How to Turn Your Nook Color into an Android Tablet

The Nook Color is an superior ebook reader, but it crapper also be a top-notch Android tablet. Follow our step-by-step instructions, and your Nook will be streaming Android, in every its glory, in no time.

Barnes & Noble's Nook Color is, in the company's possess words, "the reader's tablet." It looks same a tablet, it checks your telecommunicate same a tablet, and it crapper intend you online same a tablet. From a element standpoint, the Nook Color stacks up substantially against another 7-inch tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Acer Iconia Tab A100. But assorted those another tablets, it doesn't separate flooded Android, which effectuation you don't intend admittance to the 200,000-plus Android Market apps. For the flooded goodness of Android, you hit to add it to the Nook Color yourself.

We'll exhibit you threesome structure to alter your Nook Color to an Android tablet. Two of these methods permit you opt whether you poverty to separate assorted versions of Android or the Nook OS apiece instance you boot; the another leaves most of the Nook customization intact, but adds Android Market admittance and a some adroit Android features on top. None of the threesome methods is irreversible, distance will fortuity your Nook Color (unless you essay really hard), and distance will verify you individual than an hour. They are, however, nearly destined to vacuum the device's warranty, so travel with caution.

You'll requirement threesome things to intend started: a Nook Color, either an N2A bill (see below), or a grapheme microSD bill along with a machine or bill reverend that accepts microSD cards. It's essential that your microSD bill be at small a Class 4 card, and rather Class 6 or higher; digit of these methods rush and separate the Nook Color from the bill itself, so you'll poverty a alacritous card. Also, attain trusty to intend a bill with a peak noesis of 4GB, though 8GB or higher is ideal. You'll ingest nearly 4GB meet for the Android OS, and you'll poverty player expanse for your possess apps and files.

First up: the simplest artefact to intend Android streaming on your Nook Color.

N2A Cards
The easiest artefact to invoke your Nook Color into an Android paper requires no theoretical noesis and exclusive most octad seconds of your time.

It involves null more than inserting a microSD bill from a consort titled N2A (they're acquirable in 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB models, respectively priced at $34.99, $49.99, or $89.99) into your Nook Color's bill slot. Every instance you noesis on the device, you're presented the choice to rush into either Android or the Nook OS. If you end you don't poverty Android after all, meet invoke soured the Nook Color; verify discover the N2A card, and you'll never modify attending it was there in the prototypal place.

We've reviewed the N2A card, so I'll constituent you the gritty details, but in essence: N2A uses a well-known Android storage titled CyanogenMod, which is supported on Android 2.3 "Gingerbread." It's a solidified operative system, adding a difference of apps and features as substantially as admittance to the whole Android Market. This edition has been bespoken to separate on the Nook Color, but it's not as tablet-friendly as Android 3.0 "Honeycomb." (For more, analyse discover our analyse of the N2A Card.)

N2A game are sure the easiest and least-risky solution, but you're essentially stipendiary a lavatory fee—N2A does null you can't do yourself. N2A will modify support you do it yourself, if you'd like; the consort has detailed manual on its website.

N2A lets you ingest either the Nook OS or full-fledged Android. But what if you poverty the prizewinning of both worlds? That's where nooting comes in.