Nook Tablet vs Kindle Fire

Both the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet are available in mid-November in time for Christmas. We'll take a look at these new color eReaders and media players and help you decide which is the best choice for you or as a gift. 

Let's compare the Nook Tablet and Kindle Fire in the important areas that might be the key deciding factor for you. 

Hardware Specification

The Nook Tablet wins on pure hardware specification. It has a slight faster processor, twice the RAM memory and more storage too. It also has a Micro SD expansion card. 

Amazon have used some clever software tricks to speed up the Kindle Fire (like predictive technology and use of cloud caching when web browsing.)

Content Availability

Amazon have a huge range of media available for the Kindle Fire. An Amazon Prime subscription gives you access to a huge catalog of movies and TV shows plus one eBook to borrow a month. And Amazon's eBook library is huge. Barnes & Noble do have a good range of magazines and comics though. 

Service and Support

Barnes & Noble have always free instore support for the Nook Tablet in many local B&N book stores. This is likely to be a key factor for less technically aware users. 

Price

The Kindle Fire has a launch price of $199 compared to the Nook Tablet's launch price of $249. If you don't consider any of the other differences to be important to you then the lower price of the Kindle Fire will be very significant. 

Suitability for Kids

A lot of families want a media tablet that can be used by kids. Both tablets have a good range of childrens books. The Nook Tablet has the Read & Record feature that allows parents or grandparents to record their voice reading a book for replay. Barnes & Noble have also offered the ability to disable web browsing on previous devices so we expect to see that here too. Amazon do have a wider range of apps for children in their App Store. 

Design and Looks

This one is subjective. Do you prefer the sleek black lines of the Kindle Fire, or the Nook Tablet with it's quirky metal corner?

The Kindle Fire certainly has mass market appeal. There's comfort in knowing that you're going with the majority. Amazon are the biggest player in this market and will continue to get deals to offer more and more content. The Kindle Fire price is lower too. The Kindle Fire is probably the best choice for more people. 

But the Nook Tablet does have quite a lot going for it. It's certainly got a higher specification. This isn't just important for people who want the absolute best specification available. It's also important if you don't plan on replacing your tablet for a long time. Starting with a higer spec will mean that your tablet remains current, or at least adequate for longer. For families with kids, the Nook Read and Record might tip the balance.

If you are buying a Nook color for older relatives who are not very comfortable with technology then the free instore support from Barnes & Noble is well worth considering.