Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ Tablet Review

Controls

There aren't any physical controls outside of a volume rocker and power button, so you'll be using the capacitive touch screen to control most of your tablet's functions. Most of the tablet's functions are rather straightforward, and it even keeps some of the universal controls from Android, but overall the tablet's interface is clunky and inconsistent. Given that there isn't much that can be done with the Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ as a tablet, this may or may not frustrate you if you're using it primarily as an eReader or Netflix device.

Connectivity

Unlike the top flight tablets on the market, the Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ doesn't have all the fancy bluetooth options, or IR blasters. However, their proprietary connector is HDMI and USB compatible if you go out any buy the correct cables, but that's still kind of a pain. Given that the software support isn't exactly where it needs to be with this tablet, you're probably not going to get this working well. Like all tablets, it can connect to the internet via its onboard 802.11n wireless card.

Battery Life

Overall, the battery life of the Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ is fairly average, but with the lack of bluetooth, apps, and other more power-intensive options, the variance in battery life will depend mostly on how high or low you set your backlight. With it cranked to the max in our labs, we were able to coax out 5 hours and 43 minutes of reading an eBook, and 6 hours and 10 minutes watching a horrible video file.

Overall, this is a fair enough battery result that would make the Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ a serviceable option watching videos or reading eBooks on a short flight or commute, but it's not exactly where it needs to be in order to work well for a long, intercontinental flight. However, our lab results aren't necessarily what you'll get with a Barnes & Noble Nook HD+ , as doing things like turning down the backlight or running more apps will extend or shorten the battery life of the tablet.