A new Android-powered ereader/tablet combination was released today called the Next3, a WiFi-equipped touchscreen-enabled device that ties in with the Borders ebook store.
Update: Check my hands-on Next3 review for more details on the Nextbook 8.4″ ereader. There’s a video review and instructions for installing apps as well.
The Next3 is selling from HSN for an introductory price of $199 and is expected to hit retail stores (presumably Borders) soon.
It features a unique screen size—8.4 inches diagonally. That’s with a 4:3 aspect ratio and 800 x 600 resolution. The screen tech is TFT LCD. And it uses a resistive touchscreen.
According to the Next3 spec sheet, the device runs Android 2.1, has a 600MHz ARM926EJ processor, 2GB flash memory, SD card slot, WiFi, headphone jack, speaker, microphone, g-sensor, and supports Adobe DRM. The battery life doesn’t sound so great: just 4-5 hours.
For ebooks it supports PDF, EPUB, TXT, FB2, PDB, and RTF. The device measures 8.4″ x 6.4″ x .45″ and weighs about 1.1 pounds.
Here’s the rest of the details from the press release:
Built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) convenience allows users to browse the Internet, receive and answer e-mails, watch YouTube videos, listen to Internet music providers and get real-time weather reports. Turning pages and choosing applications is as easy as lifting a finger with the touch-screen feature. Additional functions include a calculator, clock, and alarm.
The Next3 features Google’s powerful Android 2.1 operating system. It has a large 8.4″ TFT color display, built-in speakers, 2GB flash memory with an SD card slot to increase storage capacity, and an MP3/photo viewer. For added fun, third-party applications are available. An elegant, removable case with magnetic closure provides protection.
The Borders eBook store is preloaded on every Nextbook making it easy to purchase and download favorite titles. Next3 users can choose from over one-million titles, many of which are free, including new releases and the latest bestsellers as well as biography, fiction, romance, etc., right from the comfort of their own home. ‘Shopping’ for an e-book is like shopping for a printed book, except the book is delivered instantly to the Next3 unit.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEXT3 TABLET? WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD KINDLE AND OTHER BOOKS?
Don’t have any idea yet, but I’m on the list to get a review unit hopefully later this month.
This runs android 2.1. The Kindle app requires android 1.6 or higher. So you should be able to install the Kindle app on it. That’s why I ordered it, but, it hasn’t been delivered yet.
I was really excited about this tablet and what it could do, until I read the specs many times thinking I couldn’t possible have gotten it right. The system has 2 gigs of space 1.5 taken up by operating system and apps and is only expandable too 8 gig card. Yes I read the manual wondering how downloading video worked with an 8 gig card! I have always been excited by android and then I’ve read the fine print and wondered what are they thinking. The Nextbook 3 should have had as much system memory as possible and expandable to as much as possible. Potentially a great idea to rivel Nook and iPad gone bad.
When I discovered $38 was the difference standing between the Next2 I just got, & this one…
http://electronics.hsn.com/nextbook-8-4-lcd-touchscreen-color-tablet-with-wi-fi-apps-and-software_pf-104797_xp.aspx
I returned it, & ordered the Next3 instead. I stumbled onto it yesterday on HSN, which happened to be the first day it was released.
This Nextbook’s OS is Android 2.1 – which may (?) support Kindle
Android, so I can install the app & import my Amazon books. The screen is 1.5″ wider, the RAM is 2x more (250MB), plus other features, but these were the deciders for me.
I’m not interested in playing movies on this device, but as a hunch, I would bet the way they get it to do so is by rendering the video resolution in fairly small dimensions. Notice that when they show it playing video on HSN, it never takes up the whole 800 x 600 screen.
It’s not meant to be an Apple iPad, which really is more of a PC. It’s a souped up eReader with internet capabilities.
I BOUGHT THE NEXT3 FROM HSN. HOPE TO GET IT SOON.
QUESTION–IT DOES NOT COME WITH A DICTIONARY-CALANDER-HIGHLIGHTER. WILL ONE BE ABLE TO GET THESE APPS AND DOWNLOAD THEM ON THE DEVICE? SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THESE APPS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.
Should be able to get them via their app store, if not then some other app store like SlideMe or other Android App sites, perhaps. But the best option is to install an Android Emulator on your computer and set it up with a Market App, but takes some technical work.
Wondering if it can be charged (ie car lighter) etc. I’ve looked everywhere and cannot find an answer. Does anybody know? I am new at all this and am looking forward to getting mine. A little disappointed that so much of the operating system fills the available storage but I guess a 8 gig SD card isn’t so bad.
My wife just got hers today and is trying to get her kindle books onto it. We’ve browsed through the Market but no kindle app. Anyone have any ideas?
As long as it is open to install 3rd party apps you could try using the one in my Android Reading pack. Let us know if it works because I’m not certain if this device can install 3rd party apps or not and would like to know. Thanks.
I got my Next3 on Monday. I do have the Kindle for Android app on it. I love using this machine.
A few things I’ve learned: When you are in the book the page is full screen. To see the progress in the entire book, tap the bottom middle of the screen. This will also bring up the “Home”, “Menu” and “Back” buttons on the top of the screen.
To get to the “Menu” from within the book, do a hard press on the down arrow on the right side of the Nextbook. To leave the Kindle app do a hard press on the up arrow, just above the down arrow.
So far I’ve also got the Nook app and Aldiko on the Next3. It came with the Borders app. I think I’m set with reading apps until Aldiko 2.0 comes out.
I’m returning my Next2 since I can’t get the Kindle or Nook apps on it. Otherwise it hasn’t given me any trouble at all. Neither has the Next3.
I have used 3rd party apps from “Slide Me”, “Android Freeware” and “AndroidPit” on the Next 3. The Nook .apk came from a back-up of my phone. It’s Samsung Intercept running Android 2.2 on Sprint.
I used apps from “Slide Me” and “Android Freeware” on the Next2.
Sorry to post again. I forgot to mention a few things.
Nathan, thank you for the Android Reading Pack. I got the Kindle .apk from it.
I am going to call support to find out about the charger issue. I’d also like a couple more chargers for around the house. The closest replacement wall chargers I’ve found have been at LightInTheBox.com .
I read on a forum that the Next3’s specs will support a card up to 16GB. The person who posted that is waiting for their own Next3. When they get it I’m sure they will try it and report back. I’ll post what they say here.
Does anyone know of an Android app that allows you to highlight and annotate your own .pdf’s? I’m beginning to believe this is the one Android app I’d be willing to pay for. I can’t find one anywhere.
Ok so after my wife said if she couldn’t get her Kindle books on it she was sending it back I launched into the net to find out how to get it to work.
I finally got it to download but through Kindle for Android
The Next3 does support 3rd party apps, make sure it is checked in the options.
I have had to reboot the tablet 3 times now as it randomly locks up.
Another thing we’ve noticed about it is the wifi on it is VERY slow to load anything. Only has one bar of signal compared to other devices having full bars at the same range.
As we play with it I will post our reviews on it if anyone is interested.
Cool. Thanks for the updates. It’s good to know it can install apps. Looking forward to testing it out. Haven’t found any PDF programs yet that allow annotations. Except maybe can you load them into the B&N app? Or does that only allow importing EPUBs? That’s the one app I haven’t been able to get to work on any of my machines.
I can read, highlight and annotate my personal .pdfs with the Nook for PC app. I haven’t figured out how to do the same in the Nook for Android app. I just installed it last night.
I’ve spent most of my free time rejoicing due to getting the Kindle app on my Next3. Am I missing something with the Nook app?
I was thinking the Nook for Android app had highlighting and notes but I just looked at B&N’s site and there’s no mention. I also thought it could import DRM-free EPUBs, so I thought maybe it could import PDF too—it’s hard to keep all the features of these different apps straight. I’m using the 9″ Pandigital Novel and it has a B&N app built in that can do those things but it’s not the same as the Android app, I guess.
You know how 1/2 the reviews on HSN say the Next3 is great – & the other 1/2 says it will not operate….? Well, guess which kind arrived here yesterday… After 12 hours on the charger – my Nextbook3 will not even turn on. Nothing. It is DOA.
I called HSN today for a replacement. They said they are sold out, & are only issuing refunds, no replacements, because there are none. When I asked what had gone wrong concerning this item, the clerk actually defended it saying, “Well, I get calls from a lot of people who say they just love them.” I said, “Well, I’m sure you do. Either you got a good one, & you’re happy – or you got a bad one, & you’re screwed for Christmas. And I’m screwed.” To get another one from HSN, IF they ever offer Next3 again, I will have to re-order, & buy at a different price.
I called the manufacturer, E Fun, at 1-888-415-5177 to see if I could get a warranty replacement. Last week, someone in tech support picked up to answer a question. Today, I get a series of tones & recording which says “We’re sorry, your call did not go through. Will you please try your call again later?” I get no automated company phone system, & my entire call is simply rejected – almost as if they’ve just vanished.
If anyone else got Scrooged…& made progress in getting a replacement…please post.
: (
To The Person Who Wanted To Know How To Charge The Next3 In The Car Use An Power Inverter In The Lighter Scoket Then Put The Regular House Charger Wire Into The Inverter Just Like You Would Do In The House To Charge It In The CAR.HOPE THIS HELPED.
As a follow up, some people in the HSN reviews for Next3 who’s readers would not power on are experiencing success by pressing a pin into the reset hole in the back & then trying the power button again. I tried this – & mine still will not turn on.
When tried in USB ports, my PC cannot recognize the device, & it never turns up in Explorer as an external drive. The Next2 I tried out last week however, was recognized easily.
Mine has been 100% unresponsive to anything I’ve tried.
One strange observation: During its 12 hr. charging time, the AC adapter never got even slightly warm to the touch. This makes me wonder if it ever charged at all. This is a 5V adapter, & unfortunately, my Universal Adapter lacks this 5V setting to test the Next3 on another charger. If I can locate another universal adapter with a 5V setting, I will post re any success in starting the unit.
Bah! Humbug. lol
That stinks, to put it bluntly. So there’s no light when you plug it in? Most every device I’ve ever tested has some kind of light that indicates it is charging. Perhaps you are right about the battery being defective, or the charger.
This won’t help you for the weekend, but, I did find chargers that look like they are compatible at LightInTheBox.com.
I looked at Radio Shack for alternative chargers today, but they had none that were both 5V & 2A (2 amps) to potentially power this device. They couldn’t sell me anything for it, but they did test my charger – & said the adapter itself was working fine.
Unfortunately, there is no power light on the Next3 (or on the adapter itself). I agree, this would be a good thing to let the user know it was actually charging, running, or otherwise drawing power.
My Next3 remains 100% dead, & has never uttered so much as the faintest flicker – regardless of anything I’ve tried, in any combination. It would have been great if the Reset button had inspired it to start, as some on HSN report has worked. Trying different several wall outlets, including one at Radio Shack, was also fruitless.
The sheer volume of identical & similar reports on HSN is *truly* daunting….. Way too many to be solely impatience & user error.
http://electronics.hsn.com/nextbook-8-4-lcd-touchscreen-color-tablet-with-wi-fi-apps-and-software_pf-104797_xp.aspx
And I thought the growing number of reviews at Amazon that read, “I went to use my Kindle today, & found that it was broken” were bad…
Envision this scenario… Several thousand bad parts were randomly incorporated into Next3 manufacturing… And when discovered, instead of holding up Christmas sales to test all the tablets before shipping them out, they were simply sent off to retailers as-is… Marked down to 30% off, to ensure sales. Leaving we the customers to do the work of sorting out the good from the bad, over Christmas… At which time management decided was a great time to disconnect the phone. I wonder how close to the truth this may be.
I’d like to offer my sincerest apologies to anyone who followed the HSN link I posted, ordered one, & also got a bum unit… If this has also happened to you, I am very sorry. My hope was to reveal a bargain, not break hearts Christmas morning… : /
I rode E Fun’s phone line all day, & I *finally* got through to tech support near the end of the day. They said their phones had been down since 8am…??
The manufacturer emailed me a pre-paid FedEx RMA tag for my dead Nextbook – & has offered to replace it.
So, HSN shoppers… Don’t give up on trying to reach E Fun. You may finally get results regarding an exchange, if you want one. HSN will say a refund is your only option.
If she truly was surprised to hear me describe the horrific HSN reviews, which continue to multiply, I don’t think they will be for long…
I purchaced two Nextbooks, model#1. I came here looking for tech support. My units both seem to work ok when they are on. thing is to get it to turn on it must be plugged in first. once the power from either the USB or the charger is in, the light turns green and it can be switched on,unplugged and used for hours. Once switched off it will not come on again simply by pressing the button even if the battery is fully charged. Also the computer only acknowledges the book if it is plugged in and then turned on. user’s guide says to charge it fully for 7 hours before first use. but the light turned from red to green after only a couple of hours. I wonder if the battery overcharged and got wrecked? weird though that it does work but must be plugged in first to be able to switch it on. suggestions about how to contact someone for help with this?
Thanks so much.
my Next3 tab arrived today. after a few minutes of web browsing, it froze. i couldn’t do anything to Go back to the Home page. is there a way to re-set this tablet? pls. help.
There’s a small hole with a reset button somewhere. Stick a paperclip in it.
UGH I bought 4 of these and 1 works…very fusterated…disapointed kids
Of course its Sunday so no ones there to call..then If I get ahold theres still waiting on label and shipping time to get another one…..
NATHAN.. GOT MY NEXT3 USED IT FOR A FEW DAYS SO FAR SO GOOD.
HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS, IT STARTS UP EASILY, BROWSED THE WEB(NO PROBLEM). THE TROUBLE IAM HAVING MIGHT NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH NX3. IT IS THE ADOBE- CANNOT DOWNLOAD BOARDERS BOOKS. REGISTERED WITH ADOBE DIGITAL EDITION AND ADOBE MEMBERSHIP. BOTH WITH THE SAME ADDRESS AND PASSWORD. ON MY PC BOTH OPEN TO ME WHEN I USE IT. THE NEXT3 DOES NOT ALLOW ME TELLING ME IT IS WRONG. DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HELP
I’m not sure what the problem could be, Bob. I haven’t received the review unit yet so don’t have any experience with the built-in Borders app. Do you already have an account with Borders? You should just be able to sign in with your Borders account on the Next3 and have your books appear with sync.
My husband gave me the nextbook for Christmas…I cant turn it on..at all!!! I am soooo frustrated. any advice?
No advice, but I got one for Christmas too that won’t turn on.
For Christmas my family purchased 2 of the Next3 devices. One wouldn’t turn on at all; it didn’t have anything to do with the charger as I tried the chargers from both devices. The second one popped on as soon as it was plugged in.
With the device that arrived DOA I charged it for 5 hours (per the instruction manual) and nothing. I then left it “charging” overnight still nothing. It is being returned. Pushing the reset in the back did not give me any signs of life.
for the second device, I love it. The Wi-Fi signal does seem to be very picky. If there is one bar of service it will not connect to the network. Other than that I love my Next3.
PS- there is a book reader app called Laputa that can be downloaded, it is actually in the Google apps store. If you go to apps on the device, then search you can pull it right up. Please be forewarned that the books may be subject to typos but it is a very good way to read some of the popular books out today (use the Awayan option to search the newer books).
I’ve been trying to download the nook app and I cant. Help!!!…How did you guy do so? I did finally get the kindle app to download!
I got this from HSN for Xmas. No problems with it so far. I am new to these e-reader devices. I have read a lot of negative reviews about these Next3 devices arriving DOA.
The earphone jack and the charging jack are right next to each other.
Be certain you are plugging the charger into the correct jack. Also instructions say to fully charge for 5 hours before using, and the “on” button needs to be held in for 5 seconds to turn on the fully charged device.
This will only charge on a wall charger (included), will not charge via the USB connector.
I don’t like the 5 hour battery life, is this low for these type of devices?
Will keep checking here for new comments/tips on this machine. Thanks!
Got one for my son DOA has been charged for 3 days still DOA called HSN out of stock emailed the company the are going to email me back anyone trird this? i just want one that works how do i get this?
Chris,
I know this is insulting, but is the charger plugged into the correct hole, not earphone jack?
If it is DOA as so many seem to be from HSN, I would ask them to send you a pick-up tag fom Fedex, to return with free shipping.
The Pocketbook IQ, seems like a better choice, see review here. If mine has any problems within the next 30 days, it is going back and I am getting a Pocketbook IQ. I wish I had researchd these devices more thoroughly.
Some people have had luck calling the 8oo # on http://www.NextbookUsa.com for a replacement. Best of luck.
NATHAN –NEED INSTRUCTIONS FOR KINDLE ON NX3. ORDERING BOOKS FROM BORDERS ON NX3 YOU HAVE TO HAVE ADOBE ID. TO GET ONE YOU HAVE TO REGISTER WITH ADOBE DIGITAL EDITION AND ADOBE MEMBERSHIP BOTH WITH THE SAME NAME AND PASSWORD.
Hi Everyone,
I have been reading all of your comments, and maybe I
Am just one of the lucky ones. I played with it right out of the box! I ordered a nextbook2 from HSN and I liked lt, but then my daughter wanted one so I ordered the next3 for myself, When I saw that the next3 had the bigger screen. It was a nice improvement over the next2. I procrastinated for 3 days, but then I ordered it. Good thing I did, it was sold out the next day! It got here in 3 days! As compared to the next2, the screen is bigger of course. You can put up your own wallpapers The next2 you can only have the home screen. I got it so I could have a small device to take to school. I do my homework on this and then send it to myself via email, or hook it up via usb and print it out if needed. But I always have it in my reader so I don’t have to drag out my books to study. I have made flash cards that works in the photo viewer. I have downloaded some games, I have found an app that let’s you highlight certain words copy & paste which is perfect for me. It works with Microsoft works. I have found a spell checker program, dictionaries. It also doubles as a photo Viewer, place it in a plate stand set it to automatic and watch your pics go by. Basically A mini laptop! As far as battery life. Turn off the things you are not using such as wifi. Set the screen to turn off every 2 mins. If not in use. Oh and if you have a freeze Push your little reset button, it doesn’t reset everything It just untangles whatever is making it freeze, Such as to many explorers open at once while playing a game or doing other tasks. Which with so many things going at once there’s another battery drain. So 1or 2 windows is fine while doing other tasks. You can also have more memory by Bottom line
“I LOVE THIS THING!”
to those having start up issues. you can not just push the power button. try pressing the power button until you see and you see a picture appear on the screen. On mine it takes a few seconds. I think it was designed to prevent accicental shut offs. I hope this helps some of you at least.
When I got my Next3 it was already charged up enough to use it. One other warning. When you are charging make sure you put adaptor in right spot. It also fits in the headphone jack. My wife and I have alrealdy done it accidentally. One question: Has anyone been able to get the bookmarks to work when reading a book. I can create one, but I have not figured out how to use it correctly once I creat one.
For those whose fully charged Nextbooks will not power on – your last ditch options to start it up are these:
1) Press a paperclip, pin, or needle into the Reset hole in the lower right hand corner on the back. You will hear a click when you do this. Then press the power button. Some have had their unit start. Or…
2) Attach Next3 to your PC’s USB port. See if the PC recognizes the device as an external drive.
If the Reset button does not work & the PC does not recognize it via USB – it is a dead unit. One of many. : |
E Fun will pay for Fed Ex shipping to return dead Nextbooks for exchange, but if you do not have a Fed Ex dealer who can scan their RMA form in your area – you will be paying out of pocket to return it. As I did. E Fun told me I could not get a paid label for any other shipping service.
Try not to smack the cheery people who tell you how stupid you must be that your Next3 will not power on, no matter what you do. 🙂
Book mark question
Go to the book you want to read.
go to your menu when you are ready for the book mark.
Tap book marks at the the bottom it will say add
so you type what you want To name it, and push ok.
When you are ready to go back to it do the same steps but this time go to show book Marks and click on what you named it, and it will go to it.
Thank you Cindy for your prompt response. I found out that the book marks do not work for some books. I happened to pick one that did not. Others worked fine.
I am having problems connected to the network from home?
But, I can if I go to McDonalds – Is there something I have to do to connect to a wireless home system.
I received a Next2 as a Christmas gift from my hubby (on 20 Dec) and was very excited at the possibilities the model offered! I was looking for an eReader, but the web browsing, possible app downloads and music/movie capabilities sold the Next2 for me! It was a much cheaper version of a tablet (where iPads started in the $500 region), and I got the Next2 for the bargain price of $150.
Because I have never even had so much of an iPhone, I wasn’t prepared to shell out so much money when I wasn’t even sure what I would do with one, and this model was one step above the eReaders I was researching.
The Next2 worked great out of the box! I was online in minutes and had downloaded a free Borders book to test the system. I took it on a trip to Rome for the weekend and the battery life was awesome! I stayed away from the apps until I had done more research on them, but other than not being able to access my free yahoo.com email address, I was very happy.
I did not like that there is not a holder for the stylus. That little thing is easy to lose and there isn’t even a little ring of elastic to hold it into the case, let alone a little clip on the Next2 itself.
I learned the hard way that just pressing the power button doesn’t turn it on/off, that you have to press and hold, but then I realized I liked this feature when I accidently turned my screen off while reading one evening. I also read that you cannot charge the device through the USB to the computer, only connect with the PC. The ONLY way to charge is through a wall outlet.
I also do not like the way the bookmarks work. Creating and titling a new one every time you want to pause your reading is quite a headache… I would rather just move the one I already created to the place where I now am in the book. Instead, you have to remember which is your most current bookmark. If it works any other way than this, I haven’t figured it out yet. You also have to figure out how to skip to chapters instead of having to remember which page number I am on in order to skip to where I want to be.
My device worked great for about a week, and then I had to restart it because the screen was frozen with a big yellow bar and a grey/off-black background. After the restart, I powered back up and everything looked normal. I have now not been able to do anything but look at the home page. As soon as I get on the internet (Google or Borders) I receive the following error message: “Sorry! The application Browser (process com.android.browser) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.” I then have no other option but to select the “Force Close” button. I am then taken back to the home page. When I attempt to scroll through myLibrary, the first page easily scrolls to the second page, but then I am given the following error message: “Sorry! The application EBookReader (process org.geometerplus.zlibrary.ui.android) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.” and again, I am forced to close.
The email I sent to Tech Support has not been answered yet, and I read on the nextbookusa.com website to wait 24-48 hours after registering my device to call tech support (1-888-415-5177, thank you to an earlier poster that shared the number for E Fun).
If any of you have experienced similar problems, I would appreciate any help you can offer, or likewise, like to hear what you were told from the tech support personnel (if you have actually made contact with them).
Many thanks!
Ann,
Is your connectioni visible when you go to wifi in the next menu? If so you enter the key you used to secure your internet access at home into the wifi setup when you choose your wifi connection. That should be all you need to do.
If you do not know how to find your key on your home wifi network send me an email at jbuck3749@msn.com and I will step you through the process of how to find it.
Can someone please give me precise directions on how to get the kindle app on my nextbook3? I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!
Also, if someone will let me know how to watch a video on the nextbook3 that would be great (I would prefer to copy a movie to my SD card and can’t figure out how to do either) Thanks!
ANYONE OUT THERE. I HAVE MY NX3 FOR TWO WEEKS . SO FAR IT HAS BEEN WORKING GREAT. ONLY I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO BORDERS. I HAVE A ADOBE ID BUT NX3 WILL NOT ACCEPT IT. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?–EVERYONE MUST HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET INTO IT.
I am sorry so many of you are having power issues, that is disappointing! I bought my mom one for Christmas. I have not downloaded any extra apps on it. My husband downloaded a book for her from borders and the cover showed up and it was readable. My brother downloaded a book for her from barnes and noble and the cover to the book does not show up it’s just a generic cover that says epub and you can’t even tell what book it is until you open it – but this book will not open. I also downloaded a free book from borders, it will open, but also has the generic cover that says epub – once again don’t know the title until you click on the book and it opens. I am on the brink of sending it back b/c I want her to be able to enjoy her books not guess and choose which book she is looking for because there are no covers to tell you what the book is. Can this reader only download books from borders? The instruction manual is a bit vague when it comes to downloading books. Anyone else have this problem? Actually after I was playing with it yesterday, the original book my husband downloaded now says the book is damaged when I try to open it? I don’t get it????
Terrie – to me, it sounds like a corrupt file issue. Which may have occurred during the book download.
Try deleting any unopenable Epub files from the Next3, & then downloading them fresh. If they are still unreadable, download them to PC by a stable internet connection, check them there first for readability, & then move them to the Next3 via USB connection.
This is a long shot, as I don’t have my exchange to experiment with it yet – but are the coverless epub files (that will open) re-nameable under file properties via PC in Windows Explorer…? I am wondering if they might be renamed to their titles when connected to the PC.
Next3 is an “open source” eReader, & so long as you have the app that’s designed to read the downloads installed – technically, it should be able to open any eBook.
Congrats on getting a working unit Terrie…& TY for your compassion.
As a more general comment… I received a love note from HSN on 12/30 saying they will NOT cover pre-paid returns for this item. I would bet they reneged on their promise to cover shipping due to the sheer volume of Next3 returns. This was my first HSN purchase… And my last.
I got the next3. Everything is working fine, but I can’t download apps from the app store. Well technically I can download them, but when I try to install them it says out of space clear up room on your phone… I have a 4 gig SD card in there. for the life of me i can’t figure out how to switch storage to the SD card. and when I try to go on to settings it asks for an andappstore username and password (which I went online and created) So I enter my username and password and nothing! I don’t get it!
Update on my Next3 purchase. I had had it for a week and then one morning it would not turn on. I had been charging it overnight so knew there shuuld not be any pwoer issues.
I talked to my wife and had her hit the reset button. After doing that the Next3 turned on and worked fine. It also showed it fully charged. That happened yeseterday morning and no issues since. I will keep you posted.
Terrie, I had the same issue with the generic cover on some of the free books I downloaded. I was told that many of the free books do not have covers, so that is why it happens. I will keep you posted
Jack, I noticed that mine does that when I have 4 or 5 things running at once and it goes into sleep mode. So I clear it with
The reset. I forget o close winows in the explorer, and I am working on other things ad it goes into sleep.
So in my way of thinking thes run the same way as computers
To many windows and apps running these don’t have the processor speed that a computer does so things are gonna get tangled up, so 2 speak.
All in all though I love
Some one here had wrote they were having trouble connecting
to the internet. I did a neighborhood experiment. I drove around to see how many wifi’s I could get from the road, I was
also testing the range I could get with the next3 I ended up with 12.
Thanks HJW and Judith for your input :). As I read the FAQ from the nextbook website – it does say you can only download books from borders. Now maybe if I were to download a different app, maybe we could download from other sites???? Haven’t tried yet, still getting used on how to get the hang of transferring ebooks to the reader from borders and from the computer with the adobe editions.
I will research doing the changing the file names in explorer when I get more time. I did download two other books for her (one pdf and the other another epub) and neither of those show the book cover in the library. But when the book is opened, the cover is there….it would be a lot nicer if the cover was in the library tho so you know what the book is before opening it — or even the name of the book.
I am wondering if anyone can prove me wrong…..when I down load a (purchased) book from borders using the next book I will have a cover. If I have to go to borders via a computer to find the book b/c it is not showing up thru the nextbook borders page, download to computer and transfer via the adobe editions…..it creates the epub/pdf and has the generic cover on the nextbook. I am just trying to figure this out.
Terrie, I looked into your 3rd party eReader apps question.
There is a “Free NOOK app for Android” download page at B&N here:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/free-nook-apps/379002321/?cds2Pid=34593
But my RMA exchange is still being processed, so I can’t try it out yet… 🙁
If someone successfully installs Nook for Android to the Next3 – let us know if you succeed in getting B&N books to download to it. I’d like to do this too.
I am curious to know what other eReader apps work best on Next3, besides Borders Books…
Nathan posted an Android Reading Apps bundle for download here – http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2010/11/22/android-reading-apps-review-and-apk-installation-pack/ This contains a selection of other eReader apps, but check the reviews there first for heads-up on technical issues.
Also, it’s been 3 weeks now, but I seem to remember something like the disappearing cover issue happening when I transferred a Borders book from my PC to the Next2 I tried out for a day. (Before I courted disaster & returned it to order a larger model, lol : D ) I agree being able to see the cover of your books is part of the enjoyment of having a color eReader.
Good luck! 🙂
Yea!!! I got the kindle for android to work for me because of Jared’s posting on Dec22. Please keep putting up more links on how to get android apps. Thanks for your help everyone for your postings.
Speaking of Android apps…
I talked with Netflix tonight…& I asked them if there was any chance they will one day be able to support the Android format for streaming video. The Rep. said yes, they plan to, they’re currently working on the Netflix for Android app, & to watch the Netflix blog for details concerning its release.
For those concerned about watching full length video on Next3 from SD cards, this may be one way to do it.
Any thoughts on how long Next3’s version of Android may be able to be updated to newer versions…? I hope it doesn’t get left in the dust in a year & stuck with a permanently low OS version, like the Next2 has with Android 1.5.
Nextbook’s website says Next2 is “preloaded with the latest version of Android” – but their spec sheet indicates Android 1.5, which my Next2 came with.
I had an interesting conversation with an E Fun tech support this morning…
I called to ask what stage my RMA process was in, & they could not tell me — just that the return had been received.
I also asked what E Fun was doing to ensure I was shipped a working unit, instead of another DOA, & I was told nothing — they will just pull another unit out of the same stock pool & ship it.
When I asked what went wrong with the Next3 that so many hundreds of DOA or short lived units were shipped out – E Fun tech support flatly denied there was ever a problem…just as sweetly as if I’d asked a politician about a government chemical spill.
He denied the giant glut of non-functioning Next3’s shipped out, & the plain evidence indicating that a problem with the Next3 had ever occurred.
I described the outstanding number of DOAs & chronic reset issues that customers have been experiencing including myself, & asked him how so many hundreds of identically bad units could get past quality control. He told me, “Actually, out of the 30,000 Next3 units that were sold, there were only maybe 100 bad units shipped out.” He said, “So, the number of working units that arrived for this item, was actually even remarkably good. Better than expected, really.” Imagine that…
I politely explained that this was not possible, because out of about 500 reviews at HSN for the Next3 — 300 of them are 1 star reviews for DOA units, & roughly 100 more reviews are for units that died in 1 day to 2 weeks — & in a syrupy voice, he curtly, sweetly denied that this was ever true. He said, “The negativity you see is simply a result of multiple negative entries being left by the same people,” saying, “I know, because I have read through them, & have seen this for myself.” I told him I have also read through them, & there are no duplicate entries listed at HSN. In fact, you can only leave one review per item per HSN account, & if you did not buy the item through them, you cannot review it on site. Snotty, passive aggressive boy that he was, he just agreed with me sweetly, & said I did not know what I was talking about.
I kept my tone professional…& E Fun tech support was evasive, deceptive, dismissive, smart mouthed, & unctuously smug with me, throughout the entire conversation. It was US tech support too…not an outsourced clerk 15 time zones away in Bangladesh.
My hopes for anyone taking any actual responsibility for this fiasco, & responding with any level of honesty concerning its nature, have dwindled from slim to none.
If you are jilted again by this purchase, keep the following in mind. If E Fun ships out more dead units for RMA… & if delays caused by return shipping time cause your dead Next3 to be too late to return to HSN for a refund… Please remember that you can take this purchase up with the dispute & claims department of the credit card you originally made the purchase through, & they will go after HSN to refund the cost of this purchase to you. Save all of your receipts & documentation for your purchase & your attempts to resolve the issue, show them to your credit card’s claims dept., & you will not be stuck with a dead unit & a $200 cash loss.
Trivia: An “anagram” contained within the word “refund”… Is “E Fun”.
Whenever I download a free book from borders the cover does not download. Is there a way to fix this?
I have Next3 and I was able to download the nook app (I found it on 4shared dot com – I believe it was nook.2.0.apk) and download free books on my Nextbook. It works great. I downloaded the app to my desktop and then copied it to an SD card (use “remove hardware safely” function after copyinig the app to SD card). Then placed the card into my Next3, used “explorer” already preloaded in my Nextbook, click “SD memory” (or something like that) and then installed it. I already had a B&N account so I just went to my new Nook app and downloaded some free books that I had previously selected for download on my computer. I’m sure there’s more efficient way of doing this (I’m not tech savy and this is my first time installing apps) but I’ve had no problems with it (over a week now). Hope this helps.
I should add make sure your wi-fi’s on before you connect to B&N. The initial time took awhile to sync but after that it’s been pretty instantaenous (as long as I’m pretty close to my router otherwise the signal’s weak and sometimes won’t connect).
Rose, I went to 4shared.com site and search for the nook.app with no luck. What am i doing wrong?
LLWW, If you google nook2.0.apk, you’ll get the direct link (I believe it’s fifth search – www 4shared dot com/files something something nook2.0). The file itself is called nook2.0.apk. You can even just go to 4shared dot com and once there search for nook2.0.apk. Try googling nook2.0.apk as it will give you a direct link.
Rose, Thank you! Also, where you able to get the covers to download. I tried my free and purchased books but no covers.
The covers did download (I download from my Next3), but when I had my Next3 connected to my computer via usb to transfer pictures, I noticed in Nook the covers disappeared. Then I turned on wifi to sync w/B&N and the covers are back. I’m not sure, maybe connecting Next3 to computer wiped out my covers, maybe just a glitch but I haven’t had problem w/the covers on purchased and/or free books downloaded. Try turning on your wifi and connecting to B&N; that’s when my covers came back.
Re Disappearing eBook Covers:
From Next3 Manual, Page 12, Note B in highlighted box up near the top…
“E-book cover will show as defaulted cover by the device if the e-book has no cover data. That’s why you see some e-book covers are the same.”
If you check the download history after downloading, you’ll see no “.epub.jpg” files download with the coverless books, just the .epub text files.
My RMA replacement arrived today, & is running so far – so good. It froze once when I confused it trying to do too many things at once, but it powers on, charges, PC recognized it by USB, & it has been well behaved so far. Box was unsealed with a green sticker at the bottom, so perhaps it was tested before shipped.
Re Terrie’s question on IDing Coverless Books…
If you go under “My Library”, sort by Title or Author, then select one of the coverless books – it will show you the title & author of each coverless item there.
Also, I am unable to adjust the font size for the 6 free books I downloaded from Borders, but I can adjust font for the Next3 preinstalled books.
I’ve tried associating a graphic image of the book taken from the website with the downloaded .epub file…but had no luck yet.
Hope this helps.
Does anyone know the life of the tablet? If the battery cannot be replaced how long will the tablet be good for?
I find that when watching shopping channels and they are selling tablets. They do not tell you if the battery can be replaced.
Re Next3 Battery Life, from Nextbook FAQ:
3. What is the battery life (years)?
Battery life depends on your using conditions. Generally, your battery can be charged and discharged for about 300 times, and its life gets shorter as it’s charged and discharged more often.
37. Can I replace my battery? What is the type?
Do not replace the battery personally without any permission from the technical personnel. To replace the battery, consult our technical personnel and follow their instructions.
Next3 FAQ File: http://www.nextbookusa.com/content.asp?page=faqsnext3
Beneath the 4 little rubber feet on the bottom of Next3, there are screws underneath to pop the back off. So worn batteries may eventually be able to be replaced.
I will have had my Next3 for three weeks this Monday. So far so good. I do have the Nook app on my tablet. It’s version 2.4.1 . I also have Kindle, which isn’t working properly, but that is an issue known to Amazon. It’s not isolated to Next3’s and they’ve said they are working on a fix.
Whatever I download to my Nook app also shows up in my Borders app, since they are both Adobe DRM’d ePubs. I did figure out how to get those little book covers into the reading pane of the Borders eReader for all my Nook books and personal .pdfs and ePubs. I posted the rather long explanation on the “Electronics” forum at the HSN forums, if anyone cares to look.
At CES, this week, eFun announced the Next4, (10.1″ screen) and Next6, (7″ screen). The information about them is over at Engadget.
The Next4 will run Android 2.2, it will support flash. The Next6 runs 2.1 = no flash. They both have capacitive screens, and lots more internal memory. The Next4 has a microphone, an HDMI out port and a camera. Engadget says they will be out sometime in the first quarter and the Next6 will be an HSN exclusive for the first week it’s out. They didn’t say anything about HSN having the Next4.
Knowing this I would not expect an Android OS update to the Next2 or Next3.
Question about Borders Books & Adobe Digitial Ed…
On p.16 in the Next3 Manual, in fine italics at the bottom, it says:
“The device remembers the ebooks downloaded with the latest Adobe ID only, & will overwrite the ebooks downloaded with the previous Adobe ID.”
My question is, what becomes of the ebooks you previously bought under your Borders Books account under previous Adobe IDs? Will they download again under the newest Adobe ID authentication? Tell me they don’t just disappear…
Extreme Shopper, you’re right – I find there are several Kindle books in my account that will not open on Next3, no matter how many times I remove them & re-download from the Archive.
For those who are having problems turning on their next three, I thought the same thing but after playing a little with it I found that holding the power on button until the screen lights up is the ticket(can be much longer than you think 10-20 seconds). And after looking in the manual which is in the free library it says that exactly under operating instructions. Try that. I found it comes on every time. And this is a great little tablet for the money.
Ird is correct. I found that (after I charged it using the correct connection) I have to hold the power button longer than anticipated. This is a relief but makes me think how long before a problem arises due to this.
Also, I am unsuccessful in reopening books I’ve downloaded to my Kindle app. I keep getting an error to remove the book and download again from archives, but I have not been successful. I can’t repurchase because it shows as an existing order. If anyone has tips or suggestions on how to remedy this, it will be greatly appreciated. I am two days out from returning it.
No, IRD… When I could not get my Next3 started – I sat & held the power button down for even as long as 30 consecutive seconds several times during the troubleshooting process – & it still did not turn on. The PC could not recognize the device whatsoever either. Tech support says normally, when Next3 is connected to the PC or plugged in, it will automatically turn on by itself. If it will not turn on, & if the PC cannot recognize the tablet via USB as an external drive – it is a dead unit. Period.
My replacement unit does have to have its power button held down about 4 seconds to start up, which is longer than most electronics require, but the first one never turned on no matter what was done to start it. Even under the advice of tech support.
There are way, *way* too many problems with this unit, to be simple user stupidity & impatience in every case. And I would anticipate that any device you have to press the on button an unrealistic 30 seconds to start up every time, is likely to develop additional power issues later.
Kiki, I called Amazon yesterday about the issue you mentioned – & according to the representative I spoke with, there is no solution available to it at this time.
I’m keeping my Next3 because I really like the overall format, but I did tell Amazon if they cannot reliably resolve the Kindle for Android compatibility issues, I be buying Amazon ebooks because I’ll never be sure if they’ll open in Android. Since the Android Kindle is frequently updated, & Amazon would rather not lose business, I’m hoping it may be resolved later.
Also, I researched matters online a little yesterday & so far as I am able to determine, no one has been able to (less than legally) pop .azw files out of their DRM protection, in order to convert them to .epub format, & view them in another reader yet.
I have the same problem w/Kindle app; it won’t download certain books and keeps asking me to remove and download again, which never works. I got a Cruz Velocity reader and downloaded Kindle app and was able to download those two books that the Next3 wasn’t able to. Therefore, I removed the Kindle app on my Next3. I like Next3, especially the way it handles my library books: very user friendly. And I like the bigger screen cause I don’t have to use my reader. Yesterday I had my first problem w/my Next3 where it froze while reading (I only downloaded sudoku, B&N, Kindle) and I use it 99% for reading. I just recharged the battery (though it showed it was 65% charged) and it seemed to resolve itself w/o resetting. I don’t plan on downloading anything else to my Next3 but am seeing what I can do w/my Velocity Cruz, which I also like but just got it yesterday and am trying to figure out how to read library books on it (epud DRM).
Use the Overdrive app for library ebooks. The apk install file is on the Overdrive site.
Thanks, Nathan. I did that already (installed overdrive media console for Android), adobe digital edition and txtr but for some reason (I know it’s user error) I’m not able to open the library book on the Cruz; opening up library books was real simple on Next3 (just needed adobe digital edition and the library book showed up in the preinstalled Border app.
Okay, I know this tread is about Next3, but finally figured out how to read library books on the Cruz. The mistake I was making was installing the overdrive for android that I didn’t need. Two things to read library books on Cruz: txtr (found on Cruz Market) and adobe digital edition. So happy I got this to work!
Nathan, I feel silly now: I finally was able to library book using overdrive (like many have said). Only thing I did different was using the Cruz to download my book directly from my library, whereas before I was using my laptop to download and then transferring from laptop to cruz via usb. I guess I made it much more complicated than it should’ve been. Thanks, for your help; I’m sure it’s frustruating when you try to direct someone in the right direction and she’s aruging w/you (the she who has no computer savy – me!).
Nathan – in your experience, how does Calibre compare to Overdrive for use with Next3? http://calibre-ebook.com
I recently discovered this ebook manager, & it looks like it has some potential.
Also, if anyone is experiencing trouble buying & downloading from Borders Bookstore, their tech support says they are experiencing widespread technical difficulties at this time, & they are working to resolve it.
My 3rd Party Apps Overfloweth…
When the Applications menu page completely fills with icons — & you install more apps, but they don’t show on that screen because it’s already full — where do their icons go, & how do you access them…? Is there some way to get a 2nd Applications menu screen to come up? The info on p.9 in the manual was brief & does not say. I installed WordPlayer & cannot access it from the app menu. Is there another way to run the app besides the Applications screen? (It’s too bad there is no “run” feature under Manage Applications in Settings…) Thanks!
Never mind…solved it. Follow this path to move installed app icons to your home page after your Applications menu screen fills:
Select… Home Page> Menu> Shortcuts> Applications> Select Activity> Then choose app & move icon to home page screen.
Doesn’t it have multiple homescreens by swiping left and right? Usually there’s 3-5 pages. Oh, and Calibre is definitely worth using; there’s a “how to” in the navigation to the left.
This 8.4″ Nextbook sounds pretty cool, provided you get a working unit. But I’m starting to think they are never going to send me a review unit. Yet another company that says they will then never do.
It does have multiple Home Screens, which is nice. But when I press the bottom left & right corners of the Applications screen (accessible from bottom middle icon of main Home Screen) I do hear a “click”…but no new screens come up. Can’t swipe the screen L, R, Up, Down to any effect either.
After their Next3 release fiasco, I think they are afraid to send you one Nathan! 🙂 lol
Sadly, I have to report that I am sending my Next3 back to HSN. This week it started an error message loop that was nearly impossible to get out of.
I managed to do a factory reset, but, my confidence is shaken. Can’t afford to end up with an expensive paperweight. That and that I know I don’t have to put up with something that doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.
Nathan, don’t worry about not getting a test unit.
eFun just updated the Next2. It now has Android 1.5. It’s on HSN this weekend. The Next4 (10″ screen, Android 2.2, mic), Next5 (7″ screen, Android 2.1, mic and includes an APEN), and Next6, (7″ screen, Android 2.1, with mic and maybe GPS and Bluetooth) are all on their way soon. A video from CES said the Next5 would be out in April, Common sense says the Next4 will be released before the Next5. They are releasing new models so fast there isn’t any time to send out testers! 🙂
I’m sending the older Next2 and Next3 on Monday. I miss them badly already, but, I’m holding out until I can get a tablet with Android 2.2 and a mic.
Sorry, one sentence in my last comment is incorrect. The updated Next2, on HSN this weekend, runs Android 2.1. The old one runs Android 1.5.
I have now had my Next3 for 3 weeks. I have had some issues with it not wanting to work, but pressing the reset button resolved it It has happened I think 3 times. I hold the power button unitl the scrre shows up and that takes about 5 seconds with my unit.
I have poor vision and for those others of you who do I do not recommend this ebook for reading pdf files. The ones I have tested have had vary small text and the ebook app only lets you increase size up to 200 percent.
RTF and EPUB text is very easy to read. I prefer the EPUB because the layout seems to fit the Nextt3 better for me.
You have to hold the power button on until the screen lights up. I have the Next3–whenever you charge it, it won’t come on. I hooked it to my computer via USB that came with NExt 2 and it comes on. After that it will come on until you charge it again. I think there are charging issues with these.
my husband purchesed the next3 for me for xmas, i love it but can any one tell me if they are able to download magazines and news papers, i will be very disappointed if it cannot be done.
I have the nextbook3. I was happy when i figured out from this site that I could download the kindle for android and I was excited but to my surprise the app is not longer working properly. Am i the only one having that problem. Ever time I try to read a book I purchased it says “invalid item …please remove the item from your device and go to archived items to download it agaain. So I have done that and even deleted the program and downloaded it again only for it not to work. I call nextbood and the lady told me that their system does not support kindle so if you have it downloaded and you are having problems with you nextbood it may be the reason why. Can anybody help?
Extreme Shopper… How strange you mentioned that error loop. The same thing happened to my Nextbook, & around the same time.
Shortly after my last post, things took a major turn for the worse for my Next3. The built in Borders eReader began to consistently crash every time I tried to use the program. It went from working, to crashing every time I used any aspect of its menu system, or tried to open its ebooks.
So I downloaded & installed the “Borders for Android” eReader app to see if I could use it instead, & work around these problems. This app could not open any of the free books I downloaded. None of them. File integrity was not the issue.
Furthermore – *neither* program could process any purchases from the Borders Books store. Which is probably just as well, because I doubt either one could open them if it did.
After these developements, the built-in Borders eReader actually began to crash the entire Android O/S, when it crashed. The “reset” button in the back did restart the unit, but the same program issues continued afterward.
So I used the “factory reset” feature in the Settings menu to reformat the Nextbook & set it back to its original factory fresh default installations – & that did nothing to resolve any of these problems. They continued just the same.
After 1 hour on the phone with Borders Books’ tech support, they remained clueless as to why these persistent, pervasive problems were occurring. They were unable to help me resolve any of these issues, & not for lack of trying. The tech eventually suggested I return the unit. This time, I returned it for a refund, vs. an exchange… Which is a real pity, after paying to send it back, waiting for the exchange, & finally receiving a physically working Nextbook. Plus, I liked the tablet. The short period of time it worked. I almost miss it, but after all this hassle, not really.
Even with units that will run, I suspect E Fun does not have all of the problems worked out of their tablets. At this point I don’t care what E Fun is selling in the way of a 10″ screen, or what O/S they install to it – I will never deal with this manufacturer again. For a grocery list of reasons.
Honestly, I would suggest people buy a tablet made by a more reliable, reputable, trustworthy manufacturer.
Hi HJW, I’m sorry you had so many problems with your Nextbook. My Next2 never gave me any problems. It’s OS was just outdated. The Next3 only gave me that one, but, it was enough. HSN processed both the returns. I can’t say I’ll never buy another Nextbook. I like the Next5 configuration. It comes with an APEN and looks like it would be good for note taking and recording. When the Next5 comes out it will run Android 2.1. Whenever they update it to at least 2.2, is when I’ll consider it.
Last week, I ordered an eLocity A7, Android 2.2 tablet from ShopNBC.com. It is $299.67 and still available on six payments. It is supposed to be delivered today. From the reviews I read, I think I will be happier with it. I’d like something that lasts at least 12-18 months so I can wait out all the Honeycomb early adopter high prices and the kinks new versions of Android seems to always bring.
I am excited to get it. In the short time I had a tablet, I grew to love it.
For the person who is having a problem with the Kindle app. That problem is well known to Amazon and is not Nextbook specific. People with other tablets have the same problem, as I had with my Next3 too. Amazon is supposed to be working on a fix. I don’t think the problem will be solved until the next Kindle for Android update whenever that is. Or at least I hope they fix it by then.
If someone has limitless money to throw away on chaotically bad technology, marketed by a questionable manufacturer… I’d say go right ahead & invest in every model of tablet E Fun puts out. I mean, with all of these droppings everywhere there simply has to be a pony in here, somewhere… Doesn’t there? Or does there… The tricky thing, is when your pony…really turns out to be a donkey.
Based on my own experience with Next3 & it’s support services… Those of us who are committed to wise & sensible spending, & the pursuit of quality hardware, who manage their technology on a limited budget, & prefer not to gamble on possible nightmare tablets like the Next3 – would do well to find a more reliable eReader than Nextbook, & better product support than it’s slipshod manufacturer, E Fun.
It sucks that you had such a bad experience with the Next3, HJW, and after hearing your story of dealing with support I don’t blame you for your ire. But the truth of the matter is none of your experience is atypical–dealing with anyone’s support is a nightmare in this day and age–Sony’s support and B&N’s support are both awful as well, especially Sony’s and these are huge companies. Most people couldn’t even get responses back from a lot of these newer ereader companies over the holidays, so actually you didn’t fair too horribly. At least you got everything sorted out and didn’t lose your money.
I finally got my test unit in for the Next3 last Friday and have been testing it extensively for days and I’m pretty impressed by it. The thing with these Android tablets is that they all have issues, even the Nook Color, especially when they are in their first few months of existence. The Pandigital Novel was a complete disaster when they first released it, but now Pandigital’s one of the biggest ereader sellers in the US. I haven’t had any issues with the Next3 so far, and for $199 it’s looking better than most these other budget Android ereaders that I’ve been reviewing the past couple of months like the Pandigital, Cruz, and IQ. I posted a Next3 video review yesterday and plan on posting some first impressions this morning.
I am planning on getting an e-reader for my hubby for our anniversary. I was considering getting the Nook Color, and then I discovered the Today’s Special on HSN for the Next3 tablet. Does anyone have both and willing to share their thoughts. I don’t know think the Nook Color has Android, but aside from that I don’t know how the two compare is there a site I can look at that would compare the 2 tablets features?
Thanks!
I’ve got both and would say the Nook Color is a better option once hacked. Both run Android 2.1 but the Nook will be updated to higher versions, at least 2.2. The Nook has more memory, faster processor, better screen. The Next3 has a bigger screen and is open to install apps out of the box whereas the Nook isn’t open to 3rd party apps. I actually like the Next3, though. If you can get if for under $200 it’s not a bad choice. At $250 and up the Nook is probably going to be a better option.
Do I understand this correctly? There is no dictionary available to press on a word when you are reading a book?
Not within the Nextbook’s reading app, but you can use other reading apps for that feature. I’d highly recommend Aldiko 2.0. It will work with DRM’d ebooks as well, including those from Borders. Run a search on this site to find the app (actually it might be in the appstore app that comes with the Next3).
The Next3 is $189.80 for the next hour (pst) on HSN. That is why I was wondering if it was worth getting over the Nook. Can’t you use 3rd party apps on the Nook once it is hacked? I would also assume that hacking the device would void your warranty.
You do make some good points about the internal memory, better, screen, and faster processor. Thanks for the input.
I just purchased a Nextbook 3 from HSN. But they did not say if this E-Reader has note taking and hightlighting.After reading all comments here. It doesn’t seem likely. But, I would like to know which apps. you can install for the Nextbook 3 for dictionary, hightlighting, notetaking or comments from your books, that I can print them out. All comments would really be helpful…Thanks
Beth T.
The Nook app does most of that but is kind of slow on the Next3 and I don’t think there’s anyway to print notes.
It is possible for my child to get a virus on the tablet like on a pc?
I think it is possible but not very likely. There are apps like AVG for protecting against that if it’s a concern. Here’s some anti-virus apps on the Android Market.
I ordered a nextbook3 tablet. should be here tomorrow. according to the system specs it has an sd card slot for 8gigs. I read on this site: http://newbestgadget.com/tablet/hsn-fun-nextbook-next3-tablet that the maxiumum storage is 32 gigs. anyone know?
I just finished up the review for the Next3 and the manual says up to 8GB for SD cards. I don’t have any larger to test . . .
Can anyone tell me how to turn the music application OFF on the Nextbook 3? I can pause it, but see nothing that tells me how to turn it off! HELP!!
There is no stop; pausing and then exiting achieves the desired result so I guess they thought it was redundant.
Nathan
Ill have to check into that, because on a few forums people are using 16 gig cards. I guess ill try out 16 gigs qnd see what happens.
Let us know if it works. The more memory the better.
Well, I got my Next3 today, charged it up. It’s a nice design, the case is nice, and it works pretty good when it isn’t locking up! I think I am going on 8 lockups in about 3 hours. Looks like this is going back to HSN. I could put up with the quirky things about it for the price, but this locking up thing is just not cool! I am not carrying a paperclip with me all the time to reset this twice an hour. At least they could have made the stylus fit the reset hole if resetting it all the time is a requirement!! Very disappointed. This could have been such a nice tablet.
That’s odd. I haven’t had my Next3 freeze up once in 2 weeks. Did you install any apps? Some apps can do weird things sometimes. Also, some SD cards can cause issues too if they are corrupt or have a ton of ebooks on it because it can take awhile to index them all.
No, I didn’t install any apps or really do anything but just play with what was already installed. I didn’t even put a memory card in it either. I have since added a memory card and haven’t had a lockup since. I have been on it for the last couple of hours with no lockups, so maybe whatever was wrong worked itself out. I am going to play with it for a few days before making a final decision on returning it. Now I have a new problem. My .mov files play perfectly visually, but have no sound. They do have audio when I play them on my pc, but I can’t get any audio to come out when played on the nextbook. And I can’t get it to play any of my .wmv files. It will start playing some of them, but stops and says it cannot play video. Others it will play with audio only, but no video. I haven’t been able to get one .wmv file to play correctly. If anyone has any tips to get these video files to play, that would be great. I appreciate all the support on this site.
If you want to highlight and annotate .pdf files on the Next3, there is an app called Repligo Reader. The company that makes is is called Cerience Corporation.
I don’t have my Next3 anymore, but, I do use this app on my current tablet. I got the app using my Android phone. I don’t use it on my phone. It is a paid app $4.99 with free updates. It’s worth every penny.
Forgot to add, Repligo Reader works with Android 2.0 or above.
Yes it can be charged by cigarette lighter. The one I bought at HSN came with one. Hope this helps
Hi,
I have a Nextbook 3 from HSN. I have 2 questions. 1) how do you get the Kindle for Android app on it ? 2) how do I get movies on it as well ?
You can get the Kindle app from my Reading App pack or from Android Freeware. This Installing Android Apps post explains more details. You can load the movies onto the SD card if they are in the supported formats, if not you’ll need to set them up with a program like Handbrake. Here’s a post about setting up videos. Most of the same steps apply.
I have had my NextBook3 for a few days and I was ready to send it back until I got the instructions for downloading the Kindle App, Thank You! I am thinking of getting the 8GB card to see if I can download more books. So far so good.
I’ve had mine for just over a week and had no issues at all. Added an 8GB SD card but we still cant figure out how to get the android market apps on it. 🙁
You can install Android apps by following these directions but you can’t install the Android Market.
I will try when I get home. So, you cant get the Android Market Apps? Or do you mean the market itself? I’ve seen people with Market Apps on the Next3. Thanks for the info Nathan.
Anyone else have problems authenticating the device for Borders? Mine is in a crazy loop and I cant get into Borders.
16 gig card works fine in thiss nextbook3. Can’t play angry birds on this because the game requires flash. i wonder if Flashlite would work?
Hello Im having a problem my apps are written in chinnese I cant figure out what I did that changed it. can anyone help me
I have the Nextbook 3 and love it, reading up a storm. I have a few questions. First, how do I remove the books I have read from the history box on the ebook page of the Nextbook 3?? Secondly, how do I just simply remove a book completely from my library? I was browsing this evening online and thought I downloaded a book, but it says it is damaged and cannot be opened. Now it is in the library and in the history box and I would like to “clean up’ the library. By the way, I don’t have an SD card yet, so I assume the books from borders are on the internal memory.
It looks like the only way to remove then from the list is to delete them from the internal memory. Use the Explorer to navigate to the eobok then hold down on it to bring up the option to delete. You might try Aldiko 2.0; it’s much better in my opinion.
Chinese? I don’t know, did you change the language in the settings menu?
Can anyone tell me how I can move from one chapter to the next in the bible without having to go page by page by page. It is not easy. Thanks.
Hit menu or long-press the lower page-turn button then hit TOC for the table of contents. You can jump to pages and add bookmarks too.
My next2 will not turn on. I’ve held Jhe power button down for 15 seconds and pressed the pin hole button but neither worked. I’be only had it for 3 days. HELP!!!
Try doing that with it plugged in.
I have a nextbook3 and I recently tried to download and read an e-book for the first time. I downloaded the book using the Borders application and read a couple of pages before setting my device down. Now, I turned the nextbook back on and when I try to re-open the ebook I get the message:
“This book has been damaged, can not be opened.”
I am not sure how to re-download/fix the damaged ebook file. There is no option in the application or on the mobile Borders app. Any help would be appreciated -thanks.
The only problem that I have had with the Android driven Nextbook 3 is that the you tube video quit loading when you tap on a vid to view. (I may have deleted something)? I had to download another u tube video player v13 apk and also downloaded the Skyfire browser application. They both work fine except you cannot adjust the volume within the new video player and you can not crash out of it once it starts playing a given video. George
One way to get out of a video is to hold down the lower page button to bring up the menu – more- home screen. The top page-button goes to Android home. Not having volume buttons is annoying. I added a shortcut to the homescreen by long-pressing – shortcuts – settings – sound & display.
When I click on YouTube, I can’t watch any of the videos, when I click on them it just sits there…won’t play. What’s up?
Sometimes it just does that. Restarting or patience usually prevail.
I have a next3 with wireless ( in fact I’m on it now ) but it won’t let me wach video on youtube. It loads then goes back to the original screen.
from Nextbook USA … Please note the Youtube website just updated its software. Now, it requires the Flash Player to play videos, which your nextbook doesn’t have or support. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused to you. Our company is looking into this issue. Please allow us some time.
Thanks Fled. I forgot about the transition; that makes sense. Older videos should still work though.
when I checked what’s causing my battery to drain so fast, it indicated that it had something to do with my “cell Phone” I don’t have a cell phone set up for this next book…how do I change this setting so it won’t zap my battery so fast! It mentioned something about going into “airplane mode”, but I have no idea how to do THAT!
I have been reading on here and I see other people having the same trouble as I am.
Some WMV Video files will play sound but no Video.
While other WMV Video files will play the video but no Audio Sound.
I have tryed these apps:
-yxplayer (many versions) but all it does is ask for a serial number when I try to play any video through it.
-mplayer
-seevideo
-ARCMedia
-VLC Remote (two different versions)
And a few others I can’t recall the names of. NONE are working.
Please help I really want this thing to play WMV AVI and FLV would be nice too. I’ve never owned or dealt with the Android OS and so far IT SUCKS.
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I’ve been downloading programs to get me to YouTube with no success. I read stories about people waiting too long to get an adviser and so I tried the above first. Wasted a few hours. I called PanDigital this morning, I only had to wait 5 minutes to be connected to a fellow from the USA not India. He was very patient as I know how to shop on the computer but not much else. I had to give him my serial # as they have many editions. I am lucky I got one with the Android already in it. Mine is 2011) novel 7 table with a white frame. I had to click on wi/fi to make sure it was connected to the internet. Then using the Google browser on the home page put in http://www.Freewarelovers.com. Click on Android Freeware in middle of page Then Click on “YouTube”, it is (in May) located in the “Popular in May” section. Scroll down to page bottom and under “Old Versions” click on 1.3.apk. This might be different for your model. It has 3 choices and the 1.3apk is for the newest version, Yours may use one of the other 2 there. You can call 1-800-715-5354 to check on this. When you click on this app, the files will automatically download onto your tablet. If the screen says don’t accept because it may corrupt, click on “continue” anyway. You should not have any problem if you are looking at normal videos. Once the downloading is complete, YouTube videos will play on the tablet. A box comes up sometimes saying “It is not connected to the web” If you know you are just click on the back 1 page arrow and the message will disappear and you can put in what you would like to access as on your computer. I had 1 video interrupted, but otherwise I was able to see the rest. It was great. The only complaint I had and maybe someone out there knows how to exit in the middle of a video. I had to turn it off. I also had an annoying real estate brokers site come up showing me house and I had to turn it off to get rid of it. Don’t know how it got there.
Next time I will just call the help line when I have a problem. It is an amazing tablet and I got it on a Mother’s Day sale at Radio Shack for $119 . I love it and hope I don’t have some of the problems some others have encountered.
Hi
can someone please provide me with a phone number of the nextbook support? Mine wont load at all.. I’ve tried reloading no better pls help
I pulled this number off the support page on Nextbook’s website: 1-888-415-5177.
ive tried re seting it also… no luck
My Nextbook worked for a while. Now it has many “force close” errors and several reboots have not fixed it. Books load without a cover and I to guess what I’m going to open up. My primary reason for getting it was for books and mail. The calabration on this thing is awful and retyping logins several times is a customary task! Now it doesn’t work at all. I am tired of it. What to do to reset this thing to factory settings????
You might be having some maxxed out memory issues. You can go to settings then storage to check. To reset go to settings then privacy.
The Nextbook3 does take a memory card larger than 8gb. I have tested a 16gb class 5 card in it and it recognizes it and works fine. I don’t know if it will recognize a larger one than 16gb, but it did work on the 16gb card.
Problems – any suggestions would be appreciated! I have the Nextbook3 and a screen that says: “Sorry! The process andoid.process.acore has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.” I push ‘force close’ and it keeps coming up with the same above message. I can not get past it to use any of the other icons or get into setting or anything. The only thing that I can do, is hod down power button and power it off. I have tried what they call a factory reset with the pinhole in the back. It shuts down, but when I turn it back on, it still comes up the the “Sorry!” box.
@ Jill, MIne pretty much does the same thing as yours! Geez!
I have the nextbook3 and I was transferring some ebooks from my computer and when I went to open my ebookreader it started to download the books then said the application EBOOKREADER (process org.geomterplus.zlibrary.ui.android) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again. But this same messages shows everytime I try again. I look in the explorer app and the books are there and I can open them from there fine. Also they don’t show with covers until I click and open the book. I have a Kobo app will that put the covers on?
Try resetting. Or it might be a corrupted file. You could try a different ereader app too.
hi
any one can share the tips for upgrading the android OS Version 2.1 to 2.2 or 2.3 in next3 tablet
I love this site!! so much useful information. I’m loving my Next3 again thanks to infor I’ve gotten here.
I’m having trouble with the Kobo app. i bought books yesterday, they download into the reading list and when I try to open one I get an error: “Sorry! We couldn’t open this item. We’re working to fix the problem.–please try again later.” Anyone else had this problem?
Also, did you see the new nextbook tablet on HSN this past weekend? Will we be getting a review soon?
thanks so much for all your hard work!
The problem with Android apps is there are fifty different versions of each one because they are updated frequently. I would try updating the Kobo app from the on-board appstore and if that doesn’t work I would suggest trying different versions from other appstores. Personally I’ve never cared for the Kobo app much. I use Aldiko instead, which also supports Kobo’s ebooks once authorized with Adobe.
I have the Nextbook 3. Is it blue tooth compatible?
Nope.