Nook for Android Review: A Must-Have App for Avid Readers

E-readers have taken the world by storm, but what if you can't or don't want to shell out a few hundred dollars for one? Never fear: Nook for Android by Barnes & Noble turns your phone into a (smaller) e-reader for free--though you'll have to buy your own ebooks.

Nook for Android takes Barnes & Noble's Nook concept and delivers it to Android devices. Free ebooks are available for download, as well as all of the Nook titles.

When you open the app, you will be asked to create an account with Barnes & Noble or to log in to an existing account. From there, you are brought to a home screen that offers sections for what you're currently reading, and for your Library, Archives, and the Nook Shop.

From the Shop you can purchase books for instant download, find free books, or download samples of books before you buy.

To test out this app, I downloaded the classic book Little Women, which is part of the free Barnes & Noble Classics Series. All of the functionality you'd expect from an e-reader is present: Font size can be changed, brightness can be adjusted, and chapter navigation is easy. There is a vanishing slider bar at the bottom of pages that lets you navigate rapidly through pages, but it lacks accuracy. Turning the page is as easy as swiping your finger across the screen, complete with page-turning animation. The Nook app keeps your place in the books you are reading so you can come back to them later.

For reading on-the-go, Nook delivers a straightforward and simple way to turn your Android phone into an e-reader.