Rival e-readers get touchy

Amazon and Barnes & Noble are going head to head with touch-screen e-book readers: Amazon's first touch-screen model, aptly named the Kindle Touch, and a refreshed version of the Nook Simple Touch Reader with updated software and a lower price—$100, matching the lowest-priced, ad-supported version of the Kindle Touch. They're CR Best Buys and have lots in common (including the fact that you have to pay $10 for an AC power adapter). But the Nook is a bit faster and has controls that give it a slight edge over the Kindle. Here's how they compare:

Type readability. Like most of the better e-readers, the Nook Simple Touch and Kindle Touch (and its touch-capable siblings) have 6-inch screens that use the latest Pearl version of E Ink, the energy-frugal, black-and-white screen technology. The updated Nook had slightly better type than the Kindle, but we judged both excellent for readability.

Page turns. The Nook is faster than the Kindle. It was judged excellent, compared with the Kindle's very good score. The Nook also offers physical controls that you can use as an alternative to turning pages using the touch screen, a plus in our view. The Kindle doesn't have such controls. But it does offer EasyReach, which lets you advance a page by touching anywhere within a wide swath of the screen. With other e-readers, including the Nook, you must touch within a narrow band along the right side of the screen. Finally, Amazon bills EasyReach as a special boon for lefties.

Library book downloads. Here, the Kindle has the edge. Though you must download library books to a computer, you can transfer them to the Kindle wirelessly. With the Nook, as with most models, you must tether the e-reader to the computer to make the transfer.

Bottom line. Both of the e-readers are recommended and comparable in most respects, and either is a worthy choice. If you already own a library of Kindle or Nook books, stick with your current brand. Neither type can be converted to the other format. Otherwise, if you want an ad-free experience for $100, get the Nook Simple Touch. Only the Kindle Touch with Special Offers costs $100; the ad-free Wi-Fi version is $140. If you frequently borrow library e-books, the Kindle's wireless transfers might appeal to you.