So I opened up one of my emails this morning and read about the Nook, Barnes & Noble’s answer to Amazon’s Kindle reading device.  Priced at $259 (the same as the U.S.-only Amazon Kindle), it has gone in a few different directions than Amazon’s devices.

First of all, the thoughts that follow are not a review, but rather outline my thinking based on what I have read about the Nook.  I have not actually seen one in person yet, so all of my analysis is based upon information posted on the official B&N site.  Furthermore, I am a Kindle DX owner, so I am evaluating the Nook based on my experience with the Kindle.

Let’s get the similarities out of the way first.

• The both employ the exact same 6″ e-ink display featuring 16 levels of grayscale
• You can order books and have them delivered over a cellphone network at no additional charge
• Both work only in the U.S. (although for $20 more, Amazon has a model that works worldwide)
• They are essentially the same size, shape, and weight
• They both employ proprietary DRM  to protect books you purchase

Obviously, Barnes and Noble has an uphill battle to dethrone the Amazon Kindle.  While there are other e-reader devices out there (notably from Sony and Foxit), for all intents and purposes, the Nook is the first real challenger to the features and functionality offered by the Kindle.  To essentially beat Amazon at its own game, B&N had to either sell their reader for less than Amazon’s or offer features and functions that Amazon did not have.  Given the fact that we know the manufacturing costs are at least half if not more of the final product for an e-reader and B&N have a fair amount of R&D expense to recapture, choosing a price that is substantially enough below the cost of the Kindle that it would entice people was probably not an option.

So, B&N went the route of adding features in hopes of differentiating themselves enough from the Kindle.  So, let’s look and see what features they have:

• Color Display along the bottom that shows the covers of the books you have – this is how you choose which book/periodical to read
• Touch Screen – this appears to apply to the small color screen only
• Support for 802.11 wireless in addition to cellular network support (wireless only works at B&N stores at launch)
• Expansion slot for MicroSD cards
• Direct support for PDF files (The Kindle 2’s big brother, the Kindle DX offers this)
• The ability to loan out books for up to 14 days
• e-Readers for Apple iPhone, Blackberry, PC, and Mac
• Over a million titles
• 500,000 are free titles

B&N also offers some additional features that are tied to its stores.  Supposedly, you will be able to sit in a B&N store with your Nook and read books for free that will be streamed over B&N’s wireless network.

Now, while at first glance, these features seem attractive, let’s take a closer look at them.

Color Display – Well, since 99% of your time with an e-Reader is going to be reading the actual books, the color display is not much more than eye candy.  It adds weight to the unit (the Nook is 1 oz heavier than the Kindle 2) and sucks battery.

Touch Screen – Since you don’t have a keyboard, you need a touch screen.  It will be interesting to see how the Nook implements book searching on the B&N website.  The Kindle uses the full keyboard on the device which makes searches easy.  Not sure how the B&N device will do it.  If, as it sounds, only the color screen is touch enabled, it’s too small for an onscreen keyboard.

802.11 support – Um?  Okay.  At launch it only works with wireless networks in the B&N store, so unless you are in the book store, the 802.11 radio doesn’t do much for you except suck additional battery life.  Even if they enable it to work elsewhere, how much value will it bring?  Unlike the Kindle, the Nook does not support web surfing, so besides being able to deliver books (which the cellular network is certainly capable of doing), I don’t see much use.

Expansion Slot for MicroSD cards – Nice, but the base memory will hold 1,500 books.  Considering the fact that you have to navigate by the pictures on the touch sensitive screen, I’m not really sure if I want access to more that 1,500 books at a time.  I generally only keep the books I’m actively reading or referencing on my Kindle and it never gets near 1,500.

Loaning out a book – Okay, now this is a nice feature and one that Amazon should have a good look at.  On the flip side, publishers will choose whether or not they will allow a book to be loaned out and for how long.  My guess is that the end result of this will be not that many popular books will allow loaning.

Wide Range of e-Readers – Again another nice plus that Amazon should look at.  While Amazon does have an iPhone app that supports the Kindle format, why not a PC, Mac, and even a Blackberry one?  There would definitely be times when I would not mind being able to read one of my Kindle books on my PC or Blackberry

Over 1,000,000 titles – certainly more than Amazon’s claimed 350,000 titles.  Yet, here’s the thing – they also say that 500,000 are free, so does that really mean that there are only 500,000 titles?  If so, that narrows the gap with the Kindle quite a bit.

As for the Kindle, it still has some features that the Nook lacks;

• Internet Browsing
• Wikipedia access
• Blog subscriptions
• worldwide access (for $20 more than the base Kindle)
• The ability to import Microsoft Word files

The first two are related.  B&N made a conscious decision claiming that they did not include Web Browsing by design because it is subpar on an e-Reader.  Maybe, but it was probably also a cost concession.  Any wireless access costs money and by eliminating the possibility that people might do some web browsing on the Nook, they probably negotiated a better deal with AT&T.  For me, while it is certainly not my primary browser, I have found it convenient from time to time to be able to check my email or pull up a weather map on the Kindle.  Believe it or not, I actually prefer the large monochrome screen of the Kindle for these tasks over the smaller color one on my Blackberry

Blog subscriptions are a nice touch, but certainly not a deal maker or breaker

Worldwide access is nice if you need it, but irrelevant if you don’t

Importing Word files is a nice feature and I have used it from time to time myself.  One note here is that from the B&N comparison list, you might assume that it costs money to convert your Word docs to Kindle format.  In fact, you are only charged if you have the converted file sent to your Kindle wirelessly.  You have the option of having the file converted and emailed to you for free and then you simply download it to the Kindle via USB.

All in all, I’m glad that B&N has entered the E-reader game.  I hope they are reasonably successful.  They have some nice touches that Amazon will have to figure out how to respond to if they want to stay ahead.  On the flip side, if I had to do it all over again, I think I would still go with the Kindle, simply because I find more value in its collection of features.  I also like my larger screen Kindle DX which is something that B&N does not have an answer for.

The one major downside is that we have a new Digital Rights Management (DRM) ecosystem.  In this day and age, I would like to see us moving away from DRM entirely, not creating new ones.  If there is an E-book reader war and someone loses, the people who bought into that system will be the ultimate losers as their material will stay forever locked to the dead platform and not be portable someplace else.

So, I hopped into my car this morning for the 30 minute trek to my office. ( I have mid-terms next week and last week’s big move made me push off studying to this weekend).  Since I have two kids, one wife, and two in-laws back at the house right now, I figured the best thing to do would be to come into the office to study.

Anyway, my wife swiped my iPod on her way to the gym this morning (since she couldn’t find hers), which means I was left without being able to listen to my usual audio book.  Fortunately, a couple of months ago, I took XM Satellite radio up on its promotion offer and got 6 months of service for about $30, which means I had satellite radio as an option.  I was going to listen to the one of the news stations, but when I flipped it on, it was tuned to one of the comedy stations – Laugh USA, which was running a two week all-Monty Python channel.

It was a fun walk down memory lane.  The Pythons got their start on October 5, 1969 – a little over 40 years ago.  Their half-hour BBC show ran for 5 years and the pythons produced 5 movies; the last in 1983.  What’s amazing to me is that the Pythons had stopped producing new material before I even got into college which is where I learned about the group.  As much as anything, I think that the college community remains one of the strongest fans of Monty Python’s work even 40 years later.  What’s also interesting is that much of the material is still pretty funny today.  When you compare it to some of the other British humor of the day such as the Benny Hill show, which has not stood up as well, or even an American humor/variety show such as Hee Haw (which you can’t watch today without cringing), you can really appreciate the genius of the Pythons.  In much the same was as the Beatles has transcended generational divides, Monty Python has as well.

What is also really cool is that while Monty Python produced video programs from it’s seminal Flying Circus to its movies, much of the material translated pretty well to an audio-only format.  For many of the skits, the video is an enhancement, not a necessary element and again an example of the genius of the troupe.

I’d recommend that if you have not had a visit with Monty Python in a while, you rent one of their movies or some episodes of the Flying Circus.  You might be surprised how fresh it still sounds today.  It is also an excellent opportunity to start indoctrinating the next generation in all things Python so that if they go off to school, they can be “in the know” about Monty Python and can enlighten their more ignorant class-mates.

If you have never watched any Monty Python, but want to give it a try, I would suggest Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  It is probably the most easily accessible of all of the Python material and provides so many of the most quoted Python lines.  The Life of Brian is also quite funny, but some people consider it terribly sacrilegious, so if you are a devout Christian that might be easily offended with a send up of the life of Jesus, you might want to pass on this one.  The irony is that the movie is not about Jesus but instead about Brian, a nobody who is mistaken for a Jesus-like figure and winds up in similar straights.  That said, the life parallels might be a bit too close for some folks, so you’ve been warned.

The first python movie, And Now for Something Completely Different is mostly a collection of the best of the short skits from the Flying Circus.  Live at the Hollywood Bowl is also a collection of Flying Circus skits, but performed before a live audience.  The final movie, Monty Python’s Meaning of Life was intended to be a loosely connected series of new skits.  It is considered their darkest movie full of Black Humor.  It is also my least favorite.  I would would still suggest it be part of your Python education, but leave it until a bit later.

I would also leave the original Monty Python’s Flying Circus half hour shows until after you had absorbed some of the movies.  The material is a bit denser and feel a bit more rough.  There are some huge laughs here, but also some real flops.

So, wish that I had been on my game and posted this on October 4th, but in any case, Happy 40th birthday Monty Python!

Jim

Ever tried to find a cigar ring gauge guide?  Sure, there are lots out there, but they all seem to stop at a ring gauge of 54.  I don’t know about you, but 54 tends to be one of the thinner sizes of cigars I usually smoke.  So, rather than complaining, we decided to do something about it and created our own.  Our guide goes from tiny 28 gauge cigars up to the more manly 64 ring size.

The full sized guide is available in PDF format to our Cigar Plus Members in the members section.

Windows 7 is coming on October 22.  If you have been chomping at the bit so to speak to get your hands on the final version of the code, there are actually quite a few ways that you can get it.  You probably know about some of them, but I figured I would put together a list of the ways I know about on the off chance that it might be helpful to you.

The various methods are presented in no particular order and for each one, I have ranked them by four criteria; cost, portability, support, and difficulty.  Cost is pretty self-explanatory.  Portability refers to whether or not you can move the license from one computer to another should you decide to replace your existing system – keep in mind though that a license can only be installed on one computer at a time.  Support refers to what sort of support you will get if you run into a problem and who is responsible for providing it.  Finally, difficulty concerns the level of complexity the average user is likely to face trying to install it.

So, without further ado – here are some of your choices…

Get it On Your New Computer

Buy a new computer (duh) – however, for the first month or so, it is likely that not all computers, particularly those in Retail Stores will be pre-loaded with Windows 7.  You are eligible to receive a free upgrade from the version of Vista installed on a computer to Windows 7 if you purchased your computer after mid July of this year.  There may however be a small handling charge to ship the discs to you and you will be responsible for installing it.  If this concerns you, you may wish to wait until you can purchase a PC with Windows 7 pre-loaded.

Cost: Low -Microsoft sells it at a discount to the computer maker in exchange for the computer maker assuming all technical support responsibility, so it does not add a huge amount of cost to the computer price

Portability: None  – The Windows 7 license lives and dies with the computer it comes with – you cannot move it to a new computer.

Support: – Provided by the computer maker – ie: don’t call Microsoft for help.  Quality of support will depend on your computer vendor.

Difficulty: None to Moderate depending on whether Windows 7 is pre-installed or if you need to upgrade from the pre-installed version of Vista.

Purchase a Single Shrink Wrapped Copy at Retail

This is the most common way that current users of Windows XP or Vista can upgrade their existing computers to Windows 7.  It is certainly not the cheapest, but you will get support directly from Microsoft.  Two versions are offered; Full and Upgrade.  For most people, the Upgrade version is definitely the cheaper way to go.

One other advantage of the full retail copy is that you will get both the 32 bit and 64 bit versions in the box, so it means you can start with the 32 bit version and later move to the 64 bit one once you put more than 4 GB of memory into your machine.

Windows 7 Home Premium $120

Windows 7 Professional $199

Windows 7 Ultimate $220

Cost: High -This is the most expensive way to purchase Windows – do yourself a favor though and get the upgrade edition

Portability: Full – You own the license and can move it from one computer to another as much as you like (though it can only be installed on one at a time)

Support: – Provided by Microsoft

Difficulty: Low to Moderate depending on whether you are upgrading in place or installing a clean OS.  At least you have full support from MS

Purchase a Home Premium Family Pack

Taking a page from Apple’s family pack pricing for its OSx and iLife suite, Microsoft recently announced their plans to offer a 3 pack of Windows 7 Home Premium.  The price will be $150 for three licenses, which is a savings of more than $200 off of purchasing three single copies.  If you have more than one computer that you wish to upgrade and you can make due with the Home Premium version, this is definitely the way to go.

Even if you want to move to a higher version of Windows, the family pack might be a good start.  Microsoft offers its anytime upgrade which allows you to move up to Professional for $90 or Ultimate for $140 apiece.

Cost: Relatively Low -This is a very inexpensive way to purchase Windows provided you need more than one copy

Portability: Full – You own the license and can move it from one computer to another as much as you like (though it can only be installed on one at a time)

Support: – Provided by Microsoft

Difficulty: Low to Moderate depending on whether you are upgrading in place or installing a clean OS.  At least you have full support from MS

Purchase an OEM Copy

A couple of weeks ago, online vendor Newegg announced the OEM version prices for Windows 7.  OEM versions of Windows are intended to be sold to computer builders.  Big companies like Dell and HP buy OEM copies by the truckload, but Microsoft also makes OEM versions available to smaller system builders, so that guy who builds computers in his basement and sells them to small companies can bundle Windows at a reduced price.

One of the worst kept secrets of the computer industry is that there is really nothing to stop the average computer user from picking up an OEM copy.  Microsoft used to require you to purchase at least one hardware component along with the OEM license, but I think that requirement has been dropped.

You will have to choose whether you want the 32 bit or the 64 bit version when you order as you don’t get both versions like you do with the full retail versions.

There are however three downsides to going this route.  First of all, in exchange for the deep discount, you are on your own for support.  Secondly, the copy is technically tied to the first computer on which it is installed,which means that if you later want to rebuild the computer with a new motherboard or move the license to an entirely new computer, you won’t be able to.  Finally, as the OEM version is intended to be installed on a brand new computer, I’m not sure if you can use it to perform an in place upgrade on an existing system.

Windows 7 Home Premium $100

Windows 7 Professional $135

Windows 7 Ultimate $175

Cost: Low -This is one of the least expensive ways to procure a full copy of the OS for the average person

Portability: Low – Technically, the license is tied to the first motherboard you install it to and cannot be moved, though MS may be flexible, just don’t count on it

Support: None – OEM copies are intended to be sold to computer makers who in turn are responsible for providing support to the end users

Difficulty: Low assuming you are doing a clean install.  The OEM version is intended to be a “bare metal” install rather than an upgrade

Take Advantage of the Student Pricing

If you are a college student and have a .EDU address, you can click on the link above to purchase a copy of either Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Professional for less than $30.  Technically, the validation is tied to the email suffix of .EDU alone, which means that people who have alumni accounts that end in .EDU might be able to take advantage.  Digital River, the vendor administering the program, does reserve the right to require documentation that you are in fact a student.  If you can’t provide it, you would be required to pay full retail price.

Cost: Low -This is the cheapest way to legally purchase Windows provided you meet the criteria

Portability: Full – You own the license and can move it from one computer to another as much as you like (though it can only be installed on one at a time)

Support: – Provided by Microsoft

Difficulty: Low to Moderate depending on whether you are upgrading in place or installing a clean OS.  At least you have full support from MS

Purchase a Technet Subscription

Technet is Microsoft’s link to the Computer Professional.  Besides its copious knowledge base, Microsoft offers a subscription program that lets anyone who wants to procure many of the Windows OS, Application Server, and Microsoft Office products.  The license forbids production use of this software, but it is expected you will use it for testing.  Using these licenses in your home environment may violate the letter of the law, but Microsoft is not likely to really care about this provided you don’t go using them in your business (although using them in a test lab in your business is fine) .

The Technet approach is not for everyone.  Granted, you get access to a lot of expensive software for relatively little money, but all licenses acquired through the program automatically cancel if you don’t pay the $200 annual subscription renewal each year.  Technet includes 10 Windows 7 licenses along with licenses for lots of other software.

An alternative to Technet is the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN).  MSDN is geared more towards developers while Technet is aimed more at non-developers.  MSDN has similar subscription models to Technet, but they are considerably more expensive, however the range of available software is also broader including much of Microsoft’s Application Development stuff.

Cost: High -This is an expensive way for one copy as you pay $300 for the first year and $200 each subsequent year, but you get 10 licenses of Windows 7

Portability: Moderate – You have 10 licenses to use, each of which is technically bound to the first computer it is installed on.

Support: – Provided by Microsoft

Difficulty: Low to Moderate depending on whether you are upgrading in place or installing a clean OS.  At least you have full support from MS

Okay, so that’s my list of ways to get Windows 7.  Did I miss anything?  Know of some other way?  Drop me a line or add a comment to this post and let all of us know.