NOOK GlowLight enters UK to challenge Kindle Paperwhite

By JC Torres/Aug. 6, 2014 4:41 am EST

Taking on once more that ereader market that is virtually dominated by Amazon's Kindle brand, Barnes & Noble is expanding the reach of its NOOK GlowLight device across the pond. Now digital book lovers in the UK will be able enjoy their favorite ebooks from a device that has been made lighter, brighter, and more spacious than other brands.

And by other brands, B&N is practically referring to the Kindle Paperwhite. The perceived rivalry between the two is so palpable that marketing materials, such as this NOOK announcement, make explicit mention of the device. There is some philosophy that would discourage this kind of "acknowledging your enemies", nonetheless it is good to have a starting point when trying to prove just how much better the NOOK GlowLight is.

First off, it is lighter, 175 g versus the Paperwhite's 206 g. Though it doesn't really look much in figures, it means that your hand or wrist won't tire as fast on the GlowLight. There is also more room to hold books, about 2,000 of them. According to Barnes & Noble, the Kindlewhite can only hold 1,100. In some other aspects, the two are actually quite similar, like a battery that lasts for 8 weeks on a single charge, or a 6-inch screen with a resolution of 1024x758.

One thing that B&N is quite proud of, and the thing that earns this NOOK model its name, is its lighting features. The GlowLight is advertised to offer the best reading experience no matter the lighting condition. In dark environments, illuminated eReading will distribute light uniformly across the whole display so that you don't get just botches of light here and there. In the bright outdoors, on the other hand, the built-in anti-glare screen lets you still continue reading with no issue at all, just like paper.

Barnes & Nobles will be selling the NOOK GlowLight for only ₤89. In the US, the eReader costs $119. This NOOK will be available from various retailers such as Argos, ASDA, Blackwells, Foyles, John Lewis, Sainsburys and Very.

SOURCE: Barnes & Noble