Fathers Day Gifts: Kindle or Nook - Which e-reader is right for dad?

(CBS/CNET) - So you want to buy your Dad an e-reader as a Father's Day gift, but you don't know where to start. If you're on a budget and looking for something simple, chances are you've narrowed it down to two Wi-Fi devices: Amazon's Kindle with Special Offers and Barnes & Noble's touch screen Nook.

Both are great products, but which one's right for your non-techie dad?

In short, I'd go with the Nook.

No, it doesn't have an audio jack for MP3 music playback or a built-in basic web browser, but it does have one thing the Kindle doesn't: a touch-screen interface - and it is awesome.

The new Nook is compact and looks significantly shorter than the Kindle, though a bit thicker. It's got built-in Wi-Fi for direct access to the online Barnes & Noble store, an expansion slot for additional memory, and long battery life (up to two months).

From a users standpoint, the Nook largely lives up to its billing as the "Simple Touch Reader."

But the big question, of course, is whether this e-reader is technically better than the Kindle. Since both e-readers have the same Pearl e-ink screen and display text in a very similar fashion, the actual reading experience isn't all that different. However, the Nook has a clearly smaller design and the touch-screen navigation is a lot easier than the Kindle and just feels more natural.

However, the Kindle with Special Offers is cheaper, starting at $114 and the new Nook at $139. It's only $25, but $25 makes a difference for some people, and the Kindle still is an excellent e-reader and easy to use, no touch screen and all.

Though the Kindle may be the iPod of the e-reader world, the Nook is a better choice for Father's Day.

For a complete review of the Barnes & Noble Nook and Amazon Kindle check out CNET.