlight 3 big enough that it is almost the same size as the Kobo Aura H2O, an ereader that only costs $40 more and offers a larger screen, card slot, and waterproofing (but no color-changing frontlight).
Here is gallery of product renders for you to feast your eyes on.
Comments
Laura November 1, 2017 um 10:16 am
Got an email about it this morning. Very reminiscent of the Nook Simple Touch which was lovely to hold. I’d be tempted if I hadn’t given up on B&N and moved to Kobo years ago.
Laura November 1, 2017 um 2:26 pm
Ahh! I caved and pre-ordered one anyway!
Calenorn November 1, 2017 um 11:21 am
Definitely Simple Touch – The Next Generation. Same width; about half an inch taller.
"2.5GB for NOOK Store content and side-loaded content." So we’ll have to see how the memory is partitioned.
gbm November 1, 2017 um 11:28 am
If the memory is partitioned then it is not worth a penny, especially with no sd card slot.
Susan November 1, 2017 um 11:30 am
And once again they are a step behind their competitors. Kobo and Amazon’s new devices are larger than 6 inches and waterproof. Nook stepped backwards by not being waterproof and remaining 6 inches. I did really like the Nook Simple Touch and had this been a 6.8 or 7 inch device I would definitely have hit the pre-order button. I will pass on this and will continue to read my Nook books on the iPad mini.
Steve H. November 1, 2017 um 1:12 pm
Glad to see they are still around…but…with the Oasis 2, I am done!
Max November 1, 2017 um 5:09 pm
If they had brought back the SD card, it would have been a winner.
A researcher November 1, 2017 um 7:15 pm
I loved my first-gen Nook Glowlight and still prefer its software to the nightmarish user interface of the Kindle. After acclimating to the Amazon ecosystem, however, I can’t imagine going back to B and N.
RL November 1, 2017 um 8:36 pm
For me, it did not have to be waterproof. But, I would have liked for it to have had more internal storage, the SD card, and 7 inches. I do like the fact that it has the changing color light. In my opinion, they have the best OS in terms of quickness and reading PDFs. They could have outdone both Kobo and Amazon this time, but they did not. If it can be rooted, then it may still be a winner. Time will tell.
e-book-news.de » Das letzte Aufgebot: Barnes & Noble launcht Nook Glow Light 3 November 2, 2017 um 6:05 am
[…] ein ausgewiesener B&N-Kritiker wie Nate Hoffelder von The Digital Reader schreibt interessanterweise: „I generally have a low opinion of B&N but I must say this device is […]
Mark N. November 2, 2017 um 11:26 am
Does anyone know what the OS is? Some version of Android? Linux? Something else?
Nate Hoffelder November 2, 2017 um 11:57 am
Probably Android, but I have not yet confirmed that.
Mark N. November 2, 2017 um 12:19 pm
If it is Android, like the Glowlight Plus, it may be possible to install an app or two on it – if I find how to ask it nicely!
I emailed B&N to ask them that same question. If/when they respond, I’ll post it here – unless you find out first.
Mark N. November 3, 2017 um 11:41 am
Here is the reply I received from B&N:
Please be advised that the new NOOK Glowlight 3 has an operating system of Android 4.4.2 (KitKat). Also, please be informed that it does NOT run other Android applications or work with Google Play Store.
Nate Hoffelder November 3, 2017 um 11:51 am
Sweet! Thanks, Mark!
QuoiLire November 3, 2017 um 3:34 pm
Just to inform you that the second version of Kobo H20 has now the changing color frontlight
Sharyl November 4, 2017 um 5:53 pm
My Nook Glowlight Plus just died…it’s frozen, the screen has bizarre lines, and the button is stuck. My original one is still working, but is has no light. So, I will probably be ordering this one. Hoping for better luck!
Mark N. November 5, 2017 um 6:55 am
B&N has fixed a typo on the description of the Glowlight 3. Now, it says that the device has 6.5 GB for Nook store and sideloaded content. Makes more sense!
Laura November 5, 2017 um 9:48 am
Someone on MobileRead took a screenshot of the display model showing 5.4gb for Nook storage and 0.95gb for sideloading.
Nate Hoffelder November 5, 2017 um 10:03 am
Ouch! That’s almost no space at all!
Laura November 5, 2017 um 10:10 am
Someone else responded that the Glowlight only had 508MB for sideloading! So this is generous compared to that! 🙂
Mark N. November 6, 2017 um 2:27 pm
I asked B&N customer service. Here is their reply:
We would like to inform you that the NOOK GlowLight 3 have the maximum memory/storage of 8GB. The 6.5GB storage will not be partitioned to NOOK Store and side-loaded content. You can fill it with your side-loaded content or purchased book on the NOOK Shop.
Laura November 6, 2017 um 3:21 pm
The device itself specifically shows 0.95GB for sideloading. Unless there’s an update coming that removes the partition.
Mark N. November 6, 2017 um 3:45 pm
You mean that someone at B&N customer service might be wrong? I’m shocked! Shocked, I say! ?
Laura November 6, 2017 um 4:36 pm
Ha! 🙂 Got a chance to look at one myself today. I like it. Although an employee came up to see if I needed anything…I asked if I could buy the new one yet. She said she didn’t even know they had a new one! Sigh. I’m standing right there trying the new one on display! Another employee said I’d have to come back Wednesday (as expected — just thought I’d try.)
Do You Think the Next Kindle Should Have a Have Color-Shifting Frontlight? | The Digital Reader March 18, 2018 um 10:03 am
[…] now even the Nook Glowlight 3, and the Tolino Epic, have frontlights where you can adjust the color […]