Rooted a B&N Color Nook to Android...succesfully

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portascat

Lifer
Jan 24, 2011
1,057
3
Happy Hunting Grounds
Took a few hits and misses and a bit of out of box thinking, but I did manage to make it happen.
It is now running Cyanogen with the Google Apps package.
First impressions....
1. The actual rooting was both easy and confusing. It is a pretty straightforward process, and there are numerous tutorials on the web. I ended up having to actually utilize two differing methods to accomplish it.
2. Once it was initially rooted, and before I installed the google app pack on it, it was pretty slick looking. Once I loaded the app pack (to get the Android market, etc.), it synced itself to my MyTouch 4G, downloaded every app I have on my phone, and took on the "theme" appearance of my phone *(same background desktop, etc.). I don't care for that much, in terms of it being just a larger version of my phone in looks. Need to figure out how to switch the appearance and make ti stick, which may involve an unsyncing or a new set of log in credentials to separate it from my phone.
3. The Cyanogen mod is for a phone, even though it is a Nook mod. So, you end up with some features that do not work on a tablet (bar code scanner, camera, dialer, etc.). Maybe the smarter thing to do, at least for a nook, is to run Honeycomb, which is attached to an SD card, and allows you to run an Android tablet based system off the card, and then revert to standard "Nook" off the internal drive. Doesn't require a root, and doesn't void your warranty.
4. It is nice to be able to read Epub AND Mobi books off a Nook, via downloading the Kindle Reader (and any other reader you might like) onto the tablet. However, it takes some head scratching to figure out how to sideload (non downloaded) books onto the SD card and have the reader find them. Have done so with the B&N books. Now working on the Kindles.
Was it all worth it?
maybe, maybe not. It was worth it just to go through the process and make it work. It is nice, also, to have the full Android features on the Nook, although I don't know how valuable in truth a larger screen for Angry Birds or Robo Defense, will be in the long run. Only time will tell.

 

igloo

Lifer
Jan 17, 2010
4,083
5
woodlands tx
Reminds me of the time I loaded Windows 7 with out reformatting and left XP on a hard then deleated the Xp files .Kept all my music and game updates . But lost a whole bunch of hair via pulling it out .The wife has a Nook and it never ,I repeat never leaves her side . I did not know you were a mad scientist Potrascat . :worship:

 

sincityjeff

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 3, 2011
147
1
Hey, do you think i can use a external hard drive with my samsung galaxy tab? I know i'll need a usb addap and the hard drive will need to be powered, but before i go spending money and try i figure maybe you would know. I have 300gb of music on my laptop and want to use my tab to listen through my stereo. Pandora is good, but my albums on my laptop are better.
Sorry for thread jacking.

:(

 

portascat

Lifer
Jan 24, 2011
1,057
3
Happy Hunting Grounds
igloo...
In regards to your wifes Nook, should you or her get the mad desire to exploit the Android platform, i would look at the Honeycomb booot-root.
http://www.androidcentral.com/flashable-zip-honeycomb-nook-color-available-now
I have no experience with it, but it would "appear" that if you placed it on a larger capacity SD card, you could have fun with it on the Android app side (games, google apps, etc.) and still keep your B&N Nook intact for the e-reader aspects. Less chance of confusion.
However, the rooted Nook is pretty nifty. As well, you can load Kindle, Google Books, Kobo, Alkido, etc. all on the same tablet and read most any format you care to download from the vendor.
I use Calibre anyhow, and simply converting all the ebooks I want to side load from my computer into Epub format, and loading them into Nook / My Documents, and I have my Nook reader back on the Android Tablet.
Mad Scientist by day, sometimes dumbass by night as a result. But so far this experiment has proven positive.

 

revs

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 31, 2011
255
0
Utah
I also use Calibre for sideloading eBooks. Nook and Kindle apps on my rooted Galaxy Tab.

 

igloo

Lifer
Jan 17, 2010
4,083
5
woodlands tx
Lawrence I am not man enough to even touch my wifes Nook reader . Jeff I do not know if you can tether your Galaxy tab to your notebook . But I would buy a hard drive and a encloseure before you lose your music . One hard drive failure on your laptop which is much more commen than a desktop failure will break your heart .

 
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