There are three types of connections the nook™ can make: USB via a micro-USB cable, Wi-Fi/802.11b/g, and through AT&T’s 3G cellular network. 3G airtime and Wi-Fi in Barnes & Noble stores is paid for by Barnes & Noble, but can only be used for downloading and purchasing eBooks and magazines. There is currently no web browser on the nook™, but because of it’s Android operating system, there is a possibility that one may be added in the future. Android is a Linux-based operating system developed by Google for mobile devices like cell phones, PDAs, and now eBook readers. The nook™ is the first eBook reader to use the Android operating system.

You can use the nook on a plane to read anything you have already downloaded or transferred to your nook. Since most air carriers require Wi-Fi connections to be turned off during flight, the nook has provided an “Airplane Mode” similar to the iPhone, which disables the Wi-Fi antenna. Any file already downloaded to the nook will still be available for viewing.

If you are traveling abroad where AT&T’s 3G service may not be available, you may not be able to download any new books until you can find a Wi-Fi spot in a hotel, restaurant, or in someone’s home. These are just a few examples. Anywhere you can find wireless Internet access or AT&Ts 3G access, you can then download new material from Barnes & Noble.

The nook also features over-the-air software updates so there is no need to connect via USB to update the device when updates become available.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 am and is filed under eBook Readers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.