Yep, y'all are reading this correct. It's really quite easy now to get Kindle books on Nook color and have both eBook stores available to you on a single device. This is possible because Nook Color is more of an entry level Android tablet than a dedicated eReader. As it comes out of the box it just happens to outset the Nook application by default and non let users run anything else.

Notwithstanding that can easily be stock-still by rooting the device and enabling the Android Market. With Andoid market you tin can install all kinds of applications, including Kindle, Kobo reader. Yous would also be able to play Angry Birds and sentinel Youtube videos. Installing the Kindle awarding for Android volition let you lot read Amazon Kindle books on your Nook Colour device.

The downside yet is that as with all hacks, you lot gamble bricking the device and voiding the warranty. You may also lock yourself out of future updates from Barnes and Noble. So it'south a merchandise off but in my opinion a profitable 1.

It took me less than five minutes to execute all rooting instructions from NookDevs.com to root the device, enable Android Market, download Kindle for Android and have WhisperSync open the book I was reading on the same place I left it off on my Kindle device.

Here's what you will need in terms of hardware:

  1. NookColor device with USB cable
  2. microSD card that is larger than 128MB (if you are in a rush and have Amazon Prime number, amazon will overnight information technology to you for boosted $iii.99)
  3. SD card reader if your computer doesn't have one.

In terms of software you'll demand:

  • On Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7 32 or 64 chip – Win32DiskImager.exe
  • On Mac or Linux yous tin can become by with tools that ship with the operating system.

Here's what yous demand to do:

  1. Earlier rooting make sure that you've registered the device with B&N every bit it might not work after rooting.
  2. Download nooter that corresponds to you Nook version. You can check your Nook version past pressing Nook button, selecting "Settings" >> "Device Info" >> "Almost your NOOKcolor" >> Software version:
    1. for i.0.0 – GabrialDestruir's auto nooter 2.12.15 file 15 Dec 2010
    2. for one.0.1 – GabrialDestruir's auto nooter 2.12.25 file 25 Dec 2010
  3. Unpack the file
  4. On Windows use Win32DiskImager to write the prototype to microSD carte (please note that all data on the carte volition be lost). For Linux or Mac, check out NookDevs.com for detailed microSD imaging instructions.
  5. Completely ability off NOOKcolor by holding the ability button until the screen blurs and "Power off NOOKColor" dialog appears. Select "Ability Off" and wait for the device to close down completely.
    NOOKcolor microSD card slot
  6. Turn device face up down and open the microSD bill of fare container in the lower right corner. Push the card in with metal contacts facing downward.
  7. Connect the device to your computer via USB cable. The device volition ability up and book from the SD carte but the screen volition not turn on. This is normal.
  8. After about a minute your calculator show detect the new device. This means that the rooting is consummate. Your Windows computer will complain about missing drivers. This is normal.
  9. Disconnect the USB cable and remove the card from the reader.
  10. Power cycle it by belongings the power push button for xx seconds and then releasing it. The press the power button briefly to power the reader on.
  11. As the reader boots y'all will encounter a red splash screen.
  12. Once the reader boots, you will be prompted for yous Gmail account (as usually with Android) and some initial settings. This will only happen in one case.
  13. Equally you open up the extras folder you will run into that it at present contains Android market icon and some extras (Youtube, Gmail, etc)
    NOOKcolor rooted extras including Kindle
  14. Y'all can now commencement the market app and download other apps that you like. Y'all will demand to reboot the device for apps to appear on the extras page. The apps themselves tin be used right abroad just as with usual Android apps.

Afterward that the sky is the limit.

First affair that I did was to download Kindle application and verify that information technology works – it did. Encounter – for yourself.

Amazon Kindle on NOOKcolor

Amazon Kindle App on NOOKcolor

While this works, information technology's not 100%. Initially I had some problems with apps not downloading via the market app. Reboot stock-still that. Kobo app for android logs in and displays the list of books merely so all books get stuck in "Waiting for download" state. Kindle app didn't have such problems.

I besides tried Youtube, remote desktop, Gmail and Angry Birds and that worked well.

All-in-all, I'chiliad quite happy with this experiment as it shows again that Kindle books tin cantankerous device boundaries and run even on competing devices. Does information technology add together value to Kindle or NOOKcolor? I think both. If you lot accept Barnes&Noble LCD eReader yous can now get books from either shop. Kindle opponents meanwhile have one less reason to complain well-nigh device-restricting DRM arrangement.

I wanted to do Kindle vs. NOOKcolor review starting time, but this post turned out more than virtually how these two devices cooperate rather than compete. The comparison review will exist posted sometime early next year. I promise.

Unrooting and updating

Some people claim that using NOOKcolor can exist "unrooted" by "Settings" >> "Device Info" >> "Erase & Deregister Device" only I haven't tested information technology still. I'grand quite happy with my rooted NOOKcolor. Some other method is to hold power, nook and Volume+ buttons pressed until y'all are prompted for device reset.

Learn how to open up ZIP file.I've tried both methods and both reset the nook just apps were however present on the "extras" screen.

The official ane.0.one update got installed without problems and subsequently rebooting all rooting extras were completely gone.

I then went alee to re-rooted the device and installed the Kindle reader apps back.