Important Differences Between The Kindle And Nook For International Travelers

by Anil Polat · 189 comments

Both the Kindle and Nook are excellent reading devices as you can see in the full comparison of the traveling e-readers. Several recent changes to their pricing structure and a new Nook Wi-Fi make the choices enticing, but there are a few key differences, especially if you spend much of your time outside of the United States.

kindle and nook

[6/22/10]: Latest prices (in the US) are Kindle 2 $189, Nook $199, Nook Wi-Fi $149

Purchasing

kindle  international storeKindle: Amazon sells the Kindle in more than 100 countries and can ship to all of them for an added average cost of $30. You’ll want to check and make sure your country is on the list. For example, Turkey is not. Also, if Amazon doesn’t ship Kindle to a particular country, they also won’t let you by ebooks from that country either (I’ll discuss ways to get around that in later in this post).

Nook: Only ships within the United States and the ebook store is also limited to the US.

Nook Wi-Fi: Ships internationally and registration of a Nook Wi-Fi opens up the international store. No word yet on what restrictions will be in place, as soon as I find out I’ll be sure to update this post.

bookshelfConnectivity And Online Stores

There are two possible ways these ereaders can connect to their online stores, allowing you to purchase books directly from the devices themselves. 3G, which is basically what cell phone networks use – and good old wi-fi wireless you’re already familiar with.

Kindle: Only has 3G capability but they don’t charge you for it with a monthly subscription or otherwise. Kindle’s 3G is accessible from the US and over 100 countries although if you purchase books from overseas there is often an additional $2-4 charge tacked on to ebooks.

Nook: Has both 3G and wi-fi connectivity, but the 3G network only works within the US (due to licensing restrictions). While the 3G situation may change in the future, you can still connect to the Internet with any wireless network you have access to. The Nook also has a built-in Web browser as well for surfing – but keep in mind – you can’t use either the 3G or wireless of Nook to purchase ebooks from outside of the US without the use of some free third-party software.

Nook Wi-Fi: The new Nook Wi-Fi ditches the 3G but also sells for $50 less than a full-fledged Nook. Since the 3G doesn’t work overseas and you can now purchase ebooks internationally from the Barnes & Noble store (if you have a Nook Wi-Fi, not 3G Nook), those living or spending a lot of time abroad won’t miss it.

reading kindle on beachGetting Around The Restrictions

Both Amazon’s and Barnes & Noble’s ebook stores have some amount of international restrictions placed on them. Either you’ll be paying a bit more to buy books abroad or won’t be able to buy books all together but fortunately it’s a problem that’s easily remediable.

  • These hacks will only work for the online store.

Proxies

You can install the free program Hotspot Shield to get around regional restrictions and make it seem as if your computer is browsing the Internet from the US. (Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble don’t care what your credit card address is. It can be outside of the US.)

Family And Friends

You can always give them access to your online store or use LogMeIn to connect to their computer in the US to borrow it. Purchase and download your ebooks from there and email them to yourself. Once you receive your ebooks, you can transfer them to your ereader by plugging it in to your laptop with a USB cable.

Focus On The Device, Not The Connectivity

Most people don’t purchase ebooks directly from their ereaders, and even the Nook isn’t really designed for Web browsing. You’re much better off choosing an ereader based on price, features, and books available since you can access their US online stores from just about anywhere and most likely won’t miss the 3 extra minutes it takes to find and download a new ebook to your device.

[photos by: Samuraijohnny (Kindle and Nook), Trugiaz (bookshelf), GoXunuReviews (reading Kindle on beach)]

{ 189 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Globetrooper Todd June 22, 2010 at 12:51

Thanks for the info Anil. From what you say, I think I’ll stick with my kindle for now. It’s a traveller’s best friend since 1) reading is food for the soul, and 2) it weighs a tiny fraction of the books it could hold.

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2 Anil P. June 22, 2010 at 20:03

I love the concept behind e-readers, saves a ton of weight for me as well since I read so many books. You’re right, switching to either of the Nook won’t gain you anything (and the books wouldn’t be transferable either!) There’s a rumored Kindle 3 coming out ~August but don’t expect many major changes with that release either.

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3 Barbara @ Hole In The Donut Travels June 23, 2010 at 21:44

I had planned to buy a Kindle before my latest long-term travels but then I discovered the Kindle App for my iPhone, as well as an App for Stanza, both of which let me download and read books on my phone. I love it – they type is big (and can be made bigger), it’s easy to use, and I’ve downloaded over a thousand free books on Stanza that are in the public domain.

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4 Anil P. June 24, 2010 at 10:28

A good alternative – plus if you ever do decide to get an ereader you’ll probably save a lot of money as the price wars heat up. I don’t think the Kindle will ever get back to the $260 price point.

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5 Montana W. July 29, 2010 at 17:41

I’m so glad I found this article. I would like to clarify just one tiny thing about downloading ebooks internationally. My husband is in the military, and we moved to England about six months ago. Shipping books all the way from the US takes longer than I would like, so I’m considering getting an ebook reader. My home has wifi and a 3G network coverage. So, just to make sure, if I buy the newer nook with wifi (and without 3G), can I download ebooks over here in England?

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6 Anil P. July 29, 2010 at 18:14

Just called to confirm for you and unfortunately you can’t in England :/ The trick for downloading to your laptop, then on to your Nook [above] will work however. I’m hardly ever in the US and haven’t found it limiting at all and browsing for books online is much easier than from the Nook itself.

Hope this helps!
-Anil

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7 Montana W. July 29, 2010 at 20:23

If I have the B&N e-reader on my laptop, I can download ebooks to that e-reader program and then update/sync them to my nook library… And it should all work fine? I would totally be willing to do that. I’ve had the B&N e-reader on my computer for months already.

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8 Anil P. July 30, 2010 at 12:50

It will work if you use it with HotSpot Shield, a free download:

http://www.foxnomad.com/2008/05/30/get-us-access-to-websites-while-abroad-with-free-download-hotspot-shield/

If you have any questions using or setting it up feel free to let me know and I’ll do my best to help.

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9 Montana W. July 30, 2010 at 15:05

Thanks so much. Seriously. You have no idea how much this has helped me out.

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10 Anil P. July 30, 2010 at 15:08

My pleasure, glad I could help out!

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11 Hani August 4, 2010 at 07:21

Nice blog. I am confused on the 3G coverage of the new Kindle. The coverage map will shows available coverage in my country (Egypt) but Egypt is not on the list of countries where the Kindle ships to (and content is not available in). Also, do you think I can use the HotSpot Sheild workaround with Kindle WiFi?

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12 Anil P. August 4, 2010 at 15:43

The 3G on the Kindle only allows you to connect to the Amazon store, so unfortunately it won’t work. HotSpot Shield will work though for the online store from your laptop.

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13 CeriD August 24, 2010 at 11:03

Hi
I am looking at getting Kindle for my husband who reads tonnes.
We are in the UK but he travels often to the US.
I maybe a bit technically challenged here but can someone please tell me if the kindle wi-fi will work ok in the US if he has wi-fi access?
Struggling to understand the advantage of the new 3G version for a UK based user???
thanks!

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14 Anil P. August 24, 2010 at 11:08

Yes, the wi-fi will work and he’ll be able to access the US Amazon store (although books will be a bit more expensive). That’s the only real change, there aren’t many differences other than price with the new 3G version.

Personally, I think the browsing and buying of ebooks from the device itself is overrated. Looking for and buying books from Amazon.com is much easier and intuitive than doing it directly from the Kindle.

Hope this helps, if not let me know 🙂
-Anil

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15 CeriD August 24, 2010 at 11:10

thanks Anil…. that really helps.
Seems like its not worth going for the 3G then….. you just save me some £££ 🙂

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16 Anil P. August 24, 2010 at 11:11

Awesome!

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17 Niru March 19, 2011 at 05:17

Just got the Kindle 3G – web browser is great for quickly checking weather etc. I have a netbook that I use for extended browsing, but to get something up fast on the run without any wi-fi around, the kindle is brilliant and international.

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18 Gary September 2, 2010 at 02:32

Anil, very informative. Thanks. Just want to ask if I live overseas but ask a friend in the U.S. to create an Amazon account for me in the U.S., will the system treat my order as a U.S. order if I use this U.S.-created account overseas?

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19 Anil P. September 2, 2010 at 15:16

No, it’s based on IP address. So you can have a foreign Amazon account (must be a country where Kindle is available) but use Hotspot Shield or another proxy to make your computer “seem” like it’s in the US.

Hope this helps but if not let me know!

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20 Gary September 4, 2010 at 05:40

Anil,

Thanks a lot. Just wanted you to know that I installed Hotspot then tried it on Amazon. When I go to their store, it now identifies my region as “United States”.

Gary

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21 Anil P. September 5, 2010 at 10:35

Great to hear Gary, I appreciate you following up and letting me know how it went. Enjoy the ebooks!

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22 Kharli October 30, 2010 at 19:08

After I checked for website, I think maybe I shouldn’t be here. But anyway, I live in U.S, and am contemplating purchasing an ebook. It will be my second experience and I was wondering which you thought was best between Kindle and Nook Color. Of course, the Nook Color seems like FUN as well as having the ability to read books. I had purchased the Pandigital eReader earlier this week, and was extremely disappointed..I’m returning it. Now I’m looking for information before purchasing and you seem to know ALL there is to know. 🙂 I hope this question is not too long. Thank you.

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23 Anil P. October 31, 2010 at 09:26

That’s a tough choice but personally I prefer reading eInk as opposed to other screens. As an eReader the Kindle wins in my opinion but for a more versatile tablet (if that’s what you want) go with the Nook Color. Hope this helps and would love to hear what you ultimately end up with.

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24 Marie B. November 14, 2010 at 02:02

Anil,
I dont know which one to buy. The Kindle does not have as many books I want to read while Nook has a lot of them. The problem is I live in Hong Kong. Can either Kindle or Nook work there and if so, which one should I choose to buy? Sry for so many Q’s but i’m really confused.

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25 Anil P. November 14, 2010 at 06:53

Marie, I’d recommend going with the eReader with the books you want. As for working in Hong Kong – do you mean the online store (to buy ebooks) or the 3G?

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26 Sherika November 16, 2010 at 19:54

Does anybody know if Amazon will come out with a color version like the Nook?

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27 Anil P. November 17, 2010 at 05:25

Not that I’ve heard – I think they’re pretty set on eInk.

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28 Joelle November 21, 2010 at 18:17

This article was very useful. I will study abroad in Japan but would like to take an online class that requires reading childhood literature and a textbook. So I definitely want an e-reader (with a wide selection of books) so I won’t have to ship any books to Japan. I was debating between the wi-fi Kindle, Nook, and Kobo. The Kindle for its keyboard, the Nook for its book selection and international use, and the Kobo for its slim and sleek design. I’m leaning heavily towards the Nook for its international use. Is that a good idea? Also, in the end, my technologically inept mother with acquire the e-reader when I return. Can she handle the Nook?

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29 Anil P. November 22, 2010 at 04:14

I’d definitely skip the Kobo with and make the decision between the Nook and Kindle. As for the user interface, Kindle might be friendlier to someone who is less technically inclined (since it has the physical keyboard).

As for international use, are you going to Japan from the US or somewhere else?

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30 Joelle November 22, 2010 at 19:33

I’m going to Japan from the US. So I’ll be able to buy most or all of the books I’ll need before I go to Japan.

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31 Anil P. November 23, 2010 at 13:47

That, in my book, is another check in the Nook column. Let me know what you decide, would be interested to hear your thoughts.

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32 MK November 23, 2010 at 19:17

Hi,
I am considering buying an ereader while I am based in Lithuania and your article and the discussion are extremely useful. Still the choice for me lingers between a wi-fi versions of Kindle 3 and Nook (while the article focuses on the older version of Kindle). It would be interesting to hear comments on the new one. Is the new screen of K3 much better to read than the Nook’s? Which is better to read pdfs? Also, which has a better browser for web? Many thanks.

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33 Anil P. November 24, 2010 at 04:47

The Kindle 3 does have a slightly better text contrast and PDF formatting varies depending on the file itself. Again a slight advantage to the Kindle 3 in that regard and as far as browsing the web, neither are great at it.

Hope this helps!

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34 MK November 24, 2010 at 16:21

Many thanks!

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35 MK November 25, 2010 at 13:35

Hey, one more question! Does Hotspot Shield allow you to access US book store from abroad on Nook 3G+Wifi or only on Nook Wifi? Thanks!

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36 Anil P. November 25, 2010 at 13:48

Actually with neither; you have to run Hotspot Shield from a laptop and access the stores that way.

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37 MK November 25, 2010 at 14:03

Aha, now I got it! Thanks, Anil, you are a great help!

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38 Melissa November 25, 2010 at 22:39

Hi I have a question..I have a kindle 3 and was kind of looking at the nook? With the nook, is it true you can download library books and with the kindle are you able to download books from other sites for free besides amazon..

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39 Anil P. November 26, 2010 at 04:11

For both many libraries offer free ebooks and also for both you can get access to a number of free, public domain ebooks 🙂

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40 Michelle December 7, 2010 at 06:16

Awesome blog Anil!
You just answered my most pressing questions about both Kindle and Nook (availability of ebooks outside the US, as I’ll be relocating to the Philippines early next year). I’m still undecided on which way to go, though. I guess now that you’ve solved the Nook situation for me (Kindle is available in the Philippines), my only other concern is the price of the ebooks and battery life. Who sells their books cheaper and which has a longer battery life, Kindle or Nook color? Thanks!

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41 Anil P. December 7, 2010 at 16:26

Thank you Michele 🙂

eBooks tend to be cheaper on B&N but the Kindle has much longer battery life than the Nook color. The screen really makes the difference.

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42 Rob R. December 8, 2010 at 11:39

Hi Anil,

Very informative and useful information. Just a quick question that I don’t see asked here — and perhaps it is simply my own misunderstanding. My company may be moving my wife and I to the UK for a couple years, but she has been yearning for an eReader for X-Mas. Now, I read an article (perhaps an erroneous one) that stated that the new versions of the Nook WiFi and Nook WiFi/3G can ONLY sync content via WiFi, and not the USB cable to your PC. On the nook website, only WiFi is listed in the connectivity section, and USB is listed as used for charging. Given this, it doesn’t seem that your workaround of downloading content to the PC via a proxy would work if it can’t be synced via USB anymore. Perhaps the article is completely false. Do you have any updated info on this?

Thanks, and sorry for the long post.

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43 Rob R. December 8, 2010 at 11:42

Also, sorry for the addition, but I have specifically eliminated the Kindle as a consideration because the ePub content capability is a dealbreaker for her. From what I understand, the Kindle is Amazon-only content, and not ePub capable. Is that correct?

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44 Anil P. December 9, 2010 at 17:29

Hi Rob,

Both the Kindle and Nook can connect via USB; so the proxy would work in both cases. Also, you are correct – the Kindle is not ePub capable whereas the Nook is.

Hope this helps but do feel free to ask if you have any other questions.

-Anil

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45 shelly December 9, 2010 at 12:38

Hey Anil,
This is a easy one: My 11yo niece wants a Nook color. She does LOVE to read, but I just think that its too much technology that would be wasted. Could you tell me….is there a more inexpensive ereader for “kids”, or do you think I should just get the basic Nook, or even Kindle. …Thanks so much!!

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46 Anil P. December 9, 2010 at 17:33

Hi Shelly,

I agree with you, the Nook color would probably be money spent on features not used. I don’t know if any good kid-specific eReaders but think a Kindle generation 1 (used) would be a great fit. They typically run only run around $90; or if you want something new, the Kindle Wi-Fi runs about $139:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002Y27P3M/ref=sv_kinh_0

-Anil

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47 Rebecca December 10, 2010 at 03:46

Anil,

First off thanks for the all the information (and keeping this page active with responses!) We are a US military family leaving in Germany with only and APO mailing address. I’ve spoken to Amazon about ordering a Kindle, however they will not ship to APO. I don’t have a physical German address to mail it to either because of living on the American military installation. I have already downloaded the Kindle for PC and iphone, and they work just fine here. Amazon suggested mailing the Kindle to a family member in the States (and then that family member would have to mail it to me.) If we do decide upon that route: does the family member in the States have to set up the Kindle for us? Or can they simply forward the package on and I can do all the setup myself once it arrives in Germany?

Thanks for any insight you can provide. Happy Holidays!!

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48 Anil P. December 10, 2010 at 07:41

Hi Rebecca, my absolute pleasure.

You can set up the Kindle without any problems from Germany; once it’s in your hands you’ll be able to get going in a few minutes 🙂

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49 Rebecca January 12, 2011 at 15:39

Anil,
Just wanted to follow up. The Kindle is working perfectly and I couldn’t be happier. Hotspot Shield is working fabulously! Thanks again for all your help.

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50 Anil P. January 13, 2011 at 07:10

I’m very happy to hear that, thanks for following up and happy digital reading!

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51 Lynn December 17, 2010 at 13:10

Hi, I purchased a Kindle this month and I only have 14 days
to decide whether this is the best e-reader for me. What is the difference between a Kindle and a Kindle 3? Does any e-reader have a
Touch screen? What features does the Nook have that the Kindle doesn’t have other then the location for purchasing e-books? I live in the United States and I purchased a Kindle WiFi because I was told
that you don’t need 3G if you don’t travel outside the US, is this true?

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52 Anil P. December 17, 2010 at 13:36

Hi Lynn,

So you have a Kindle Wi-Fi correct? To answer you questions – the Nook color has a touch screen.

As for the difference between the Kindle wi-fi and 3G, really 3G capability is overrated. Chances are you’ll be browsing for books from your laptop, which is much more convenient any way. Besides if you’ll be at home quite a bit you’ll likely have no problem using the wi-fi 🙂

The Nook (not color) and Kindle are similar in terms of features; it’s the stores you’ll want to look at. Some books you may want to read many not be available on one but will be on the other. The Nook color is a totally different beast but probably overkill if you just want to read without all of the other apps and features.

Let me know if this clears anything up or if you have other questions.

-Anil

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53 Lynn December 19, 2010 at 04:31

Anil I’ve seen the Nook color and from
What I can see I believe this is a much better device however,
I’m no expert on this but, I’m interested in knowing what
you think??? What are some of the extra features on the Nook color? What are your thoughts on the Nook Color vs The Kindle? One feature that I like is the touch screen and secondly the fact that it is in color.
I have less then 10 days to decide whether or not to keep the Kindle or buy the Nook color.
Thanks for your help!

Lynn

In cor.

about the Nook color? Do you think this is a better e-reader? I do know that the name Amazon Speaks for itself. Any help would be appreciated.

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54 Anil P. December 19, 2010 at 07:27

The Nook Color is more of a tablet device than e-Reader but the primary advantage is the color and potential to load a variety of apps on it. Books, magazines, and newspapers heavy in graphics will shine on the Nook Color and something you can’t get with either the Kindle or regular Nook. That said, it is about $100 more than either of the other straight e-Readers.

The way I see it, the difference between the Nook and Kindle are in the ebook stores and where they can be shipped internationally. They do offer different books so it’s important to see which store carries some of the titles you want. B&N is getting much better at this but right now but Amazon seems to have more recent titles available.

As for the Nook Color, it’s a matter of $100, a full color touchscreen, and the potential for many other apps down the road (we’ll find out more early 2011 according to B&N). If you want a device closer to an iPad go with the Nook Color; if all you’re interested in is ready books, the Nook or Kindle make great (and less expensive) alternatives.

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55 elena December 31, 2010 at 06:17

Anil,
this article was posted quite a while ago but i hope you can still help me. so ive been looking into buying an e-reader. however i live in mexico city. i was wondering if you could give me some advice. which of these make it easier and cheaper for you to buy books from mexico? and also. im starting college and they give out a lot of stuff you need to make copies of. is there a way in either one to download those files into your computer and then transfer then onto your e-reader? thank you.

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56 Anil P. December 31, 2010 at 06:34

Elena, it will be easier to download books from the Amazon store which works in Mexico. B&N’s store isn’t open there so unless you use Hotspot Shield (mentioned above) the Kindle is the way to go for now.

As for the file copies, PDFs will work well on either reader.

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57 Vineet W. January 5, 2011 at 21:45

Hello Anil,

I am getting married in July 2011 and we are looking to take a 6 month honeymoon around the world. We will likely be in several countries on three continents – Europe, Asia and South America. In reading posts above, it appears that there is a work-around for the Nook Color using the Hotspot Shield that would allow us to purchase books while outside the US if we had a laptop. We don’t wish to take any laptop with us. Is there a way we could use the Hotspot Shield on the Nook Color itself to buy books? My main concern is being able to download a travel book for a country that we spontaneously decide to visit. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

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58 Anil P. January 6, 2011 at 06:45

Hi Vineet,

First of all congratulations 🙂

Unfortunately, to answer your question, Hotspot Shield won’t work on the Nook Color directly. Without a laptop or some major modification of the Nook software (which I don’t recommend) you won’t be able to proxy around from the device to buy books.

Will you have a computer or laptop at home by any chance? One thing you could do is leave it running if possible and use logmein.com (it’s free) to connect to it and buy books there – then email them to yourself. Or you might have friends or family you trust who could buy the books from you account and email them to you as well.

Hope this helps! It’s a bit of an indirect method but both will get the job done 🙂

-Anil

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59 Vineet W. January 6, 2011 at 17:28

Thanks for the reply! I’m excited to try it out in a few months. This is a great suggestion…I’ll order my Nook Color soon.

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60 Anil P. January 6, 2011 at 19:45

You’re welcome Vineet. Have fun and a great honeymoon trip around world!

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61 Felippe January 12, 2011 at 07:18

Hi,
I’m from brazil and you will leave the states in a few days ( 01/18) i’m really in doubt about what is the best option for me the kindle or Nook wifi …for their both i can buy books online for them ?? there is a better option //??? the Nook color really worth the extra U$$ 100,00 ??/

Thanks
Felippe

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62 Anil P. January 12, 2011 at 08:47

Hi Felipe, the Kindle store is available in Brazil, but not the B&N Nook store (unless you use Hotspot Shield above). I wouldn’t consider another eReader between the two – and here are my thoughts on the Nook Color:

http://www.techguidefortravel.com/2010/12/28/what-the-nook-color-means-for-travelers/

Let me know if you have more questions!

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63 Mindy January 12, 2011 at 15:28

I love this forum. You really saved my hopes of having a e-reader! 🙂 I live in Turkey which doesn’t get service from either Amazon or B&N. After reading this forum I’ve downloaded the Hotspot Shield to combat the problem of IP when it comes time to order the ebooks. Between K3 and Nook WiFi, it seems to me that Nook is the way to go. I was wondering if the Nook would automatically do system updates if I live outside the US? I also wondered if the Nook or Kindle could run on 240V (vs 120V in the states) without a converter like laptops and computers are able to do? Thanks for any info. 🙂

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64 Anil P. January 13, 2011 at 07:14

You can download the Nook updates and then install them via USB from your laptop. Unfortunately updates won’t come through on the wireless outside of the US.

As for the charging, both come with wall chargers but need outlet adapters but nothing beyond that. I think that’s what you were getting at? Let me know if I’m off base!

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65 Mindy January 13, 2011 at 18:07

Thanks for replying Anil. 🙂 And thanks for keeping the forum so up to date. It’s a huge help for those of us out of the e-reader loop!

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66 Mimi February 10, 2011 at 22:05

THIS is the information I’ve been looking for for ages! I work at a B&N store and have been sorely tempted by the Nook Color, but I’m moving to the UAE in the autumn, so it would be a waste of money. Thus I’ve been debating between the nook wifi and the kindle. It has been my understanding that the wifi on the nook wifi won’t work outside the US – so I’d have to either side load books from my laptop (as with hotspot shield or other vpn) or load everything before I leave. Am I mistaken on this point?

And when it comes to buying new books (I’m leaning strongly toward the nook, but if kindle is *actually* a better buy for travellers/people outside the US, I may succumb), I WILL be able to access B&N (or Amazon) online, right?

And what is this B&N international store you mentioned?

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67 Anil P. February 11, 2011 at 02:43

Funny you should mention that, I happen to be in the UAE right now. You are correct – you will need a VPN to use your Nook outside the US. The B&N store is accessible outside of the US and right now looks like licensing has delayed the international store.

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68 MAURICIO March 6, 2011 at 18:15

Hi Anil, nice blog…thank you… I’m about to buy two NOOKS, one for my wife and one for me. What I’m debating here is if buying one NOOK WIFI for me and the NOOK Color for my wife, the reason is the NOOK Kids which has a cool selection. Quick question for you, would you know if opening one account and register both nooks under the same, can we share our books or it will be one download per nook and then use the lend option? It will be nice if my wife and I can sit down and read the same book at the same time. Also would there be any compatibility problem been that one is the simple black and white NOOK (149) and the other the NOOK Color (249)

Thank you in advance,

Mauricio

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69 Anil P. March 7, 2011 at 16:09

Everything I’ve read and heard from others who’ve done this says it will work, you won’t have to use the lend option. I haven’t done it myself but all indications are good. Please do let me know if it doesn’t work howwever.

Between the Nook wifi and Nook Color, what kind of compatibility do you mean? As far as book purchases it shouldn’t make a (display) difference, although you won’t be able to view most magazines or newspapers in the same way if ordered for the Color.

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70 MAURICIO March 19, 2011 at 12:01

Hi Anil at the end I ended buying two NOOK WIFI. I registered both under my account and now my wife and I are able to read the book at the same time, no need to use the lending services, we can have the same book open at the same time. Funny thing is that I asked the same question at BN and they told me it won’t work, that I had to purchase the book twice…
Thank you. Mauricio

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71 Anil P. March 19, 2011 at 13:10

Maurico, I really appreciate you checking back to verify. Great tip that should help quite a few people save on ebooks 🙂

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72 Gasser A. March 23, 2011 at 08:18

Hi Anil,
Thank you for the valuable information on this page
I live in Egypt. Yesterday, I installed “Kindle for PC” and I bought a few books right away using a Visa with a Kuwaiti address. I got an email from Amazon telling me that I attempted to purchase a book while in a different country than the US. They asked me to change the country to the correct one.
Today, I used the “Hotspot Shield” and purchased an additional 2 books with no problem so far.
My question is, will there be any problem of purchasing new books using the US IP? Also, should I be using the US IP while using the “Kindle For PC” application? (Because it synchronizes every few minutes and would discover my IP change).
Thanks alot Anil and sorry for the long boring message.

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73 Anil P. March 23, 2011 at 10:02

Hi Gasser,

There shouldn’t be any problems purchasing books using the US IP; and to be on the safe size, turn off syncing while you’re actively reading the book (if possible with your configuration).

That should take care of both issues – hope this helps but if not definitely let me know!

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74 Adrianne March 26, 2011 at 08:02

Hi there!
What a great blog, thank you so much for having it!

Like lots of people, I am still undecided about which reader to get. I am a singer based in the States, who will be in Europe for 4 months, then the Caribbean for 4 months and I won’t always have access to wi-fi. I was mostly interested in an e-reader for US magazines and to load all my travel books so I don’t have to fly them! And of course, a few books! I had been leaning toward the color nook for a while, but now I don’t know.

I will have my laptop with me. I like the thought of 3G…but the Kindle doesn’t really have many magazines! Also -I’m a little confused by what I’d be able to do with each regarding downloading and being online. I understand hotspot shield to download books onto my laptop. But would wi-fi and 3G work abroad? I was confused when Mimi said a color nook would be a waste because she was moving to the UAE.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

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75 Anil P. March 27, 2011 at 07:00

Hi Adrianne,

If you’re primarily looking to read magazines, the Nook color is your best bet so you can make the most out of the images and photography. I’d suggest you can skip the 3G and stick to wireless, you really won’t need it too often and can load up on magazines and books when you get a connection.

With the Nook, wi-fi but *not* 3G would work abroad; as long as you can Hotspot Shield to the US B&N store, you won’t really notice much difference otherwise.

Let me know if you have other questions – hope this helps a bit!

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76 Dan April 16, 2011 at 19:35

I am consideringpurchasing an e-reader and am not sure whether to get e Nook or Kindle. I am trying to find out which has a greater number of books available, as well as ease of downloading them.
‘thanks

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77 Anil P. April 17, 2011 at 07:21

The Nook has more books available to it but I’ve found Amazon has a better variety of new releases. Ease of downloading for both via computer is very simple (slight edge to Amazon in my opinion) and through the devices about as equally cumbersome.

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78 Alex May 10, 2011 at 01:35

Hello,

I have a bit of a different question. At first the Nook was the way to go for me, but some friends convinced me that I might want to get a tablet instead to have the ereading capabilities as well as everything else.

Do you know if the Hotspot Shield will work on tablets? (I’m planning to be in Japan for about a year)

Also, if I do go with the Nook, as I understand it, I would be able to sync up books from other providers (say Google ebooks) after purchasing them through my laptop. Would I be able to use the Hotspot Shield on Google ebooks to purchase the same as I would be able to with B&N and Amazon?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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79 Anil P. May 10, 2011 at 02:27

Unfortunately Hotspot Shield won’t work on the tablets themselves. However, on a laptop you could use Hotspot Shield for downloads of ebooks directly to your computer, then transfer them to the tablet – just not from the tablet itself.

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80 Erica May 21, 2011 at 07:47

Hey! I just want to know what is the newest techies thing on Kindle and Nook?

I want an international ereader, but I want to buy Nook but I keep hearing that I cannot read it outside of the State…how can I solve this problem? (I’m not techie person)

If it cannot be solve, then I would need to buy a Kindle…but can you explain to me this Hot Spot thing?

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81 Anil P. May 22, 2011 at 10:04

Hi Erica,

The newest techie thing in what terms?

With the Nook you’ll need to install HotSpot Shield (or some other program like it) to be able to download books when you’re outside of the US. You can read anything anywhere, you’ll just be restricted with purchases which is what HotSpot Shield gets you around if that makes sense?

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82 Erica May 22, 2011 at 18:36

Oh okay! I’ll get a nook then if I can use it abroad.

The new techies as in the newest version of Nook? 1.3 etc…

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83 Anil P. May 23, 2011 at 05:13

I’m always abroad and traveling permanently with a Nook. You shouldn’t have any major problems 🙂

The major changes in 1.3 were enhanced search and the ability to specify a page you want to jump to. Also, the page turns are much quicker and the wi-fi works better. Plus they added a few games as well in case you’re eyes get tired of reading 😉

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84 Erica May 23, 2011 at 06:05

Oh okay! So 1.3 is the newest version then! Thanks!

85 Gita Chakravarthy June 8, 2011 at 21:53

Hi Anil, your suggestions/blog/patience is highly appreciated/commendable. I am a voracious reader. Live in US. My field of research interest is mainly Math/Physics, and otside interest in English Litt, Psychology/Philosophy. Which one do you recommend for me to downlaod books free esp., Math/Physics? Kindle or Nook. Which one would give me more access to my needs? Even the Representative(Bestbuy) wasn’t able to answer. Amazon Kindle wi-fi($139) and Kindle 3G+wifi($189). Thanks in advance.

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86 Anil P. June 16, 2011 at 14:56

Hi Gita, it’s my pleasure.

As for free books you’ll have nearly equal access on either reader. I personally wouldn’t pay for the 3G access since you’re most likely to download ebooks from your laptop and transfer them over to the ereader. It’s unlikely (from what it sounds like) that you’ll ever be in a bind without Internet connectivity and no new books.

For Math/Physics material, which might be image-heavier than other subjects, you can also consider the new Nook $139 which has a full screen:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp?PID=35699&cds2Pid=35700#productimg

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87 Vanessa June 10, 2011 at 15:12

Hi,

I’m in the US at the moment and for the next 3 months. Then I’ll go back to Belgium. As I’m reading a lot, purchasing a e-reader is on my mind and I think buying it when I’m still in the US. I read all the comments but I’m still undecided about which one is best to buy between the Nook wifi or Kindle wi-fi? The Kindle has my preferences as it is international and most likely the easiest one to purchases books from Belgium.
I know that I can buy the books online in my country as I checked on Amazon and as I’m reading all kind of books the library is not a big issue. Also if I can get free books via google or elsewhere.
1. Will I be able to download and read books in French and Dutch? (it’s unicode right? It’s the same?) If it’s for example in pdf?

I just wanted to have some advice from other users.

Thanks, Vanessa

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88 Anil P. June 16, 2011 at 15:00

Hi Vanessa,

The Kindle is the way to go if you’ll primarily be buying books from Europe and not using a proxy. As for French and Dutch, they’re both supported and won’t be a problem on the ereader.

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89 Chris June 15, 2011 at 00:44

Anil,
Your longtime chat about these devices is great yet it still leaves me with questions. How can that be? I love tech and really don’t have much trouble stumbling my way through. But I’m still confused as to the basic difference with Kindle and Nook. I’ve gathered that Kindle is for people that want to read and Nook gives more choice with apps, touch screen and the like (I know this looks like a statement but I really meant it as a question). I really want to just read, I can do everything else on my computer. I like reading about psychology, biblical and deep subjects in that realm. Please help me decide which device is best. Thanks for your time.

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90 Anil P. June 16, 2011 at 15:09

Hi Chris,

There are two versions of the Nook, the Color and the updated Nook (I wish they’d give them version numbers).

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp

The major difference between that version (not the color as it’s probably not what you’re looking for) is the screen, battery life (new Nook has more) and the selection of books available for either. In general Amazon gets new releases much faster in ebook form than B&N, although B&N has a larger overall library.

Easiest way to make your decision I would say is check out both in hand to decide on the physical device and then search for a couple of (e)books high on your reading list from both online stores. You’ll get an idea of what may be available for either and it will help you make the decision.

Good luck and would be interested to hear what you go with.

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91 Joe June 20, 2011 at 01:37

Hi Anil,
This is a great discussion and it’s great you continue to update it. I can only comment on travel within the US but my situation regarding an e-reader seems to be somewhat unique in that there is no high speed internet availability in my very rural community other than very expensive satellite service. We have opted for free land line internet service rather than very expensive monthly fees. When looking for an e-reader 3G actually became the selling point for me. Hotspots are a good 20 minutes or more away. I purchased a Kindle and with the 3G, books I had ordered were already loaded onto it enroute while it was being shipped. It arrived the day before we left for an out of state trip and it was pretty simple and quick to use the browser for looking up weather, maps, local info on restaurants, parks. Pretty much anything we could think of we were able to find with the web browser. It does NOT display video or stream music however. I was honestly surprised by how quick and simple it was to use and Kindle allows for free 3G use for the browser, no monthly fee for 3G. That was a big bonus for me. Finding and loading books on the Kindle instead of from the comuter I found to be pretty simple to be honest.

Recently I purchased two factory referb previous generation Nooks w/3G/WiFi for my sister and sister-in-law and though they really like them I found they did not seem as user friendly and I was disappointed that the web browser can only be used in hot spots unless you are using it to purchase books from B&N. The touch screen at the bottom was not as accurate and loading books took a bit longer depending on the books. The price was right though and they are very good readers. Both my sister and sister-in-law are very happy. Finding and loading books directly from and onto the Nook was pretty simple and intuitive. It’s a disappointment to me that when they travel their Nook will not be the helpful device that the Kindle was on my trip because of the 3G limitations. But overall, either is a great purchase. But don’t undersell the possible importance of the 3G to any rural readers you may have! I love the fact that if I have phone service (I do not have a smart phone) I can do basic web browsing, e-mails, facebook, searches for places of interest, weather, basics like that.

Keep up the good work. 🙂

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92 Anil P. June 20, 2011 at 11:57

Hi Joe, a very good point about the 3G for those who don’t have regular access to an Internet connection. I’ll certainly keep it in mind – though I do have a question about he Nook connectivity you had – with a wi-fi connection on the Nook 3G or WiFi you should be able to access the Internet via the browser. It’s not limited to the B&N store or hotspots.

I appreciate the feedback and helpful comment for others as well.

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93 Joe June 21, 2011 at 00:39

Hi Anil, We were not able to connect the web browser via 3G. We were able to load books via WiFi though, but did not check the web browser any further. Reading through the guide that is on the Nook (not the quick start) about the web browser it states that the web browser connects only via WiFi unless accessing the B&N site to purchase books, then it would use the 3G. Now I have not been able to test this any further than the one day and don’t know if either my sister or sister in law have had any different experience. It could be there was something we were not doing. It worked fine as long as we were in town at a WiFi hotspot, so that’s not a bad thing.

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94 Thomas C. June 20, 2011 at 12:53

I have an Entourage Pocket Edge. It combines a 7″ Android tablet on one side with an e-ink reader ( reads both .epub and pdf formats) on the other side. The two separate devices are connected via a hinge so it folds open. There is connectivity between the reader and the tablet so that you can write and markup pubs on the reader side and send graphics to the tablet for color viewing. It’s small, easy to carry and inexpensive compared to an iPad. I used it on a recent trip abroad and filled in for my laptop quite well.

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95 Anil P. June 25, 2011 at 12:59

Which book store does/can it use?

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96 Paul .D June 26, 2011 at 04:41

Hi Anil

have just been reading through your blog which has answered most of my questions just have one though do you know if the B&N reader has a gps chip in it to run google maps. I appreciate it wont have 3g access but i can run a Wifi portable hotspot off my phone to get that. I like the idea of the IPS panel which i am also planning to use for viewing photo’s on when out and about in the field.

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97 Anil P. June 27, 2011 at 23:38

Hi Paul,

The Nook Color (with an app installation) can act as a functional GPS, though neither version (Color or regular) have a GPS built in.

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98 Teresa July 11, 2011 at 09:50

It’s very nice of you to share your knowledge with the rest of us. I have read through a lot of these posts and like many still have a question. I have a subscription to a site that allows me to read books and documents from their website but not download them. I would like to do this from multiple locations in my home (I do have wi-fi) but I also want to purchase other books. Which would be my best selection? Oh, and I am going to be traveling to Jordan, Israel and Egypt but won’t need to purchase any books while traveling. My main concern is accessing my subscription to read books. Thanks a million Anil!

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99 Anil P. July 11, 2011 at 10:12

Hi Teresa, how does the subscription work, is it a website you login to and read the books via a browser?

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100 DeAnna July 18, 2011 at 03:19

Me and my husband are wanting to get the Nook we want the nook color but still have some questions we want 3g and wifi since we will be using our nooks outside of our home we live in the U.S and don’t travel outside of the states so international is not a problem for us one question is does the nook have flash player or an app to install it? My husband is wanting so he can login to his school and watch the videos for his homework so flash player is really important.

Thank you for your help.

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101 Anil P. July 18, 2011 at 13:51

The Nook color has Flash support as of April 2011, so you’re good to go 🙂

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102 A van Mil July 26, 2011 at 13:32

Hi, I am from Europe and are interested in buying a Nook. Still, after thorough searching I can’t find an answer to 2 simple questions:

1) using Nook’s browser and some free access wifi network; is it possible to browse the entire internet, like at home on my Pc? For example, can I use Google or open some newspaper site or a weather forecast site? I have the feeling that it’s only possible to go to the site of B&N…

2) Of course there are many more ways to access E-books than just by B&N wifi. Is it possible to load E-books etc. on the Nook from your Pc using the USB connection on the Nook or using the wifi?

Thnx in advance 🙂

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103 Anil P. July 26, 2011 at 14:07

To answer your questions:

1. You can browse the entire Web with the Nook’s browser.

2. Yes, you can load ebooks to your Nook from your laptop; which is actually much easier in my opinion 🙂

Hope this helps but let me know if you have any other questions.

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104 A, van Mil July 27, 2011 at 13:10

Hi Anil, yes it helps, thank you! I am now making up my mind to either buy a Nook color or a Kindle 3. Probably it’s gona be the Kindle 3. I don’t care about color or b/w and the 2 things I want to do are browsing the web occasionaly and read books in a decent way. Since no one seems to download books from internet (…) and load them on their reader instead of buying them at B&N etc. I won’t also 🙂 But thanks for the tip!

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105 Melissa Moroney August 23, 2011 at 18:50

hi, great blog, i live in ireland and my mother lives in the US and has bought me a nook. i’ve been trying to get it going for the last 2 day with no success. I’ve got it connected to my Wi-Fi but i can’t complete step 4 ‘registering my device’ it keeps coming up ‘Network Problem’ and it tests my connection which just brings me back to step 3 where im told i am connected to my wifi. does the nook need to be registered in the US first?? any help would be greatly appreciated

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106 Anil P. August 24, 2011 at 14:52

Hi Melissa, have you tried registering your Nook online via the B&N website?

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107 Melanie August 24, 2011 at 09:43

Hi, my husband and I are temporarily living in Finland. I bought the Nook Color for his birthday just before we left the US. The salesman didn’t tell me that we had to be located in the US to purchase anything. I tried using the hotspot shield as you suggested and it didn’t work. Although the email I received said I should be able to download the magazine I ordered, but I can’t. The Nook and my laptop will not give me a “download” button. I also tried ordering a book without success. However, when I did that, three free books suddenly popped up that I was able to transfer to the Nook from my laptop. Any suggestions?

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108 Anil P. August 24, 2011 at 14:55

What was the issue you had with Hotspot Shield? It should work to give you US access to the B&N store. Here are a few other ways to get US access to online sites I’ve written about that may help:

http://www.foxnomad.com/2009/11/25/hotspot-shield-alternatives-to-watching-hulu-and-other-us-sites-abroad/

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109 Diane Deen August 29, 2011 at 12:54

Hello Anil!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and patience with everyone’s questions, your appreciated. I am in the US now but I leave for Abu Dhabi next week. I want to take an ereader with me because I like to read and I will be doing some university schoolwork so I will need textbooks (which are too heavy to take with me). What do you recommend that will work in the UAE and which bookstore has more textbooks as digital ereaders? Can I also download from googlebooks? Your insight will help me to purchase the ereader this week. THank you!

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110 Anil P. August 30, 2011 at 20:30

Hi Diane,

B&N has more books online but Amazon tends to have latest releases more quickly. That said, check both online stores for the electronic versions of the books you need soonest, to make sure they’re available. Using Hotspot Shield or some other proxy after that, in the UAE you can access the US stores. If you don’t go that route, only Amazon will have international access from the UAE. To confirm, check here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200375590

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111 Lina September 7, 2011 at 21:59

Hi Anil, I want to give my husband ebook for his birthday in October, still confused between Nook and Kindle, He loves to read and he always order books from amazon,but this november we will moving to Japan for 4 years, so please help me to decide ? if you answer kindle , which one I should buy ? or Nook ?

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112 Anil P. September 8, 2011 at 11:52

You’ll have to go with the Kindle unless you will use a proxy (mentioned above) to get to the Barnes & Noble online store for the nook. As for the Kindle, are trying to decide between the 3G and wireless-only?

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113 michaelk September 10, 2011 at 05:22

Hi Anil,
Quick question,
I really wanna buy the Nook edition 1 (the oldest one) from the BN store, since its only about $119.
However they won’t ship outside the US. How do I buy the nook from New Zealand ? (without incurring too much additional charges. I know i have to pay for shipping still).

Even if its possible to get BN to ship to New Zealand, will the warranty be honored ?

To access the BN store using Hotspot shield, do I still have to give them the same address as for my nook?

Will I be able to use the nook’s wifi to do anything at all and register it

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114 Anil P. September 10, 2011 at 15:14

The *may* ship to NZ, but the warranty technically is not valid there. You’ll have to check their shipping policies to see if NZ is on their list. As for Hotspot Shield, the address to register it doesn’t matter, so you can use your current one and the wifi will let you browse the web and check out the daily library store, just not purchase books from BN directly from the store. Hope that all makes sense, if not definitely let me know 🙂

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115 Toni September 13, 2011 at 04:58

Thanks for helping all of us!
I downloaded Hotspot Shield – no problem. When I click on the desktop icon, I see that it’s Connected. All good so far. Now what? Do I just enter bn.com as usual in my browser and the proxy takes over. Do I need to do something else? Because I tried to purchase a Nook book from bn.com with Hotspot connected – and still no success (it said my credit card not vaild, which doesn’t make any sense) . Thanks!

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116 Anil P. September 15, 2011 at 09:53

Glad to help. As for connecting to bn.com, activate HotSpot Shield and then go for it. What was the error it was giving you about the invalid card?

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117 Courtney September 13, 2011 at 14:59

Hello, and thanks for all of your continual assistance. I am looking into getting an e-reader as I love to read when I travel, but books are too heavy. I will be moving to Spain in a month to teach English for the next year. I am strongly leaning toward getting the all new Nook that came out this summer, especially because I love the large collection of all the classic e-books that are free on B&N’s website. If I purchase the Nook, should I just download as many books as I can before I leave and they will all stay in my “library” on the Nook, so I can access them whenever I get a chance to read them? Then if I want to download/purchase others, I can use the Hotspot program to purchase them on my laptop and transfer to my Nook? What about the e-book lending from libraries…will this be possible while overseas if I already have my library account set up?

Thanks in advance.

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118 Anil P. September 15, 2011 at 10:11

Hi Courtney,

Download as many of the ebooks you want to read from the US, they’ll be accessible on your Nook no matter where in the world you are. Then (you’ve got it right) you can use Hotspot Shield – or any appropriate proxy for the matter – to purchase new ebooks as the B&N store will think you’re in the US. As for lending, you can lend the ebooks from anywhere, but the receiver will need to be in the US, or at least appear to be so 😉

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119 Courtney September 22, 2011 at 11:13

Thank you! I’m about to purchase the new Nook-Simple Touch right now. 🙂

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120 hollie September 17, 2011 at 12:23

i too, am having toni’s problem. the book shows up in my library, but when I click on it, there is a message saying ‘download unavailable, credit card invalid’. help!

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121 Anil P. September 18, 2011 at 09:35

Where are in the world are you trying from?

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122 hollie September 18, 2011 at 13:16

Italy

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123 Anil P. September 19, 2011 at 02:15

Are you using the Hotspot Shield program?

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124 hollie September 19, 2011 at 04:56

Yes, Hotsport Shield installed and running (I can now visit US websites and watch TV programs), but bn.com somehow still ‘knows’ I am not in the US – I bought and registered my nook in the US and have a US address and credit card.
This is part of the email I received:
Your order has failed our authorization process therefore we are unable to process your order.

If you received this email regarding your order for a Barnes & Noble NOOK Book or NOOK App, please be advised that these purchases are limited to those customers physically located in the United States and Canada.

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125 Anil P. September 19, 2011 at 14:24

Hi Hollie, try logging out of Hotspot Shield, then clear the cache, cookies, and history from your browser and try again. Let me know if that doesn’t work and I’ll help you find another way.

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126 hollie September 20, 2011 at 16:05

Anil, you are the best!! What you suggested did the trick. Thanks so much for all your help and for sharing your knowledge with all of us.
all the best to you.

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127 Anil P. September 20, 2011 at 16:35

Thank you Hollie, so glad it worked and you can now read and download away!

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128 Alicia M. November 15, 2011 at 20:56

Hi Anil,

Your blog was very helpful to me as well as all the answered questions from everyone else but i still cant decide which one to buy. My husband wants to buy me one for my birthday soon and he just wants to know which one would be better for me reading wise because that will be basically all i will use it for. I noticed you said that the variety of books vary between the two and the stores they are linked to. Which one do you think has the better selecion: the nook or the kindle? I was for a while leaning towards the new Kindle fire that my step-mother says she is getting but i still would like another opinion to help me out.

Thank you so much!

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129 Anil P. November 16, 2011 at 07:07

Technically, there are more books available for the nook but as to which is better it depends on the books you’re initially looking for. I would check both stores and think in the short term, many more publishers will decide to use both the B&N and Amazon stores.

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130 Jess November 16, 2011 at 15:12

I’d like to get my husband either a nook or kindle. He will be in Afghanistan most of the next year. Suggestions???

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131 Anil P. November 16, 2011 at 15:13

Are you looking at the color/fire versions or just the eReader?

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132 Jess November 16, 2011 at 15:25

I don’t know much about any of it. What do you suggest? He just wants to be able to download and read while he is living in a tent. The concern is that it is a very austere location and none of them may operate correctly.

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133 Anil P. November 16, 2011 at 15:29

I would suggest if lighting is an issue, to take a look at the Kindle Fire or Nook Color. Generally for casual users between the two, the Fire is probably what most people will prefer.

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134 Lauren Kaufman November 20, 2011 at 12:52

Hi Anil and Jess, I was just talking to Amazon Kindle tech support as my daughter is living overseas and wanted the Kindle Fire. They told me the Fire is only for the U.S. and will have extremely limited capabilities overseas and they know of no plans to remedy that anytime soon. He suggested either a kindle touch pad or keyboard with 3G. But maybe the military has different access?

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135 Anil P. November 20, 2011 at 13:00

Hotspot Shield can help to get around most of those limitations; they’ll be needed to the nook Table outside the US as well.

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136 nina November 22, 2011 at 23:54

Hi Anil, my husband is living in Queensland, Australia. He mainly wants either the nook or kindle. From my reading the nook wi-fi, seems the best. I will be buying this for a Christmas gift. Your thoughts……? Thanks

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137 Anil P. November 23, 2011 at 09:04

Is he looking for a color device or the black and white eInk versions?

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138 nina November 23, 2011 at 21:02

Honestly, I don’t know. Wich is better? Nina

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139 Anil P. November 24, 2011 at 08:52

It depends on what you want (and price as well). The black and white editions are practically straight reading devices while the color versions are more tablet – something closer to an iPad. There’s about a $80-120 jump in price between the two as well.

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140 nina November 26, 2011 at 23:25

I am thinking the color version. What offers those features and wich would you prefer. Price not a problem. Thanks again- You are amazingly quick to reply and reading all these posts have been quite informative! I am soo-o not computer savvy.

141 Anil P. November 27, 2011 at 08:43

Hi Nina,

You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure. My preference is with the nook Tablet. It’s a better computing devices, runs very smoothly, and has an exception screen. I don’t think your husband will be disappointed with the device.

Hope this helps!

142 Rebecca November 23, 2011 at 08:12

Anil,
I’m hoping you know the answer to this. We own a Kindle (keyboard version) and the country setting is set to USA. There are children’s books that we would like to order, however they are only available through the UK store. Do you know if we can temporarly set the country setting to UK so that we can purchase the books? And if so, if after we make the purchase will be be able to change back to USA and the books still work?

Thank you for any insight! 🙂

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143 Anil P. November 23, 2011 at 09:02

The setting on the Kindle itself won’t give you access; you’ll need a UK proxy to access the UK Kindle Store. There are a number online you can find with a “UK proxy” search.

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144 Charlotte November 24, 2011 at 21:48

Anil,
As far as downloading textbooks for college classes which one would be best for that? Nook or Kindle, and I am looking at the Kindle Fire. Thanks for all the info it has been helping!

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145 Anil P. November 25, 2011 at 08:08

I would recommend going color (for images you’ll probably come across in the textbooks). Personally I prefer the Nook Tablet over the Fire but it’s $50 more – the price you’re paying really for what is more of a tablet (like the iPad) than an eReader.

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146 Cameron M November 25, 2011 at 11:49

Hi Anil!

You confused me with something you said earlier but I think its just because I didn’t understand a term. You said “Most people don’t purchase ebooks directly from their ereaders, and even the Nook isn’t really designed for Web browsing.” I’m trying to help a friend buy a reader for his mother whose not getting around as well as she used to and isn’t really computer friendly (she can use one–but it takes her a while to feel comfortable with it). He wants a reader that she can download books to directly and not have to use a computer interface. He’d also like it if she can borrow library books through the device. Does either one seem to be better for these uses? And how can you find the books to purchase or borrow if the reader isn’t set up to browse the web?

Thanks!

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147 Anil P. November 25, 2011 at 12:31

Hi Cameron, sorry for the confusion 🙂 To get rid of the computer interface (for the most part) go with either the Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet. You can borrow library books to both and I would give an edge in your case to the Fire because it’s less expensive and more “straightforward” a reader. (Unless your friend’s mother is looking for something closer to an iPad if that makes sense.)

Purchasing books through the Fire uses an icon where you can browse the Amazon store, fairly easy, especially after a helpful demonstration or two 🙂

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148 Jorge November 25, 2011 at 15:53

Hi, great post.
Im fron Mexico and basically im looking for a reader that lets me purchase books online from here without restrictions.
Which one do you recommend?? Im going for the basic ones : Kindle Wifi & Nook Simple Touch.

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149 Anil P. November 26, 2011 at 10:31

Without restrictions and using hacks like a proxy, you’ll have to go with the Kindle WiFi.

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150 kathy george November 26, 2011 at 01:48

I noted an email from Mexico. I am interested in purchasing the kindle fire (at least today). I want to use it while we are in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 3.5 months each winter. Can I download books from my local library while I’m in Mexico or will that be a problem? I know my local library allows kindle users to download books but my concern is whether that is possible outside of the country? Also, what if I’m in Europe, will this be a problem?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I’m happy to have found this site!

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151 Anil P. November 26, 2011 at 10:38

Hi Kathy,

Direct library downloads are currently only available within the US. It’s a relatively new feature so I’m hopeful it may spread beyond US borders but for now, unfortunately, it’s not.

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152 kathy george November 26, 2011 at 11:20

Thanks for such a quick response. So, even if you live in the US and buy your Kindle Fire in the US, the minute you go out of the country (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico), downloading a book to your computer from your home library (in my case, Rochester, NY) then to a Kindle Fire won’t work?

Thanks again, your website may save me money though I am disappointed.

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153 Anil P. November 26, 2011 at 12:41

You’re welcome and yes, you’re correct. There may be exceptions across libraries (so those not using the system Amazon has set up) but largely you won’t be able to access them.

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154 Daniela November 27, 2011 at 01:06

Hi!
You have a very useful website!
I have a very similar question, if I live in France are these options useful?
I would like to be able to access to media content, like magazines and tv shows in an easy way. Also use it as a reader and something else, like light web surfing. I was thinking in the Kindle fire and maybe download content in a computer using a proxy, but I don´t know if that has much sense. Any advice?
Thanks

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155 Anil P. November 27, 2011 at 08:48

Thanks Daniela. The advantage you have with the Fire is being able to stream some music and video content from Amazon. But if you want a better overall computing device, I would say go with the nook Tablet. In both cases you can proxy your way around the international restrictions. The only thing is the nook Tablet currently only ships within the US.

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156 Kim S November 30, 2011 at 12:15

Hi Anil,

I’m looking to purchase a basic Kindle of Simple touch Nook for my mom. She is a level 1 beginner to anything electronic and will probably just be interested in reading books, nothing more. Which ereader would you recommend (based on battery life, text visibility, ease of use)?

Thanks for your help!

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157 Anil P. December 1, 2011 at 07:06

Personally I would recommend in your case the Kindle Touch or Kindle Keyboard (without 3G). I prefer the shape of the screen to the Nook Simple Touch – and a keyboard may be more user-friendly for someone not terribly comfortable with electronics.

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158 Dan Erikson December 4, 2011 at 21:03

I am in the U.S. My daughter and her Irish boyfriend will be in New Zealand for the next year, then traveling on to who knows where. An e-reader is on her Christmas list, and she would like us to procure one on her behalf for her boyfriend. I am thinking a basic e-ink reader is the ticket since she is already carrying a netbook. Am I reading your responses to previous posts correctly that the Kindle products are more travel friendly overseas? The Nook is rated slightly higher by Consumer Reports, but that would not take into consideration outside the U.S. Thanks!

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159 Anil P. December 5, 2011 at 12:14

The Kindle is easier when traveling internationally and when it comes to e-Ink I prefer its design. (Color is a different story.) Amazon has international stores so you can purchase from around the world.

For the Nook you need a proxy (Hotspot Shield or similar mentioned above) which adds an easy, albeit extra step to purchasing books.

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160 Ema January 5, 2012 at 15:25

Hi Anil, Happy New Year!

Thanks so much for all your advice here; it was so helpful and I was able to buy my Nook Simple Touch and purchase ebooks as recently as 21 October 2011, using the HotSpot Shield and with a credit card whose billing address is outside the US.

Today, though, I tried purchasing a new book and this time got a message saying that they don’t “support international, U.S. territory or APO/FPO billing addresses.” Have you heard if B&N changed their policy recently? If you have any suggestions/ideas to get around this, I’d be so grateful.

Many thanks!

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161 Anil P. January 5, 2012 at 16:04

Hi Ema,

Thank you and Happy New Year to you as well 🙂

B&N has changed their credit card policy so that if you’re using one with a US address you can purchase around the world. I don’t believe the case is true in reverse. One of two things can be happening – from time to time filters like the one B&N use catch on to Hotspot Shield’s IP addresses. Basically, it’s temporary, until Hotspot Shield updates itself within a day or two.

I’d also refresh your browser and be sure to clear any cookies (let me know if you’re unsure how to do this). One or both of these things should have you purchasing books in no time 🙂

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162 Ema January 6, 2012 at 01:55

Thanks so much for the quick reply. It’s good to know that B&N changed their credit card policy. Too bad my card has a foreign billing address–I guess that’s the problem and nothing is the matter with HotSpot Shield. (Thanks, I tried clearing the cache of the browser etc but that didn’t work.)

I guess I’ll go sign up with one of those services that provide you with a virtual card with a US billing address.

Hopefully B&N will really start offering their ebooks internationally soon, as I saw in some news article.

Thanks again!

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163 Mary March 15, 2012 at 13:03

Hey Anil,
I am so glad that you have this blog! I am new to ereaders and from what you have stated I think the kindle is a better choice for me. I am in Vet School in St. Kitts and have trouble getting ahold of paperback books. A lot of the US websites are blocked here so I was considering buying the kindle fire, so that I can download movies as well as books. However another website said that you can only download movies if you are in the United states. Would the IP blocker you mentioned earlier work for downloading books, movies, and music? Also..someone mentioned the kindle has a better screen for reading in the sun. It has more of a glare protection. Any thoughts or ideas for what might work best for me. If I cannot download movies..I would be happy with a more simple version for books only. Any help you can offer would be great. Thanks.

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164 Anil P. March 15, 2012 at 16:23

Hi Mary, glad I could help. Yes, Hotspot Shield and the other proxies will make it seem as if you’re downloading from the US and if you have a US credit card then the Nook Tablet (as an alternative) won’t care where in the world you are.

Both of the non-color Kindle/Nook are good for glare and the Nook Tablet is a bit better than the Kindle Fire in bright light. This article may help a bit more too:

http://techguidefortravel.com/2011/12/01/differences-between-the-kindle-fire-and-nook-tablet-for-international-travelers/

Feel free to let me know if you have other questions, hope this helps!

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165 Mary March 17, 2012 at 07:19

Hey Anil,
I have been having trouble with the Hot Spot Shield and other proxies working here in St. Kitts. I downloaded the Hot spot shield from the link above, to my computer and it can rarely find a secure connection. When it did find a secure connection I got spammed with ads and such and still told me I was outside of the United States. I uninstalled the program. This is about the 5th time I’ve tried to get an IP blocker to work. Any idea why I am having trouble? Regardless…I was thinking more about getting a Nook wi-fi.This way I wouldnt have to mess with the proxy right? I like the idea of reading in eink but being able to pick out books in color. I also found out my dad has a nook, this way we can share books. However, I’m confused about the whole international thing. Can I purchase books on my laptop without the IP blocker and then transfer them to the Nook or does the nook have some sort of block on it too… I’m confused as to how I could make this work. Thank you for your help.

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166 Anil P. March 17, 2012 at 10:10

Hi Mary, let’s see if the easy fix works – do you happen to have a credit card with a US address by any chance?

In that case, the Nooks wouldn’t be a problem. You could purchase ebooks via laptop or the device itself without a proxy.

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167 Mary March 18, 2012 at 12:52

Yes I do. Awesome!

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168 Anil P. March 19, 2012 at 04:59

Perfect! Let me know if you have any problems and hope you enjoy the Nook 🙂

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169 Danielle April 3, 2012 at 00:52

Anil I am absolutely Grateful for this blog of yours… AND that you have been answering everyone’s question for over a Year!!! As the E-readers keep evolving the questions continue to come to the surface… I found the answers to my question in other peoples questions. I am joining the Military and I wanted to find the best fit e-reader for me. I just have one question since I am still living in the US… the hot spot shield still works with the nooks right to buy and DL books out of the US? Thank you so much and you are awesome Sir!!!

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170 Anil P. April 3, 2012 at 11:57

You’re very welcome, I’m glad I can help. Hotspot Shield will work but you won’t need it if you’ve got a credit card with a US address which I’m guessing you do? That’s enough for B&N to let you download from abroad.

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171 Danielle April 3, 2012 at 16:08

I do! Thank you Again! So excited I cant wait to get my new nook! 🙂 Happy reading 🙂

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172 Nada Shal April 6, 2012 at 01:44

I’m going to Palestine this summer, and I want to purchase an Ebook to take with along with me. I know almost nothing about Kindles or Nooks, or which will work over there. Ill be there for about 50 days so I dont know if downloading/buying dozens of book then taking it over there would work. What do you think??

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173 Anil P. April 7, 2012 at 04:01

Once you purchase the ebooks on either device they’re yours and will work anywhere.

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174 Ed L. May 22, 2012 at 12:48

Hi. I just discovered your very helpful blog. Right now, I am based in the USA. In three months, I will be moving to rural Liberia for the next two years. I am considering the purchase of an e-reader and would like to get your purchasing suggestions. Like many, I am torn between the Kindle and the Nook. I will have no access to 3G and extremely limited access to WiFi while I am in the country. Given that you are a digital nomad, any suggestions you may have for essential travel accessories that would be useful for my rural computing environment will be greatly appreciated as well.

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175 Anil P. May 22, 2012 at 13:08

Hi Ed, honestly if wireless will be hard to come by then either the Nook or Kindle will meet your needs. Whenever you do catch a signal you can then browse and download a few ebooks; holding you over until the next time you can get online. Both e-readers being more or less equal in your case, I’d recommend the Nook; which I think is a superior device.

As for staying connected without 3G or traditional wireless connections, you (inexpensive) options are limited. A satellite connection is an option but it’s very expensive.

http://techguidefortravel.com/2011/05/10/how-to-stay-online-from-anywhere-3-levels-of-remote-connectivity/

I wish I had a better solution for you but much of your connectivity I think will need to come down to good planning.

Best of luck,
-Anil

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176 pia May 23, 2012 at 07:18

Hi anil, your blog has been very helpful and I’m really grateful that you’ve been answering everybody’s questions.
I live outside the U.S. and wanted to purchase nook simple touch, but in registering my nook I need to input credit card details & I don’t want to do that since I will not be buying anything from bn so is it possible that I just skip the credit card part and just go ahead and use the nook?
thanks in advance 🙂

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177 Anil P. May 24, 2012 at 06:00

You’re welcome Pia. The Nook/B&N require you to have an account to setup your profile which does require a credit card as far as I know. But if you don’t make any purchases, they won’t charge you anything – there are no monthly or periodic fees.

Hope this helps!

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178 Madiha September 22, 2012 at 14:41

Hi Anil. This seems like the go to place with e-reader questions. My sister recently bought my son a Nook Color for his birthday. We live in Dubai, but my B&N account is connected to an American Credit Card with a billing address in U.S. Will he be able to make purchases? I can’t seem to be able to update it or set the correct time even. It just seems as though the website does not recognize the device at all. Do I have a way around this problem? Thank you in advance and great job!

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179 Anil P. September 22, 2012 at 23:06

Hi Mahida,

You’re at the right place 🙂 With a US credit card on your B&N account you will be able to make purchases. The website may not be recognizing the Nook unless it’s been registered correctly and also connected to an Internet connection.

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180 Madiha September 23, 2012 at 03:48

Thank you Anil,
I managed to get the latest update, but the time is all off track still!! I’ll try to figure it out.
Thank you!!!!

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181 Anil September 25, 2012 at 22:02

Good luck!

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182 Amber Cheeks October 17, 2012 at 23:10

You seem to know a lot about all these tablets and international stuff. My question is, I am looking into getting my kiddos e-reader/tablets. I was looking at the nook color and kindle fire but my concern is will either work when we move to Japan. We are currently in Arkansas, US but will be soon packing our bags and headed over seas for the next 3-4 years.

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183 Anil P. October 18, 2012 at 17:51

Travel and technology are what I do. They’ll both work; can you be more specific with your question?

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184 Danny December 16, 2012 at 11:18

Hi!
I bought a Kindle Fire HD and I will be moving to France. I will keep an american credit card and an address. Is there anyway to fool the IP so I can keep accessing to the american content?
Thanks!

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185 Anil P. January 7, 2013 at 08:53
186 Kim June 20, 2013 at 09:51

Hi Anil,

I am moving to Doha, Qatar and want to make the switch from books to to an e-reader. In your opinion, what would be the best option? I don’t want color and want simplicity. If I like the switch, I would like to the option of sharing books with my family and friends. Which has the best option for sharing?

Thanks,
Kim

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187 Anil P. June 20, 2013 at 11:35

Hi Kim,

I think the Nook Simple Touch (with glow light) is the better product. In terms of sharing however, Amazon’s made it a more intuitive process. In both cases, you can share Nook to Nook or Kindle to Kindle, otherwise they’ll have to register and download the free Kindle/Nook apps for laptop or tablet to get loaned books.

So, if you’ve got many friends with Kindle, go with that. A Nook user or two, I would recommend that device. I hope this helps!

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188 Mali July 31, 2013 at 20:45

Very great find! I was looking into getting a kindle fire or the new nook HD. Do you have any experience with these two ereaders? I was all set to get a Kindle fire at some point because there wasn’t a nook I found very appealing to me (before the new nook hd came out!). I’m going to be traveling back and forth to Australia and wanted to know which would best suit me. I was thinking with a third party download I could easily transfer books onto my ereader rather than solely buy them through amazon or barnes and noble. I used to work with B&N for alot of years but left before the first nook came out, but I trust their services. I just want to know which would have the better use in Australia.

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189 Anil Polat August 2, 2013 at 11:55

Thank you. I do have experience with both ereaders and prefer the Nook HD. But keep in mind B&N will be discontinuing them in the coming months. Not that there’s anything wrong with them, but due to poor sales. As for which one to use in Australia, you’ll have similar access to both online stores, it’s really a matter of which hardware you like more.

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