It has been almost two years since the first Barnes and Noble Nook came out. Unfortunately, it was received with mixed reviews as it was released with several small glitches. There were later firmware updates that resolved the problems and now the Nook is a real contender for top honors as the best ebook reader.
The first version of the Nook was available with Wi-Fi and 3G and then several months later with Wi-Fi only. This first version had the dual screen set up; a black and white 6 inch e-ink screen for reading e-books and a smaller touch screen color LCD screen for navigation.
One year after the release of the Nook 1 came the Nook color. It features a 7 inch color touch screen and is similar to the iPad in that it is a hybrid ebook reader and tablet computer. The Nook color is ideal for those that like full color viewing of books, newspapers, and magazines.
Finally, the latest version is the Nook 2 or the Nook Simple Touch. It has a 6 inch black and white e-ink touch screen. As it no longer has the small color navigation screen, the Nook Touch has a much improved battery life.