Barnes & Noble is still in the Ereader game and is following the latest recruits with the more affordable NOOK GlowLight 4e.
This New model (Opens in new tab)This is an adaptation of last year Glolite4 (Opens in new tab), Reduced the price from $ 30 to a more attractive $ 119.99. However, savings come with performance costs.
Mid-tier eReader
The gap between GlowLight 4 and 4e is not that big. For starters, the new model still has a 6-inch E ink screen that can withstand scratches and annoying light. The name ‘glolite’ refers to glolite illumination, which, according to Burns & Noble, is a powerful backlight enough to read on a bed without overhead light or to counteract the bright light of the sun.
Continuing its similarities, the GlowLight 4e also has an on-screen page, Wi-Fi connectivity, and physical buttons next to it to access B&N readouts, a library full of free book summaries and articles. But this is where the similarities end.
The display output of the GlowLight 4e is 212 dpi or dots per inch, while older models have 300 DPI (most Amazon Kindle readers offer 300 dpi). This number indicates the screen resolution; The higher the DPI, the sharper the image. The GlowLight 4e also lacks night mode, which allows the LED lights on the GlowLight4 to change to a more eye-catching orange color. The new device with a maximum of 8GB of storage also takes up less space.
Battery life has a very vague time frame. Burns & Nobles claims that Glolite 4e will last “weeks on a single charge”. We contacted Barnes & Noble for clarification about the specific time but it did not return our call. E Ink is known for power sipping, but if both LED-based Glolite and Wi-Fi connectivity are used frequently enough, they will consume battery life more quickly. GlowLight 4e launches on June 7th and this Currently available for pre-order (Opens in new tab) Right now.
Analysis: Finding a niche
Since 2017, the world of eReaders has undergone many changes. Burns & Noble teamed up with Lenovo to release NOOK 10-inch HD tablet (Opens in new tab). In particular, it is a tablet with the NOOK app also installed for eBooks and Dolby Atmos.
TechRad has a list of the best eReaders for 2022 if you are interested in buying one. Not a single NOOK model made the list. Other readers are offered better displays and storage options, but with higher price tags. Burns & Noble is a niche for mid-tier eReaders who can fill up with this new NOOK.