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186 reviews
Apr, 2025
alaTest has collected and analyzed 186 reviews of Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight. The average rating for this product is 3.9/5, compared to an average rating of 4.3/5 for other products in the same category for all reviews. Comments about the design and price are on the whole positive. The screen and usability are also mentioned favorably. There are some less positive reviews about the reliability.
portability, usability, screen, price, design
reliability
We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other products in the same category the Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 90/100 = Excellent quality.
Consumer review (amazon.co.uk)
alaTest has collected and analyzed 114 user reviews of Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 3.8/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.4/5 for other products in the same category on Amazon.co.uk. People really like the performance and screen. The price and usability also get good feedback. Some have doubts about the reliability.
portability, usability, price, screen, performance
reliability
75% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.
Expert review by : Brian Heater (engadget.com)
More InfoBarnes & Noble Nook WiFi reviewAmazon Kindle Touch reviewKindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet...fight!It's a plague against modern
GlowLight works as promised ; Lighter than its predecessor ; Expandable memory
Loss of contrast for onscreen text ; 40 premium for GlowLight functionality ; No 3G option
Though not everyone will able to justify the $40 premium, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is a worthy investment for anyone who's ever squabbled over lights-out time.
Expert review by (digitaltrends.com)
Readable in the dark (with GlowLight) ; One-month battery life ; Responsive infrared touchscreen ; Support for ePub ; microSD slot ; Good refresh rate
GlowLight adds $40 to price ; No speakers ; Navigation buttons a bit confusing ; No DOC or TXT file support
At $140, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is a bit pricy, considering the Nook Simple Touch is essentially the same unit sans a light for only $100. Either way, both are a great alternative to the Kindle and jump ahead of Amazon in a few ways. If...
Expert review by : Roberto Baldwin (wired.com)
Barnes & Noble's light-up Nook has a touchscreen, but also buttons. Page turns can still be initiated with a simple swipe, but it's nice to have the alternative tactile method in a comfortable spot.
Expert review by : Melissa J. Perenson (pcworld.com)
Barnes & Noble has made the best e-reader currently available even better by integrating a light source into it. Priced at $139 (as of April 24, 2012), the Nook Simple Touch With GlowLight E Ink-based e-reader sets the standard for silky-smooth reading...
Responsive touchscreen interface ; Built-in LED light for reading in the dark ; Easy-to-hold, lightweight design
Physical page-turn buttons are still too stiff
The Nook Simple Touch With GlowLight's built-in light makes it the best e-reader you can buy today.
Expert review by : David Pierce (theverge.com)
Odds are, if I'm reading a book I'm doing it in bed. At night. In the dark. That's not so great for ebook readers, which (like a paper book) require a light in order to be seen. I've been asking...
GlowLight works really well ; Long battery life ; Attractive, comfortable design
Screen is a little low-contrast ; Light isn't totally uniform
The best Nook yet, but it's not quite worth the switching costs
Expert review by : David Carnoy (cnet.com)
What's the No. 1 requested feature people want in an e-ink e-reader?
The integrated light in the Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch GlowLight displays uniformly across the high-contrast Pearl e-ink touch screen and is a killer feature for nighttime reading for couples who share a bed. The touch screen is ever so slightly...
Like the Nook Simple Touch, this model has no support for audio, no 3G option, and no Web browser. The rubberized finish on the back of the device attracts fingerprints.
The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight sets the standard for e-ink e-readers going forward and is well worth the extra money if you do a lot of nighttime reading.
Expert review by : Vincent Nguyen (slashgear.com)
Bedtime reading with an e-paper based ereader has always been something of a throwback: either you leave the lights on, or you clip on a retro-style book light. The alternative until now has been a tablet, though many find that the same bright...
Barnes & Noble asks a $40 premium for the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, over the regular model. $139 puts it on a par with rival touchscreen ereaders also using E Ink displays, though for the moment the GlowLight system is unique. There’s no...
Expert review by : Todd Haselton (technobuffalo.com)
You know the feeling when you pick up a good book and just, for the life of you, can't put it down? You read it on the subway, you read it on the sidewalk at risk of running into people…
Expert review by : Melissa J. Perenson (macworld.com)
The addition of an LED light source turns the Nook Simple Touch into the must-have e-reader for bookworms.
Built-in LED light for reading in the dark ; Easy-to-hold, lightweight design ; Responsive touchscreen interface
umer group: E-book price fixing costs big bucks
Barnes & Noble has made the best e-reader currently available even better by integrating a light source into it. Priced at $139, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight E Ink-based e-reader sets the standard for silky-smooth reading and shopping. And even...
Expert review by : Ella Taylor (techradar.com)
Backlit e-ink e-reader for reading night and day
Backlight ; Wide range of e-books ; Intuitive interface ; Comfortable to read
Not all files worked ; Not wireless ; Odd page transitions ; Not well known in UK
The Nook Simple Touch GlowLight joins the pack of backlit e-readers launching at the same time, and takes on Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite and the Kobo Glo.