On paper, that is. After testing the e-reader for about a week, I’m not convinced it ‘s worth it – unless you’re really into natural page change buttons.
Good stuff
You can quickly turn pages with the physical buttons No ad offers a distracting reading experience USB-C support 221 ppi screen with scratch and fingerprint resistance that looks clean and clear in sunlight Easy fast loading of ePub files
Bad things
Overpriced for a budget e-reader The physical buttons are unreliable as they stopped working for a while Lack of adjustable color temperature can cause eye strain after sunset It takes a long time to borrow books from the library compared to its competitors The touch screen may be slow to respond
By default, the buttons at the top turn the page forwards while the bottoms turn backwards, although you can reverse the order. You can also double-click the buttons to move a chapter forward or backward, or quickly flip through the pages by pressing and holding the button that rotates the pages forward. Additionally, you can use the buttons to scroll up and down the list of books sold by Barnes & Noble. The only problem? These buttons stopped working the second time I turned on GlowLight 4e. It took two consecutive restarts of the device to work again. They have not caused any problems since then, but I do not know if this issue will reappear, say, in a month and become regular. However, Barnes & Noble spokesman Braeden Boyle says this was not a problem the company encountered during its internal testing, so it is likely to be a problem unique to my device. However, it is not at all reassuring that this happens in the relatively short time I have been using Nook. The Nook GlowLight 4e has natural page rotation buttons. Weighing just six ounces and 6.11 inches tall, the slim, rectangular GlowLight 4e is lightweight and can easily fit in a bag. It has a soft touch finish that holds comfortably when reading, even with a single hand. However, since it is a more original model, Barnes & Noble naturally exchanges some features with others. For example, unlike the $ 139.99 Kindle Paperwhite, it is not waterproof and does not have speakers, a headphone jack and Bluetooth support. As a result, you will not be able to listen to audiobooks – something you could do even using the cheapest basic Kindle $ 89.99. But, unlike the Kindle and even Kobo’s $ 119.99 Clara HD, the GlowLight 4e actually has a USB-C port (though you’ll have to provide your own charging brick). These can be charged faster than micro USB cables, and Barnes & Noble says a 5-watt charger should charge in about 2.5 hours. This is an accurate estimate – I was able to charge the device from 50 to 100 percent in one hour. Barnes & Noble claims that GlowLight 4e should work “for weeks”. After a week of reading tests for 20-30 minutes each day with Wi-Fi turned on and the screen at 50% brightness, the battery level dropped by 60%. So I expect the battery life to last almost two weeks or about six hours with just one charge with Wi-Fi on and the light at about half power. With Wi-Fi and the occasional light off, it can take a few more days of use – or about three weeks in total – which is not terrible. However, since for $ 20 more you can get a Paperwhite that in recent months, I was hoping for longer battery life. The Nook GlowLight 4e supports USB-C, which is definitely an advantage. You can adjust the text size and change the fonts. Plus, while the GlowLight 4e’s semi-matte screen looks clean and clear in direct sunlight, it does not shine, as Barnes & Noble promises, but simply reduces it. Under direct sunlight, I also noticed a slight decrease in contrast and sharpness levels. The screen is also supposed to be resistant to both scratches and fingerprints. Fortunately so far, the GlowLight 4e is meeting its capabilities in this regard. Finding something to read can take some time. In fact, using the screen to navigate the interface requires patience. The touch screen was slow to respond, making the installation process, finding a book, and adjusting the settings a chore. However, things get more enjoyable once you step away from the main menu to read. In addition to adjusting settings such as text size, you do not need to use the touch screen when reading, as you can rely on the buttons for very fast page flip. Plus, GlowLight 4e has no ads, which you have to pay extra to remove when you buy a Kindle. The home screen of the Nook GlowLight 4e. The back of the Nook GlowLight 4e. For a beginner e-reader, the Nook GlowLight 4e overall offers a good reading experience. However, my main problem is the price. With Nook GlowLight 4e, Barnes & Noble strives to offer a budget-friendly alternative to online readers that offer page-switching buttons, which tend to be the most expensive. The company of course cut some angles for this to happen, but when the distinctive feature of the product temporarily stops working after just one day of use, they may cut too much. In addition, some features are too basic for the everyday reading experience to exchange when you pay $ 119.99. The ad-free Kobo Clara HD costs the same amount, but you can read it at night without straining your eyes thanks to customizable color temperature settings. The battery life of a few weeks is good and comparable to Kobo’s Clara HD, but the new Kindle Paperwhite will last you months for just $ 20 more. Photo: Sheena Vasani / The Verge
