# Barnes and Noble just lost themselves a customer. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688 "2012-03-24T13:12:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/21 "2012-03-25T00:13:59Z")
> [@cckerberos](#): > > You need rooting to access the Market, but if you download the .apk files elsewhere you can install them on the Fire without rooting. Aha. I did not know that. I don’t even have one, I bought one for my GF and she’ll never do that, but good to know. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/22 "2012-03-25T04:53:33Z")
I don’t understand people buying something over $100 and being surprised by its features. Or its problems. Do they not know how to fire up Teh Cybertubes? I researched all the readers out there before I bought a NOOKBareBones. It took a whole half hour before I knew all about the minimal space for non-B&N content, the USB connector, and other shortcomings. I did the same back when i wanted to get a non-Apple mp3 player… after all my reading, I bought an iPod. (You might think I’m thorough… it’s really just because I’m cheap.) ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/23 "2012-03-25T06:20:25Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I was going to post something similar. It seems the US is, inexplicably, proud of its inefficiencies and waste, just as it is proud of its growing general ignorance when compared to pretty much the rest of the first world at this point. > > Wasn’t it recently that Republicans were up in arms about the newly-mandated efficiency standards for the incandescent bulb, a technology that’s over 100 years old? > > So no, I don’t see the US adopting a standard for cell phone chargers in the near future, and if Obama expresses support for it, you can be certain the Republicans will make sure it never, ever happens. Many years ago the US Government (as part of their Communist agenda) made an effort to convert to the metric system so that US manufacturing could be in sync with the rest of the world. That might actually be a step in putting US manufacturing on par with the rest of the world and stem some of the loss of manufacturing jobs. Those that drive by looking through the rear view mirror saw this as a bad thing, “How can we possibly reeducate so many stupid Americans that are intellectually incapable of understanding anything other that what they think they know?” That is much too big of a task to ask of anyone especially when you are a stupid Congressman. The Canadians can do it but for citizens of the Unites States it is just too challenging. All those illegal immigrants would have an advantage by understanding the metric system. How will all the losers that can’t graduate from some shitty high school find a job if they can’t compete against a migrant that is far smarter and more motivated than they are? ---
**Author:** ![SticksAndString](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@SticksAndString](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SticksAndString)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/24 "2012-03-25T13:35:10Z")
[QUOTE=digs;14899233I researched all the readers out there before I bought a NOOKBareBones. It took a whole half hour before I knew all about the minimal space for non-B&N content, the USB connector, and other shortcomings. [/QUOTE] What’s a NOOKBarebones? Is it similar to a First Edition? I’m like you. I had the thing all of about 24 hrs and I’d figured out all the features, etc. It took me slightly longer to figure out how to use the library’s digital downloads to put books on there, but that’s because technology sometimes confuses me a bit. 😛 And every time I’ve had an issue (mostly user error), I found getting an answer from B&N through their live tech support was very easy. The techs have been super polite, even though I’m sure sometimes they’re probably back there in their little cubicles (or whatever) laughing their ass off at my stupidity.😛 ---
**Author:** ![mbetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@mbetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbetter)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/25 "2012-03-26T00:03:18Z")
> [@SticksAndString](#): > > What’s a NOOKBarebones? Is it similar to a First Edition? > > I’m like you. I had the thing all of about 24 hrs and I’d figured out all the features, etc. It took me slightly longer to figure out how to use the library’s digital downloads to put books on there, but that’s because technology sometimes confuses me a bit. 😛 And every time I’ve had an issue (mostly user error), I found getting an answer from B&N through their live tech support was very easy. The techs have been super polite, even though I’m sure sometimes they’re probably back there in their little cubicles (or whatever) laughing their ass off at my stupidity.😛 They could be talking about the Nook Simple Touch, which is a very bare-bones e-ink ereader. That’s what I have and I love it to death. ---
**Author:** ![Bouncer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Bouncer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bouncer)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/26 "2012-03-26T18:41:25Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I bought a “NOOKColor” (official B&N spelling that will not be used again due to its stupidity) not long after it came out and I rooted it pretty quickly and have always liked it as an eReader. I’m still not sold on eReaders at all, especially LCD screen ones, but I’ve used it on trips and planes and enjoyed it in that regard. > > The nice thing about the nook color, and I don’t know if this applies to the nook tablet, is you just get a high speed SDHC card and you put the full version of the Android OS you want onto that and you can essentially “root it” and use normal Android without actually permanently removing B&N’s software. It means you basically can preserve your warranty but still get full Android functionality. > > I read a lengthy review on Ars Technica comparing the nook tablet to the Kindle Fire and they actually came out saying the nook tablet is a better device, in terms of responsiveness, build quality etc. Really the only thing Amazon’s device has as an advantage is its Amazon branded App Store is superior to the B&N branded app store, but with rooting those are non-issues. The Kindle fire’s built in browser is apparently horrific, and routes all traffic through Amazon servers to “speed it up”, it ends up that process actually causes all traffic to be slowed down dramatically versus any other browsing method. > > Not sure about the nook tablet, but the nook color can be charged by _any standard micro USB charger_, if you look at the proprietary charger you’ll notice it looks like a standard microUSB, and for most intents and purposes it is. If you don’t have an original B&N charger you can use any standard microUSB charger. However, as another poster said the difference w/the proprietary charger is it is much faster at charging the device, so if you charge it using a standard microUSB charger it charges at a “trickle pace” and takes many hours. > > That’s a limitation of the microUSB default standard, not B&N’s fault. It is fine to charge a cell phone with microUSB, but you wouldn’t charge a full size laptop with one, and that is why laptop power cords aren’t microUSB. With larger batteries in hand held devices it’s probably going to become more likely we move more to using laptop-style power cords for them and not microUSB. This. Plus if you are lazy (like me) and prefer not to do all the rooting and hacking and so forth.. go here: [http://n2acards.com/](http://n2acards.com/) Order card, wait one to three days for card. Plug card in, reboot, select Android Operating system when given the option, and poof, a full fledged android tablet with a ton of useful apps. I use the hell out of mine, though I’m on the road a lot. Load her up with a buncha books plus some movies and TV shows and music. And angry birds. Not that that’s addictive or anything (rubs arms) Not at all. Really. So not addicted I mayfire it up right now, just, you know, because I can. I’m a casual user is all!!! :mad: Regards, -Bouncer- ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/27 "2012-03-26T18:55:39Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I like proper books. That won’t help you of course. So do I, I think, I mean I read books on my kindle, but they seem pretty proper to me. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/28 "2012-03-26T19:47:54Z")
Every now and then I want an improper book. With an improper storyline. Not all the time, mind you, just when I’m in the mood for it. ---
**Author:** ![Brandus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@Brandus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brandus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/29 "2012-03-26T20:53:29Z")
Barnes and Noble is useless. I have $50 in gift cards (unasked for gifts from christmas) and I wish they were Amazon cards. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/30 "2012-03-26T22:15:29Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Every now and then I want an improper book. With an improper storyline. Not all the time, mind you, just when I’m in the mood for it. Which of course made me think of this. > [@Tom Lehrer](#): > > All books can be indecent books > Though recent books are bolder, > For filth (I’m glad to say) is in > the mind of the beholder. > When correctly viewed, > Everything is lewd. > (I could tell you things about Peter Pan, > And the Wizard of Oz, there’s a dirty old man!) ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/31 "2012-03-27T00:29:02Z")
> [@Brandus](#): > > Barnes and Noble is useless. I have $50 in gift cards (unasked for gifts from christmas) and I wish they were Amazon cards. I don’t do this often, but just read an article about them the other day: [https://www.plasticjungle.com/main](https://www.plasticjungle.com/main) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/32 "2012-03-27T05:00:08Z")
I bought my wife a Nook Color back in August and she never uses it. I never thought about rooting the thing, might give that a whirl, see if I can get some use out of this thing. Using the Nook, I bought her a subscription to the _Wall Street Journal_, but honestly, it wasn’t really formatted to be read as an “e-paper”, so reading it was a frustrating effort. She tried a few issues and gave it up, so I decided to cancel the subscription. _I could not cancel a Nook-subscribed newspaper subscription using the Nook._ I had to create an account in her name at the B&N website, link the Nook to her account, and then cancel the subscription via the B&N website. 😕 “Patrick”, the nice young man with an Indian accent, helped me the entire way through this process, but unfortunately his script didn’t allow for the possibility of the customer questioning the decision-making process that allowed for such a user experience. “But why can’t you cancel your subscription by the Nook?” is surprisingly a question not on the list of Possible Responses to this complaint. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/33 "2012-03-28T14:15:14Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > My local B&N is sold out . . . You actually have a local B&N that’s still open? ---
**Author:** ![Bouncer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Bouncer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bouncer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/34 "2012-03-28T14:53:14Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You actually have a local B&N that’s still open? Hell to the yes. Doin’ pretty well down in the SE USA so far (or so it seems to me). There’s been some consolidation of stores to be sure, but they don’t look like they’re failing. And maybe the Nook is part of the reason why. Regards, -Bouncer- ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/35 "2012-03-28T15:02:33Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > You actually have a local B&N that’s still open? I think that you have B&N confused with Borders. Borders closed all of its stores some time ago. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/36 "2012-03-28T15:09:31Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I think that you have B&N confused with Borders. Borders closed all of its stores some time ago. > [@kayaker](#): > > I’m surprised B&N is still around. Maybe I’m confusing them with Borders… Never could tell them apart. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/37 "2012-03-28T17:39:43Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I believe the EU has mandated that all new cell phones must have USB mini chargers, because of the huge amounts of waste that was being generated when people changed phones. The US could certainly do the same. That’s interesting. So we’ll be seeing a standard USB port (for charging only, I’m sure) on the next iPhone if they want to sell them in the EU? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/38 "2012-03-28T17:55:59Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Never could tell them apart. Borders had a few more esoteric magazines, including scholarly journals. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/39 "2012-03-28T18:10:29Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > That’s interesting. So we’ll be seeing a standard USB port (for charging only, I’m sure) on the next iPhone if they want to sell them in the EU? No. They are shipping new phones with a dongle to comply with the rules. > **[iPhone’s new Micro USB Adapter complies with EU charger standards](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2011/10/apples-iphone-micro-usb-adapter-complies-with-eu-charger-standards/)** > > Apple has made good on its promise to make the iPhone work with standard micro … ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688/40 "2012-03-29T10:47:22Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > Many years ago the US Government (as part of their Communist agenda) made an effort to convert to the metric system so that US manufacturing could be in sync with the rest of the world. That might actually be a step in putting US manufacturing on par with the rest of the world and stem some of the loss of manufacturing jobs. > > Those that drive by looking through the rear view mirror saw this as a bad thing, “How can we possibly reeducate so many stupid Americans that are intellectually incapable of understanding anything other that what they think they know?” That is much too big of a task to ask of anyone especially when you are a stupid Congressman. > > The Canadians can do it but for citizens of the Unites States it is just too challenging. All those illegal immigrants would have an advantage by understanding the metric system. How will all the losers that can’t graduate from some shitty high school find a job if they can’t compete against a migrant that is far smarter and more motivated than they are? Or maybe it was about the fact that people in general hate change and thus will vilify anyone who tries to force it on them? Not everything in the world is some sort of right wing conspiracy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/barnes-and-noble-just-lost-themselves-a-customer/616688.md?page=3)