Yesterday was Windows 8 day, but I found this e-reader hack more interesting

Yesterday, the consumer preview of Windows 8 hit the streets. I haven’t downloaded it. I’m mildly curious, but have a number of things higher on my priority list. Being a late adopter of Windows versions serves me well more often than not anyway.

I found something else yesterday that I find a lot more interesting: An e-ink Android tablet. Humor me.

As it turns out, the $99 Nook Simple Touch runs Android 2.1. So like the Nook Color, it can be turned into a cheap Android tablet.

As an Android tablet, you can still read books using various e-reader apps. But you can also do other things with it, like run a web browser and read e-mail. If e-ink is easier on the eyes than an LCD, then reading text-heavy web pages and e-mail will be nice on e-ink too. You’ll just lose the color, which, when it comes to e-mail, is usually a blessing anyway. (It’s been a decade since someone sent me a message in blue text with a purple background, but that isn’t long enough.)

The 800 MHz CPU, half the memory of a Nook Color, and e-ink screen will make for a lousy Angry Birds experience, but for text-heavy tasks, it sounds like something worth a look. It’ll probably be summer before I get that chance–I haven’t touched my modded Nook Color in months either–but I think I’m interested. Especially if I spot a deal on a refurb.

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