Beyond the area, however, both tablets can do so much more. Thank you as expansion cards and microSD card N2A RootMyNookHD, you can turn your Nook into a full-fledged tablet Android.
The benefits to doing so are simple: Not only do you get full access to all Google applications and Play therein (Barnes & Noble limits you to an app store curator), you also get freedom Barnes & Noble e-book ecosystem. In other words, you can install all the applications of e-books you want: Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Google Books, and so on.
You also get a more traditional Android interface, one that you can change with themes, widgets, launchers, etc.. And best of all, this transformation occurs entirely on a microSD card. Its use does not void your warranty and you can return to the operating system B & N home any time jumping on the card (or using a boot menu to switch between the two).
I spent the last few weeks to check the latest versions of N2A Cards and RootMyNookHD, trying to figure out if it is significantly better than the other. I will not keep you in suspense: They are both great. But I found some pros and cons to each, so let me run down my experiences to help you decide which to buy.
Availability and compatibility
N2A cards currently offer Android 4.1.2 for Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD and HD + Nook.
You can either buy a microSD card or download a preconfigured image file to install on your own card compatible. This last option can save you money, especially if you are looking for a larger capacity card (see next section).
For what it's worth, I used the option to download a few times, and while the process of writing to the card is slow (60-90 minutes), it's simple and it works.
RootMyNook does not offer an option Jelly Bean for the Nook Color, but it has Android 4.2 for the Nook and Nook Tablet HD and Android 4.1 for HD + Nook. However, you will need to order a card, for the moment, a download service planned was not ready.
Price
For its 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB and Nook HD / HD + card, RootMyNook costs $ 25, $ 40 and $ 55.
N2A cards charge a little more: $ 29.99, $ 39.99 and $ 59.99 for the same capabilities. But the download versions are priced at $ 19.99. I went shopping at newegg for a 32GB card and compatible found a class A-Data 10 for $ 17.99 after rebate. This amounts to $ 37.98 for a 32GB card N2A.
Many readers have already pointed out several times that you can make your own Android bootable card more or less free (do an internet search for it), but that takes some technical expertise. Here you get a ready-to-roll and knowledgeable technical support.
Presentation
Android is Android, right? False. Although both products are based on CyanogenMod 10 Android aftermarket distribution, they offer a very different out-of-box experience.
N2A card provides an interface almost austere (see above). The home screen offers an animated spinning galaxy wallpaper, but only seven of actions and applications App corner N2A Cards', which directs you to different batches of items "recommended". Ultimately, this is bare-bones Android, which may appeal to users who do not do shovelware but as more or less starting from scratch.
RootMyNook wins the "wow" contest, offering not only a nice background animation, but also a full range of applications most people want: Facebook and Twitter, Nook and Kindle, Slacker and Pandora, Netflix and YouTube, and so on. Amazon Appstore is even there, next to Google Play.
Based on aesthetics alone, I prefer RootMyNook. It would not be difficult to N2A cards exactly the same thing, but for me, as my favorite applications to have on hand.
Features and performance
Almost everything works as it should on two tablets running cards: Speakers, microphone, buttons, etc.. Want to make a call (voice only) on Skype? Go ahead.
I also tried to link the Nooks with speaker Edifier Bric BT Bluetooth. Installation RootMyNook worked very well, and soon I was streaming audio from the likes of iHeartRadio. But is not it just N2A pair, and although I reported the problem to the developer a few weeks ago, at the time of this writing, he did not yet have a working solution. They are always hard at work on it, however.
On the front application, everything I throw on both cards worked perfectly, with one exception: I do not have the magazine Zinio reader to work properly on either, which points more likely a problem with CyanogenMod. This is a disappointment because I really like reading magazines on tablets of this kind.
Both developers deliver regular updates to maps, but they can be problematic because there is really no way to apply them - not without wiping your card and lose all your apps and settings. N2A cards, for its part, provides a backup option that will preserve and restore your app data (but not your applications), which simplifies the process of updating at least a little. RootMyNook currently offers no solution.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an easy and affordable way to convert your HD or HD + Nook into an Android tablet, you can not go wrong with the card or N2A RootMyNookHD. I tested both the length and find stable and effective products. And developers offer support crackerjack.
I am really struggling to choose a winner. I love RootMyNook out-of-box experience and Bluetooth, but appreciate downloading option N2A Cards' backup and (as they are).
I guess you have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself, and then choose one. I guess you will not be disappointed anyway.
