To Root or Not to Root

(That is the question)

If you are reading this, you probably have already decided to convert your Nook to Android.  One way to do it is to "root" it, which makes software modifications to your Nook and may void the warranty.  An alternative solution is to run Android from the micro SD card, making no changes to your Nook.  Here at AFN, you have the choice to do either:  Try the AndroidForNook Dual-Boot micro SD card, which runs Android from the card and does not affect your Nook operating system (O/S) or void the warranty.  Or, use our AndroidForNook Recovery Plus! card, which roots your Nook and replaces your Nook O/S with an Android O/S.  Let's compare:

 

AndroidForNook (AFN) Dual_Boot micro SD cards

0With an AndroidForNook micro SD card, your Nook Color or Nook Tablet  becomes a powerful Android tablet without modifying your Nook or voiding your warranty.  Using only high-quality SanDisk, class 4 micro SD cards, we configure them with the Android operating system - Cyanogen Mod 7 stable(CM7), Miui (2.2.3) or Jelly Bean, set for dual boot.  Nothing is installed on the Nook itself, so the Android O/S runs independently right from the micro SD card.  Insert the AndroidForNook card, turn on the Nook and it boots into a full-fledged Android tablet - it is that simple! 

Pros:

  • Your Nook Warranty is intact - no modifications are made
  • You can choose to run Nook O/S or Android O/S without removing your card
  • No technical skills are needed to use, just insert the card, and turn it on!
  • Use the card in another Nook, keeping all of your settings
  • Remove the card and your Nook is just like it was the day you bought it

Cons:

  • It may run a little slower than Android running internally (on a rooted Nook).  Some of our Android versions have overclocking options, which can make it run faster.
  • You cannot remove your micro SD card while running in Android mode (hot swapping) - it will corrupt data.
  • The Android O/S uses 3 to 4 GB of data on the card, making less available for storing your media.
  • Some Nook Tablets (perhaps 20%) require the power cable to be plugged into the charger or your PC in order to boot to Android on the micro SD card.  This is a Nook hardware limitation, not an AFN defect.

 

AndroidForNook Recovery Plus! micro SD cards

Rooting your Nook can be a risky endeavor, since it makes modifications to your Nook's internal memory.  If you don't do it correctly, a phenomenon called "bricking" can occur.  It's not really a phenomenon, I just wanted to use that word - sounds scary!  Anyway, if you tried to follow the directons to root your Nook on XDA and goofed - you may now have a "brick" - a nice paperweight that doesn't turn on.  Don't be ashamed, since you are not alone.  Actually, it is almost impossible to brick a Nook because your Nook has an external micro SD slot which allows you to boot from the card and recover from bricking.  Guess, what?  The Kindle Fire does not have an external memory slot, which is why the Nook is favored for those who want to convert to Android with less risk.  So, you either made a wise choice by buying a Nook, or are about to make a wise choice - buy a Nook!  

 

So, what is an AFN Recovery Plus! card? There are several uses for the card, but first and foremost is the AFN Recovery Plus! card allows you to install an Android O/S of your choice, replacing the stock Barnes and Noble version. This means your Nook is converted to a 100% Android tablet with no restrictions. You can access the Google Play store, Amazon apps store and any other app vendor that is available through an Android device. Once Android is installed, your external micro SD slot is freed up for you to use a blank card and store whatever you want on it while having use of the full capacity of the card. The basic Recovery Plus! card comes with CM7 which is the "bread and butter" of Android O/S. It has tremendous development support and is what most Android users are familiar with. You can choose to order an additional O/S, such as Miui or Jelly Bean, to expand your Android experience and then you'll always have the option to install Nook or one of two Android O/S whenever you like. 

 

A second and important purpose of the Recovery Plus! Card is it allows you to "recover" from a bricked Nook and re-install the stock Nook O/S. If you tried to root your Nook yourself and something went wrong the AFN Recovery Plus! card is for you - just insert it into your Nook and turn it on, and it boots into the ClockworkMod Recovery menu (CWM). It is completely menu driven, meaning you don't have to copy files, run separate imaging programs or anything. Press some buttons, and in a few minutes your Nook is back to stock and runs just like it did the day you bought it.  

Pros: 

  • Recover from a "bricked" Nook and restore your stock Nook O/S
  • Install an Android O/S of your choice (CM7 comes with the basic card)
  • Runs internally to your Nook, so it may be faster, smoother and more responsive than running from an AFN SD card (mostly noticeable with Jelly Bean).
  • You can hot-swap your micro SD card while running Android - switch between video files, music files, etc.
  • If you already have an AFN dual-boot card, you can still use it and install a 2nd Android O/S internally, then have two Android choices to boot to.
  • If your Nook Tablet does not boot to an Android micro SD card without the charging cable plugged in, you can avoid that inconvenience by using a Recovery Plus! card instead.
  • Other tools come with CWM, like creating Android backups.

 

Cons: 

  • Overwrites your existing Nook O/S
  • Voids your Nook warranty (not an issue if your warranty is expired)

 

If your Nook warranty has expired (or you don't really care about it) and want to experiment with different Android O/S, then the AFN Recovery Plus! card is a great product for you. Install different O/S and always have the option to return to stock Nook, with just a few menu clicks. 

 

Benefits of Converting your Nook to Android

You can download thousands of free games and apps from Android market (Google Play Store), surf the web, check email, watch movies and play games.  Many Android apps are not available through B&N or cost money (Angry Birds, anyone?), but are available (and often free) with an AFN-powered tablet!  With the B&N Android For Nook app, you still have access to your B&N purchased content in Android mode. 

You can even make your Nook Color run faster (up to 1.2 GHz) in Android mode.  With 8, 16 or 32 GB memory cards, you can load and store tons of music, videos or documents. It also has a 7-inch multi-touch screen and can run bluetooth in Android mode (Nook Color). For less than $160, you can buy a certified refurbished Nook and have an AndroidForNook-powered tablet too - an incredible bargain!

 

No Need to Remove your Dual-Boot AFN Card

All of the AFN cards come with a dual-boot feature: choose to boot to Nook or Android at startup.  Leave the AndroidForNook card in your Nook - you never have to take it out.  If you do remove it, your Nook will work as a normal e-reader, just as it did when you purchased it. 

Free Shipping Option!

 

On orders $19.99 and over, Standard shipping is free!  Anything less is a flat-rate $3.00.  All orders are shipped using USPS first-class mail, usually mailed within one business day of placing your order.  A priority mail option is available at checkout.  All domestic shipments include tracking.  International orders are accepted (shipping calculated before checkout).

 

Limitations

Chances are you bought your Nook as an e-reader and then sometime later you realized you could transform your Nook to an Android tablet.  The AFN cards do that, and very well, however there are some limitations.  The AFN Android versions all originated from smartphone operating systems.  Some crafty developers who banded together and drank gallons of caffeinated beverages modified the operating system to work with the Nook.  The result is truly amazing.  Even so, some things don’t work perfectly, and other things don’t work at all.  For example, the Nook Tablet has a microphone, but communications apps do not work very well in Android mode.  Forget using Skype for anything but texting.  Voice search works, but can be problematic.  Also for the Nook Tablet, video playback works, but the video and audio are slightly out of sync.  For some people it is fine, for others, they will want to boot into Nook mode to watch videos.  NEW: Jelly Bean for the Nook Tablet has excellent video and audio - no sync issues.  The Nook Color video playback is excellent.  We are constantly working to improve the AFN products and developers are also, so there is a chance that in future updates some limitations will be overcome.

One other thing - on current versions of AFN products there are apps included that do not work because they are meant for another Android device (smartphone).  These apps are still present (namely the contacts and phone app) because there are some dependencies between the apps and the operating system and the Google Play Store. 

The bottom line is, you can’t beat the price for a Nook to Android conversion and your bang for the buck is awesome.  Just don’t expect to make phone calls, video/audio chat or mow your lawn with your AFN tablet.

For more information on the various Android versions we offer check the product descriptions in the AFN Shop and on our support forum under AFN Product Information.

 

Satisfaction Guaranteed

AndroidForNook cards are guaranteed to work properly when you receive them.  Our refund policy means you can return it for any reason for a full refund within 14 days of purchase. You also have 30 days to exchange it for the same or different product.  Check our forum thread for more details and learn about the AFN free upgrade program!   Prior to any returns or exchanges, send us an email for instructions: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .