A number of folks have expressed disappointment with the new Nook Glowlight 3 because Barnes and Noble limited the available storage space for sideloaded content to less than 1 GB.
The Nook has 8 GB of storage total, with about 1.6 GB reserved for the operating system and 5.4 GB for Nook content.
After receiving some complaints, Barnes and Noble is now beta-testing a software update that makes it so there is no limit for sideloaded content.
This basically abandons the 1 GB of additional storage space but it makes the 5.4 GB available for both Nook and sideloaded content, a big improvement for some folks.
There’s a post over at MobileRead with users testing the new software.
The latest beta firmware version is 48.3.20. There’s a link for it at the top of page 8 if you want to try it out.
The Nook Glowlight’s current software version is 47.2.113/4.8.2.8, although B&N just shows 4.8.2 on their webpage for Nook Glowlight 3 software updates.
History is repeating itself once again (this same thing happened with an earlier Nook) but it’s good to see B&N is still listening to what customers want.
Wish you could have put this article out when the price was 89 dollars. This is one more reason to buy it.
It’s still only $99, and I did mention it in the article about the $89 sale.
Yes, I see that.
I hope they lower the price again.
I’ve installed the beta firmware and I’m finding it just a bit buggy. The buttons don’t work reliably. The double press chapter feature seldom works. Even going to a chapter via the table of contents doesn’t always work.
The reading experience, though, is excellent and that’s what really matters. I hope they fix this stuff but even if they don’t I’m glad I got it.
Barry
If you are having trouble with the beta software, be sure to erase and deregister the device after installing. It’s a pain in the butt, as you have to reload your books, but it seems to solve most issues that crop up.
“This basically abandons the 1 GB of additional storage space but it makes the 5.4 GB available for both Nook and sideloaded content…”
So, the firmware update makes that 1 GB of storage just disappear and the *total* storage is now 5.4 GB??
That appears to be — in the politest terms possible — an imperfect solution, doesn’t it?
No, the total storage is 6.35GB after installing the beta, at least it is on mine.
For everyone who has used it, is it worth the purchase after the software update?
Could someone explain in detail how to go install the Beta? I went to MobileRead and got it but the explanations for installing it were too vague. I did what I thought I should do and it didn’t work. Thanks!
I’m not sure if it was from playing with the firmware, but it appears the limit has been lifted for everyone!
Yeah, they officially released the update so now all 6.35GB of space is open for sideloading.
What is meant by the term sideloaded books mentioned in the new update. Thanks. ,
Non-Nook books added via USB.
Ok, thanks. Have quite a few free books I ordered off my iPad, they are all under the icon IBooks. How can I transfer them to my nook? thanks for your help.
If you got them through Apple there’s no way to get them on a Nook. Apple’s ebooks are locked into Apple software.
I didn’t get them through Apple I don’t think, I ordered them as a promotion from the authors.
iBooks is the Apple ebook store.
For ebooks, DRM locks them to the account or device they are purchased on. This is why you can’t get books purchased on an iPad onto your Nook. Apple (who makes iPads) and Barnes & Noble (who makes Nooks) have different DRM schemes. To get the books onto your Nook, you would have to break the DRM and move them to the Nook.
This is very difficult to do with books purchased from Apple / iBooks. This is why a lot of people prefer to purchase other stories which do not have such complicated DRM, or from DRM-free bookstores like Baen or Storybundle who don’t inconvenience customers with DRM at all. Ebooks from Baen or Storybundle can simply be added to any device you want with no extra hassle.
Thank you so much for your help. I really do appreciate it.