OK, that’s actually five things that the Kindle doesn’t have. What the Kindle does have is the power of Amazon behind it and the beauty of e-ink. E-ink is a black & white display that is easy on the eyes, like paper. What e-ink doesn’t have is a back lit display and color. Both units have built in Wi-Fi and can switch from portrait to landscape, and have dictionaries and a thesaurus and the ability to download on the fly.

Both e-readers are fun to use and make a great addition to anyone’s gadget collection. They are also great for travelers, people who commute on buses or trains, people who love to read on vacation and don’t have a dedicated trunk for books. Students, scholars and everyone in between.

The NookColor has a color touchscreen that uses VividView technology. With the VividView technology you can read crisp text day or night and view stunning graphics and magazines. If you want to share an article with a friend you can switch to an extra wide viewing angle, which reduces glare and makes it possible to view the screen at any angle.

There are over 2 million book titles available for the Nook. Most NookBooks are $9.99 or less, many are less than $5, and many are free, and you can always try out each book before you purchase it. One cool thing that the Nook has that the Kindle doesn’t have is the Read In Store feature. When you take your Nook to a Barnes & Nobles store you can read entire books for free for an hour a day, plus there is exclusive in store Nook content, free deals, and specials on books and cafe treats.

With this function if you were on a budget and lived near a Barnes & Noble you could visit a store and read entire books for free as long as you did it in one hour chunks each day. With the NookColor using the Article View technology you can have immersive magazine reading experiences. This is something the Kindle can’t do, yet. You can also buy single magazine issues or try a subscription free for 14 days.

With Nook Kids stories come to life. Childrens stories can be read and interacted with using the Nooks exclusive color screen. The Nook even has a read to me feature so it will read the story to the kids, and it doesn’t sound like a robot. Also with AliveTouch technology kids can touch the characters on the screen and they come to life and do things like move or talk. Making the story even more immersive.

Because Nook is excited about the new children’s story book features of the Nook, when you purchase one you get two free Nook Kids books; Richard Scarry’s Colors, and The Elephant’s Child. The Nook also comes with a LendMe app that makes it possible to lend and borrow Nook books with your friends. Since you are borrowing and lending books with your friends anyway you might as well update your social status while you are at it, with Facebook and Twitter.

With the NookColor you can personalize and organize your homepage and create personalized bookshelves for all of your titles. You can also personalize your home screen with your own photos or built in wallpapers and create playlists and listen to music and audio books with the built in mp3 player.

Use the Nook personal shopping to browse and download books in seconds. You can search by title and author and browse different categories. You can even get the inside scoop with recommendations and reviews. The Nook has extras too, such as games like Sudoku, Chess, and crossword puzzles. You can listen to music with Pandora Internet radio and view PDF, ePub, and JPG files on your Nook.

You can even work on the go with Quickoffice software that allows you to view Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Also the Nook uses the Android operating system. Therefore developers will be creating more Nook extra applications and if you are an Open Source developer you can even throw your hat in the ring.

The NookColor comes with 8GB of built in memory, but expansion is limitless because it comes with a memory card slot. Your Nook Books and purchases are also always safe because they are stored forever on your Nook account.

The NookColor puts a little more fun into the electronic book reader. It is also great for kids and makes a wonderful Kindle alternative. If you are an Apple fanatic you could get most of the Nook functions and a little more in an iPad. But if you carry an Android phone like me and don’t want to invest the bank in an ereader device, then stick with the NookColor, it is a very nice gadget with a lot of options and it is fairly affordable at $249. You can pre-order today and it will ship on November 19th.

Today we are going to talk about the Lenovo Ideapad S10. This is a new device from Lenovo and it has some features that make it almost as good as a notebook, but still with the great advantages of a netbook. First off the screen 10.1 inches which is the largest netbook screen, second it has an almost full size keyboard, which is much better than trying to deal with a cramped mini keyboard.

Also this netbook comes with Windows 7 starter. Windows 7 has got to be the most full featured netbook operating system available to date. Still you will want to pay the 50$ and upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium, to really get all you can out of your shiny new netbook. The good news is it is easy to do with Windows Anytime Upgrade.

Another upgrade that will make your netbook computing easier and less frustrating is to get a wireless netbook mouse, such as this awesome Logitech Netbook Mouse that comes in cool colors, has a tiny USB plug and only requires one battery. You won’t be sorry you made this purchase.

Now on to the features of the Lenovo Ideapad. It has an instant on function which will get you online in seconds. No waiting around for the Internet. It is just over an inch thick and weighs less than 3 pounds. It also comes with a one key rescue system which makes data backup and recovery simple and painless.

It also comes with DirectShare which allows you to synchronize your files with another computer without even having to connect to the Internet. It has a long battery life and integrated high-speed Wi-Fi. It has the fast Intel Atom N455 processor and stereo speakers with Dolby surround sound. It comes with a 160GB HDD drive and an integrated web camera and card reader.

It also has built in protection against hard drive shocks and it even comes with face recognition if you want to secure your date and log in with your gorgeous face or your ugly mug, whichever the case may be.

So you have a super powerful, small, lightweight. Which is full featured and has everything your larger notebook will have except for a dvd drive. Although there are external dvd drives you can use for your netbook if you need to.

So what can you do with this awesome netbook? Well you could use it for school and carry around all of your etextbooks and take and read notes on it. You could also use it to get on the Internet and research papers and additional study material.

You can also use it for online media such as You Tube and Pandora. You can also chat, video chat, and skype with your friends. I mean business associates and study groups. Of course you can use it for a music player with the awesome speakers and surround sound. Sure you could watch online movies and TV shows too.

You could check your email and browse the web. I know you wouldn’t, but you could also play games too. So for less than 300$ plus the couple upgrades I recommend, you could have a bag that weighs less than 3 pounds,that contains all your notes and texts. Plus a communication and multmedia device, a dictionary, thesaurus, and reference guide, not to mention a music and media player, and a game player too, all in one device.

One of the most popular etextbook stores is the digital store from textbooks.com they have instantly downloadable etextbooks that can be read in most browsers and also on your iphone, ipod, and ipad devices. They can also be read on digital devices that are Adobe Reader capable such as the Kindle DX.

In order to download and use an etextbook from an etextbook site you will need to check the format in which the books comes in. It will be either Adobe Reader/Digital Editions or Vital Source Bookshelf. Both readers can be used on your pcs and netbooks. The Adobe will work on Adobe compatible mobile devices and the VitalSource Bookshelf is compatible with most browsers and iPhone type devices, including the iPod touch, and the iPad.

Once you find the ebook you are interested in and have checked the reader available to make sure you have a compatible device. All you have to do is download the text and you will be given instuctions on how to download and use the compatible reader.

Instant access and cost savings are the main advantages of using digital textbooks. You can save time and money and have instant gratification. It is also easier to carry one lightweight device than to have an entire heavy pack full of giant thick textbooks.

You can also bring up the text on your iPhone using the browser function. This will enable you to have a quick study session or brush up on your notes whenever you are stuck waiting in line or for a bus, or for that late boyfriend/girlfriend to show up.

To start using etextbooks to and you will be studying in seconds flat. No waiting on the postman or standing in lines. Take advantage of the convenience and time saving elements of fast downloading etexts today.

I gave it a go and entered a subject into the search box under the buy tab. A page appeared immediately with all of the choices of different texts, some were used, some were new. The used texts were considerably cheaper. There are also filters on the right hand side where you can choose browsing between used, new, hardcover, softcover, edition, and price. There is also an advanced search option.

It is also easy to sell your books back at textbooks.com. Simply click on the sell tab and enter the books ISBN into the search box. If this is a book they are currently buying you will get an instant quote. You will also be entered into a drawing to win a Macbook Pro each time you sell a book back.

If you are selling a book back be sure to log in to receive extra cash back. If you are selling a book purchased from the site and it had a cash back guarantee then you will receive 50% of your purchase price. You then print out a free shipping label and send the book back within 30 days. You will then receive payment by check or PayPal.

You can purchase etextbooks through textbooks.com as well. Just click on the etext tab and enter the ISBN or keywords that you are looking for. You will be presented with the available texts and formats available. It looks like most of them will either be in the Adobe, where you can choose between Adobe Digital Editions eBook Reader or Adobe Reader 7.0.9, or VitalSource Bookshelf Reader.

To view your book you need to download the appropriate reader. Both offer the ability to search, highlight, and markup your etextbook. You can have it on your computer, laptop, netbook, or any digital ereader that uses the appropriate format. You can also print out your text or just the important parts.

Textbooks.com seems to have a lot to offer from decent prices, online ordering, and an easy to use interface. All of the etextbook and online textbook sites have different strengths and weaknesses. Prices and availability also differ by book and site. As far as etextbooks the most appropriate site to use would be the one that comes in the easiest to use format.

New functions along with 3G wireless and a decrease in price is available with the new Nook from Barnes & Noble.
The Nook was to begin shipping on December 11th. But, thanks to pre-orders it sold out before it  began shipping. Currently it is still sold out  but you can still pre-order the nook to receive one when the device is back in stock. I wrote a review about the Nook. But, the more I hear about the device the more compelling it is.

Barnes & Noble really seems to be stepping up their game. They really do seem to be trying to give Amazon a run for it’s money. They not only have the latest sold out ereader device but they have powerhouse physical stores to back up their products. They know exactly what Amazon can do and they are trying to do one better with their ereader, print books, and digital products.

They also offer learning toys and cool home accessories. Their website actually offers a lot of online items. They don’t sell everything like Amazon does, but what they do sell they do well. B & N is also interested in your textbook business. They are offering free shipping, discounts, and even giving away free music downloads with every textbook purchase.  Here are some of the deals that they are offering.

Well iChapters is now CengageBrain and besides offering the above listed money saving options they also offer textbook rentals. If you are not ready to enter into the cengagebrain ereader age you can still save on your textbooks with textbook rentals.

We all know textbooks are expensive, and it is possible to save a little money by purchasing a used textbook and then selling it back at the end of the semester. With textbook rentals it is a similar concept but, you save a little more and you don’t have to worry about the book store buying your used textbook back.

Another great thing about this service is it saves time. You order your textbook rental online. It is delivered to your door. Save the shipping box and the return label. Use your textbook for the semester. Then after finals, put it back into the shipping box with the premade return label.

Go online and order your textbooks for the next semester. You are not only saving money, but you are saving time. We all love added convenience and stress relievers. I am still a proponent of the etextbooks but this is a viable alternative.

It you are wondering about Cengage it is part of The Thomson Corporation which is a global leader in providing information solutions for schools and corporations. If you think back to some of your previous texts and study guides you may have noticed the Thomson name on some of them.

No matter which textbook option is right for you the most important part of the whole process is that you actually use the book. Some people claim that they work better under pressure and wait until the last minute. But if you really want an enjoyable stress free College experience. Stay on top of your studies and don’t get behind. You will end up with better grades and less gray hair if you follow this simple advice.

One advantage the iPod has is the iTunes music store. An advantage the Kindle has is the Amazon Kindle store. So in order for B&N to compete with their nook, they need to offer something that Amazon doesn’t.  And that is exactly what they have tried to do. Their biggest advantage is that they are a physical presence and even though the nook is a digital device they offer special bonuses when you bring your nook into an actual B&N store.

According to the Barnes & Noble website, when you bring your nook into their store, exclusive content and discounts will pop up on your screen. They plan to offer the ability to read entire ebooks for free at their locations. Another exclusive offering that the Kindle doesn’t have, is the ability to share ebooks with friends. They say most ebooks can be lent to friends for up to 14 days at a time.

If your friend downloads free B&N ereader software, you can send the ebook to thier nook, cell phone, or computer. Besides these features, the nook is fairly similar to the Kindle. It is a plain but stylish white design. With easy to read E-Ink display. It features 3G and WiFi and you can sample books for free. You can also adjust your text size and store up to 1,5 00 books, magazines, and newspapers.

It does add a slot for a memory card and it sounds like their highlighting capacity may be different than the Kindle bookmarking feature. They also have an ereader software that you can install on your iPhone or BlackBerry where you can keep reading if you don’t have your nook with you. Another feature the nook has is a touchpad screen and a touchpad keyboard.

In case you want to purchase a nook you can pre-order it from the Barnes & Noble website. I clicked on the pre-order button today and they said it would be available on December 11th. I also beleive you can go to your nearest Barnes & Noble and purchase a nook in person once they are available. They seem to be doing everything they can to capitalize on actually having a physical presence.

The nook looks like a very nice stylish little device. If you are an Amazon fan or already have a Kindle then there is probably no reason to switch. If for some reason you don’t like Amazon or the Kindle, then the nook would make a very nice alternative. It is too soon to say who will win the ebook reader war. More than likely there will be enough room for many players. Which is a good thing because nothing breeds innovation like competition.

The latest gadget announcement is the ASUS E-Book Reader.  This reader should be released by the end of the year under the Eee PC brand. ASUS is known for affordable laptops so hopefully this new e-reader will be very affordable.

The ePub ebook format is starting to raise some eyebrows recently. Some may remember that Google has a plan to scan and digitize all of the books in the world. The project was originally putting the books in PDF format, but Google has recently decided to switch to ePub format.

This is an open format that iPods, iPhones, and Sony Readers can use. Currently the books available for free download are public domain titles and classics.

This move should help the prospects of the Sony Reader and make open source advocates happy. As the ePub format gains popularity it will open the door for the etextbook market.

A nice thing about an open format supported by many devices is that you could read your text on your Sony Reader, your laptop, or your iPod. It’s hard to say what format will become the winner in the etextbook race, but ePub is moving a step closer.

The Kindle still has the upper edge, but one possible advantage of the Sony, is that they are supporting the ePub format. Which is a format where books can be purchased from any bookstore. Instead, of just through the Sony bookstore or the Amazon bookstore, as is the case with the Kindle.

Currently books purchased in the ePub format have to be downloaded to a computer and then uploaded to the reading device, thus sort of defeating the advantage of having wireless. Where Sony may shine is in the e textbook world. As more Colleges have textbooks in digital format the more may adopt the ePub format making the Sony a viable option in the e textbook reader market. Another advantage of using ePub format is that many public domain books will be in this format making free information readily available on the Sony reader.

One of the leading etextbook retailers is iChapters and this year 5 lucky students will win $1000 worth of free textbooks from iChapters. Enter to Win $1000 in Free Textbooks from iChapters.com. Expires August 26, 2009. So what do you have to do to win? All you have to do is sign up. Oh, and be really lucky.

Whether you are ready to go digital or not is a personal decision. But it doesn’t hurt to sign up and see if you are one of the winners. Oh, and iChapters also has some pretty cool offerings like selling individual chapters of textbooks.

Anyway, good luck with the coming school year and with the contest.