Rooted nook displaying turbulent Kindle app.

If you’re technically inclined then this story will perhaps solve a dilemma for you. According to a post on Geek.com the new nook can be rooted, as it is Android based, and once rooted can then be used to download the Kindle app, thus allowing the user to unite both their Barnes & Noble and Amazon libraries on one device. Sal Cangeloso writes:

Despite falling prices, choosing an ebook reader has been surprisingly difficult. That’s because the hardware is only one small part of the purchase-what you are really buying into is a platform. After all, the hardware will only be a fraction of the price of the investment you make in non-transferable ebooks, so the decision you make on the platform could affect how you read for some time into the future.

You’ll be able to avoid that whole situation altogether if you go with an Nook and you take the time to root it. Because the Nook is Android-powered, and by rooting it you can load your own apps, all you need to do to solve your ebook platform problems is install the Kindle app.

So, say you like Barnes and Noble’s slick Nook readers, but you already have a few dozen Kindle books. Now you’ll be able to go with a Nook without losing access to your Kindle books, or relegating them to use on your computer. And Kindle users won’t have to feel permantly tied to Amazon’s readers for monochrome e-ink reading! It’s a win-win situation.

He goes on to explain that the version of Kindle that loads is a little clunkier than usual, but delivers an overall nice reading experience on the rooted nook. Okay, so after watching the video embedded in the article you’ll realize that it’s a lot clunky.

The whole exercise brings up one of the most frustrating aspects to the eBook landscape. Namely that it’s controlled by two retailers from a distribution, hardware and retail perspective. Neither device’s producer wants you to be able to procure your books from anywhere but them. Thus the annoying issue of maintaining two different libraries.

I kind of like the stormy look that Kindle has on a rooted nook. It’s like the two things are at war. Oh wait. They are.