In case you personal an previous Nook eReader and do not know what to do with it, I’ve acquired a couple of options. Because it runs Android, you possibly can root it, set up customized software program and provides it a brand new lease of life as an eReader, or repurpose it into an e-ink dashboard.
Set up customized firmware on it
In case your Nook is not supported, the most effective factor you are able to do for it’s set up customized firmware
Barnes & Noble ended support in 2024 for the Nook Easy Contact and different Nook fashions launched in 2013 or earlier. Whilst you can nonetheless use them even with out entry to B&N servers (you possibly can transfer books to them out of your PC through USB), there is a catch.
These units are designed to perform whereas linked to B&N servers. In case you had managed to register your gadget earlier than B&N ended help for it, you need to be effective. However if you happen to personal or purchase an unregistered Nook, its battery life will take a nosedive as a result of the gadget always tries to contact the servers—to no avail. As an alternative of lasting for months, the battery now drains in lower than every week, even when idle.
Fortunately, one XDA Developer Boards member took issues into their very own arms and created The Phoenix Challenge, a set of modified firmware that enables previous Nook readers (the Nook Easy Contact and Nook Easy Contact with GlowLight) to work with out always attempting to contact B&N servers, drastically bettering their battery life. The venture contains 4 totally different flavors, relying on what you need to do together with your Nook eReader.
In case you simply need to set up customized firmware to maintain utilizing it as an eReader, hop onto the Phoenix Project XDA Developers Forums thread and try Part 1, reserved for house owners who need the vanilla expertise, simply with longer battery life.
The whole course of features a good variety of steps, however it’s fairly easy if you happen to observe the included step-by-step information. As soon as completed, you can sideload books with out points and proceed utilizing your previous Nook eReader, with its battery life intact.
Root it and set up customized software program
Do not accept the default e book studying app
Since Nook eReaders are Android-based, you are not restricted to putting in customized firmware. If you would like to root and customise your Nook, check out Phases 2, 3, or 4 of the Phoenix Project.
Part 2 features a rooted system with a brand new UI and quite a lot of customized purposes, corresponding to alternative eBook reader apps and dictionaries. Part 3 additionally contains rooted software program, however does not function the default Barnes & Noble system. It as an alternative comes with a customized system, a customized UI, and quite a lot of totally different eBook reader apps, every personalized for Nook units.
Lastly, Part 4 is made for individuals who simply need entry to rooted Nook firmware and have concepts and know-how to customise it additional.
When you’re executed, you possibly can peruse the Nook Touch threads over at XDA Developers Forums, which embrace custom apps, alternative firmware choices, a guide to enabling USB host help on the Nook Easy Contact, and extra.
Remodel it into an image body
You possibly can set any image or photograph as a screensaver
When you have a registered Nook Easy Contact or Easy Contact with GlowLight, or have put in customized firmware that fixes battery life woes, you need to use the eReader as an image body.
To make use of a picture as a screensaver, all it’s important to do is join your Nook to a PC through USB, find the “Screensavers” folder on the Nook’s inside storage, create a brand new folder the place you may put your screensavers, and drop information into it. Then go to Settings > Display > Screensaver and choose the folder you have created. Your Nook will now present photos from the folder when it goes to Sleep mode.
There are some things you need to know. Firstly, the pictures must be 800×600 decision and in portrait orientation to match the Nook’s display screen decision. You possibly can edit your photographs and pictures in any photo editing app, crop them to the suitable ratio, resize them to 800×600, after which convert them to grayscale.
You can too try the Nook Wallpapers group on Flickr, which has tons of of cool wallpapers made particularly for Nook Easy Contact units.
Flip it into an e-ink dashboard
It is simpler than you suppose
There are a few tasks on the market that goal to assist house owners of previous Nook eReaders (Easy Contact in addition to newer fashions) flip them into e-ink dashboards.
The best choice is a venture that turns Nook Easy Contact and Easy Contact with GlowLight units into TRMNL purchasers. TRMNL is a platform for e-ink units that features tons of of first and third-party plugins, letting you show all types of data on e-ink screens—from native climate and well-liked Reddit posts to screensavers and clock faces.
There are two variations of the venture. In case you personal an older gadget operating Android 2.1, go to the TRMNL Client for Nook Simple Touch GitHub repository. In case you personal a more moderen Nook eReader such because the Nook Glowlight 4, try the TRMNL Nook GitHub page.
Whereas the TRMNL Nook venture helps native servers, you may must pay for a TRMNL BOYD license, which prices $50, if you wish to use TRMNL cloud servers.
To show your Nook right into a web-based dashboard operating on a neighborhood server that integrates with House Assistant and features a easy to-do checklist software, check out the Nook Dashboard GitHub repository. It requires a neighborhood server, a rooted Nook Easy Contact, and the Electrical Signal app put in (the repository contains an outdated Google Play hyperlink, however you possibly can download the app from APKPure).
Whereas there’s not a lot you are able to do with an previous Nook eReader, rooting the gadget and flashing customized firmware permits you to mess around with it, set up customized software program, and construct a customized venture round it if you happen to’ve acquired the know-how. House owners of jailbroken Kindles, alternatively, can use their gadget for all kinds of cool things—from enjoying video games to turning the eReader right into a Bluetooth audio participant.
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