And so it begins: Nook Color down to $149.99
Best. Tablet deal. Ever. Okay, the Nook Color isn't technically a tablet, but it can be if you root it or pop in an inexpensive "Android makeover" card.
Well, well, well. The Barnes & Noble Nook Color, already a steal when it was selling for $179 and then $169, has dipped even further.
Today only, and while supplies last, DailySteals has the refurbished Nook Color for $149.99 shipped. That's officially the lowest price I've seen, and a really hard bargain to pass up.
Update: If you missed out on the deal, fret not: Buy.com also has the Nook Color for $149 shipped, and the deal runs through Oct. 9 (or until supplies run out).
I have nothing but praise for the refurbished Nook Color I purchased just two months ago (for $179.99, grumble grumble). It's alluringly thin and comfortably light. It feels solid and has that cute little hole in the corner. And it's a terrific e-book reader. (Parents, take note: it's especially great for children's books.)
Of course, half the fun of owning a Nook Color is transforming it into a full-bore Android tablet, which you can do on your own or with an N2A (formerly Nook2Android) card. (Check out Root My Nook Color, too.)
That opens the door to infinitely more apps, including Kindle (meaning you're no longer locked into reading books only from Barnes & Noble). The $199 Amazon Kindle Fire, on the flip side, probably won't let you run the Nook app.
That said, there's no question the Fire will be a more capable tablet overall. But I'm finding the Nook Color to be great for things like books, games, Web browsing, Facebook/Twitter activity, e-mail, and other everyday tasks. And for $150, how can you go wrong?
Certainly not with the warranty: B&N backs its refurbs with a full one year, same as new. Gotta love that.
Related stories
• How badly do new Kindles hurt B&N?
• Kindle Fire First Look video
• Amazon's 2011 Kindle, Kindle Touch and Kindle Touch 3G (hands-on photos)
• Kindle Fire vs. Nook Color spec breakdown
Is it possible the Nook Color will be $10 less next month? And again the month after that? I'm really not sure how much lower these babies can go. I do know that B&N has a newer model waiting in the wings--but I think the current one is already fabulous. Especially at this price.
What do you think? Is this a buy or no-buy?
Bonus deal: In case you missed it earlier this month, Giveaway of the Day is offering Digiarty's WinX Blu-ray Decrypter absolutely free--but only through this weekend. It's intended primarily to back up your Blu-ray movies (and/or view them on your PC).