Barnes & Noble announce new, improved Nook GlowLight e-reader, available now for $120

Check out our review of the Barnes & Noble Nook Glowlight e-Reader.

When Barnes & Noble discounted the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight ebook reader by $20 back in August, we wondered if a new model was on its way. Sure enough, the bookstore has announced the Nook GlowLight, an updated model with a few new features, and a funky new look.

The most noticeable change is in the GlowLight’s body and color, as it’s now clad in a soft-touch, rubberized shell to make it more comfortable and secure in your hand. Instead of black, it now comes in a light grey, perfectly complimenting the white of the display. B&N has stuck with the same 6-inch touchscreen as before, and it has a 1024 x 758 pixel resolution, giving a 212ppi pixel density.

Staying with the display, Barnes & Noble has improved the integrated light considerably, making for an evenly spread, brighter glow, without any of the flashing which can often be seen on E Ink screens. There’s a total of 4GB internal memory, and it’s happy to read all different kinds of ebook files, rather than restricting you to content purchased through Barnes & Noble. Interestingly, of the 2.5GB available for storage, 2GB has to be used for content purchased with Barnes & Noble.

As for standby time, the potential is there for two-months battery life with Wi-Fi and the light switched off. It’s lighter than the old model, at 175 grams, but the MicroSD card slot to increase the internal storage has been removed. The menu system on the home screen has also been given an overhaul, and there’s a quick access bar displayed at the bottom of every page, so it’s easy to jump to the menu, store, or the search function.

Barnes & Noble are selling the Nook GlowLight for $120, which is the same as the Kindle Paperwhite, but it doesn’t come with any ads or “special offers” like Amazon’s reader. It’s also cheaper than the attractive, $170 Kobo Aura HD. The Nook GlowLight is now available through Barnes & Noble’s website and ready for shipping in 24 hours.