The Barnes & Noble GlowLight 4 is a great e-reader for the budget-conscious. It’s less expensive than other 3rd-party e-readers, like those offered by Kobo and Amazon. However, it has fewer features than these similarly priced competitors.

US Street Price$149.99

Bringing the latest and even your favorite features from e-readers of the past to Nook is an innovative and useful idea. The tiny device, perfect for long reading sessions, has a 6″ screen to make it easier on your eyes. The latest model of GlowLight 4 keyboard is lightweight and performs better than the previous models. It still has the physical page-turn buttons; which we like as it means we can keep our daily workflow without interruption. The Nook e-reader has come a long way since it was first released nearly 5 years ago, but many consider it to be significantly less intense than some of the other devices on the market and is not as long-lasting. The Kindle Paperwhite has been our Editor’s Choice winner for the category. It is an ideal option for people on a budget, whereas the Kobo Libra 2 can be used at any public library with its support from over 900,000 libraries worldwide.

Modern Designs for the Modern Times

The Glowlight 4 is back about five years later and still uses the well-known E Ink Carta HD panel. Other mainstream ebook readers of its time used the same display size, but screen technology has developed from then on. Amazon and Kobo have recently released new midrange ebook readers. They come with 7-inch E Ink Carta 1200 screens that show more text per page & pages turn faster than previous models.

The GlowLight 4 is a great device for your desk drawer or purse. It can be carried easily and packs a much smaller size than many competing models. The GlowLight 4 is much smaller and lighter than its predecessor, which makes it easy to carry around with you. There’s also less of a reflection on its screen than those of other e-readers.

Other aspects of the Nook’s design include a recessed screen that collects more dust and grime over time than the flat-front screens on older Kindles and Kobos. There are also more downsides to the design, including its quality made after 2017. The GlowLight 4 isn’t waterproof and costs less than a Kindle or Kobos.

The page turn buttons are a thoughtful and desirable feature that is both comfortable to use and visually appealing. The Glowlight 4 uses a modern USB-C stand

The GlowLight 4 has a color-changing front light, which other current midrange ebook readers lack. There are two different color modes on the device- light, and dark. The light setting seems very whiter than the Kobo, while the dark setting is indeed a bit yellow. You can also manually adjust the color or let it automatically adjust depending on how bright or dark it is outside.

You can always change the brightness and color of your front light at the touch of a button.

The Allwinner B300 is powering the Nook. It has 2GB of RAM and 29GB of storage. 5GB is available for sideloading and the remainder is for storing ebooks, which seems like a lot given that this device doesn’t have an SD card. It connects to your Wi-Fi via the 802.11n standard but doesn’t support Bluetooth or any audio playback when you connect it via a USB cable.

The Nook’s 1,400mAh battery is designed to last a long while without being recharged. B&N doesn’t think that’s accurate, but my week’s worth of data suggests this may not be the case. In spite of this, I didn’t really run into any major problems. The ebook reader was able to handle about one long book before requiring a recharge, but I didn’t need to recharge it mid-book.

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Simply for Reading

More advanced than the other e-readers and offering wider format support, Kobo provides you with more freedom when choosing the device you like best. The way they read creates a more interactive reading experience.

One of the most important things you need to consider when it comes to ebooks is whether or not you’re used to purchasing them in a particular format. For instance, if you typically like buying them as paperback books, then it’s likely that your ebook reader supports this format. If not, there are many free and paid websites dedicated to formatting ebooks for different devices. It’s not easy to transfer Barnes & Noble, Kindle, and Kobo books across platforms because their DRM imposes many restrictions. One method is by using an Android device that provides developer privileges.

You won’t see ads that waste time on your Kindle, which is a big plus. The home screen also offers a black-and-white pattern which is easier to read and less distracting to users. There are different sections on the main screen that allow you to browse your current books, do some shopping, and read B&N’s promotional material. The UI of the app offers a quick and snappy experience like no other. This is very important for this industry, where time is money.

There are eight font styles and sizes, headers, first page margins, and pagination options. There’s also a table of contents and text bookmarking features as well as an integrated dictionary. You’ll find added features like X-Ray & Amazon’s GoodReads app outside of the Book Editor in the Kindle store.

The GlowLight4 is not well supported by the public library system. It involved memorizing an Adobe password, downloading books to your PC before then uploading them to your reader with a USB cable. eBooks are a convenient & accessible way to read many books you already own. With the Kobo, you can easily borrow books directly from your device. You don’t need to purchase titles for your Kindle on Amazon; they are free when you borrow them from your library website.

Worth an update for Nook die-hards

A smaller, more pocketable, and more efficient ebook reader that comes with an even sharper panel. The GlowLight 4 is worth upgrading from any of the GlowLight 3 models. In particular, its screen is more responsive and user-friendly. It also has a cool feature that changes the color temperature of its screen depending on your environment.

The Nook can’t quite compete with the latest Amazon Kindle and Kobo ebook readers when it comes to some of their features. For example, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite offers impressive features like being waterproof, having a flat front, and offering a bigger screen than the Nook. It also lacks physical buttons & many more. The Kobo Libra 2 is an ebook reader that has all the features and design you could ever need. It’s waterproof, and it works seamlessly with most public libraries’ digital collections. If you’re getting an ebook reader for the first time, this device is a great option!