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Barnes & Noble debuts $50 Nook tablet to take on Amazon
The battle for bookworms' hearts and eyes this holiday season is officially underway! Barnes & Noble announced on Wednesday the forthcoming release of its new Nook tablet. The tablet will retail for just $50 -- 30 bucks less than the baseline Amazon Kindle and on par with the Amazon Fire -- when it becomes available on Black Friday, November 25th. It features a 7-inch IPS display, 7 hours of battery life and 8GB of onboard storage, which can be boosted by up to 128GB using a microSD card. Take that, Macbook Pro.
Barnes & Noble ends its Nook partnership with Microsoft
For a long while, it looked as if Microsoft and Barnes & Noble would become more than just firm friends. The pair had been entangled in a similar partnership that the software giant had with Nokia, throwing $300 million to support the ailing bookseller. Back then, the idea was that B&N would create reading apps for Microsoft's devices while, presumably, Microsoft gained an ally that could stand up to Amazon in the e-book market. Since B&N is now planning to spin-off Nook Media, which uses Samsung hardware for its e-readers, there's little need for Microsoft's further involvement.
Barnes & Noble teases its Samsung-made tablet
In order to save cash, Barnes & Noble decided to kill off its homegrown line of Nook tablets, and just asked Samsung to rebrand a Galaxy Tab instead. We've already seen images of the elegantly-named 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, but in a new video, discovered by The Digital Reader, the bookseller asks Nook-owning customers to give the device a spin. The company even recruited Grumpy Cat to glare disapprovingly at the hardware, albeit with the caption "I don't hate it." Given that it's less than a week before the company's glitzy New York launch, it won't be long before we can get the slate into our testing labs and work out if it's as good as those passionate Nook fans -- who were paid with a new Nook for their time -- say it is.
Barnes & Noble looks to Google to rival Amazon's same-day book deliveries
Need that yoga for dogs book yesterday? You can now get it "today" at least from Barnes & Noble, who have joined Amazon with same-day book deliveries. It's enlisting an odd partner for the service: Google, one if its competitors in the e-book space. With Shopping Express, Google has been delivering goods for a while, and the NYT says it wants to take on Amazon's same-day book deliveries by working with Barnes & Noble. The service will be free for Shopping Express subscribers (Amazon Prime members pay $5.99 per same-day delivery), and will cost $4.99 for non-members, compared to $9.98 on Amazon. Instead of ordering through Barnes & Noble's website, you'll need to go directly through a participating outlet, which will pass the delivery on to Google. You can do so at stores in Manhattan, West Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area, with expansion coming soon to Queens and Brooklyn.
Barnes & Noble's new app wants to change how you study
Back in my day, we carried backpacks loaded with six or seven textbooks... up a hill... both ways in the snow. Once we got to class, we had to take all our notes in equally large notebooks. A new app from Barnes & Noble called Yuzu is making life easier for kids these days, offering youngsters all the books without the chronic shoulder pain. The iPad app allows you to tote around all your textbooks and add notes or highlight key points in them as you read. Books are organized by class, and are synced online, so if you're too lazy to bring your iPad with you to Anthropology you can still follow along from any web-connected computer. Yuzu can be accessed via Internet Explorer or Safari 6.1/7 (standard-issue for school-locked computers), and everything you do can be pulled up on your tablet when you're back at the dorm. Later in the semester when you opt to go to a playoff game rather than study for finals, all your notes can be pulled together on a single page for a high-speed court-side cram session.
Barnes & Noble brings Nook Press self-publishing to parts of Europe
Does your agent constantly reject your manuscript about a teen wizard who falls in love with a vampire and has to fight for their life in a televised death zone? Barnes & Noble feels your pain, and is opening up the Nook Press self-publishing platform to parts of Europe to get your story told. From today, the web-based service launches in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium. But how much do you stand to make? If your title is priced between £1.50 (€2.50) and £7.99 (€9.49) you'll receive 65 percent of the fee, and if it's under £1.50 (€2.49), you'll get 40 percent land in your bank account. Just remember that Amazon is the only e-reader company that'll let you write your GI Joe opus.
Barnes & Noble slashes Nook tablet prices in the UK
Bargain hunting? Good, because Barnes & Noble has just hacked down the price of its Nook HD range in the UK. The 7-inch Nook HD will now set you back just £79 for the 8GB edition and £99 for the 16GB version, while the 9-inch HD+ is now available for £129 (16GB) or £149 (32GB). We're not sure if this is a Touchpad-style fire sale or if the bookseller is prepping for its traditional autumn refresh (albeit with a third-party tablet this time 'round) -- but either way, the Nook is a great piece of hardware for under a ton.
Barnes & Noble founder abandons plan to buy back retail business
Barnes & Noble's "founder"* Leonard Riggio has conceded that his plans to rescue the firm have been iced. Thanks to those same SEC regulations that tipped us to his intentions, the company's majority shareholder has admitted that he won't attempt his ambitious rescue of the ailing retailer. In a statement, Riggio urges B&N to push the Nook tablet, serve its 10 million-strong customer base and build out the company's struggling retail business. At the same time, Barnes & Noble let slip that at least one new Nook device will arrive before the holiday season, presumably the first that'll be produced by a third party -- but let's be honest, it's not looking good. *He founded the book chain that would buy the Barnes & Noble name, pedantry fans.
Engadget's back to school guide 2013: e-readers
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! Today, we're taking a look at your best e-reader options. Head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as we add them throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back; in early September, we'll be giving away a ton of gear, including some of the picks in our guides. Schoolbooks? What is this, the late 20th century? Granted, we still have a ways to go before all the world's textbooks go digital, but e-readers should be able to stand in for most of those paperbacks, at least. So lose a little backpack weight, save a couple of trees and take notes without ruining your copy. We have got your e-reader needs covered, no matter what your back to school budget.
Barnes & Noble founder pondering bid to buy back retail business, hive off Nook Media
Just 12 hours after (already denied) rumors circulated that Barnes & Noble may ditch its Nook business, the company has had to make an announcement concerning its retail division. Thanks to SEC regulations, the company has had to 'fess up that majority shareholder and "founder*" Leonard Riggio is pondering buying the brick-and-mortar retail business -- presumably hiving off the Nook brand as a separate entity. Of course, this could easily just be the rattling of sabers by a disgruntled founder (and not for the first time of late), or we might see the bookseller cleft in two parts in the near future. Either way, we'll be watching with great interest. * He founded the book chain that would buy the Barnes & Noble name.
Barnes & Noble brings Nook Video to the UK, first to offer UltraViolet in the old country
Barnes & Noble have kept its "early December" promise to bring the Nook Video service to the UK. The company has signed deals with heavy-hitters like the BBC, HBO and Warner Bros., so Game of Thrones and The Dark Knight Rises are ready and gagging to be seen. It's also the first to arrive in Blighty with full-fat UltraViolet access, enabling you to watch your (compatible) purchased DVDs and Blu-rays without all of that fiddly ripping and re-encoding. If you haven't snapped up one of the company's Nook HD tablets yet, you'd better get writing that letter to Santa.
PSA: Barnes & Noble's Nook HD, HD+ tablets are now available in the UK
Following the arrival of Barnes & Noble's e-reader products in the UK, today's the day that the company's tablets follow suit. The Nook HD and HD+ are a pair of tasty little high-definition tablets, which can be snagged at stores such as Argos, Sainsbury's and John Lewis. The 7-inch HD can be yours for £159 with 8GB storage or £189 for 16GB, while the HD+ is priced at £229 for 16GB and £269 for 32GB.
EA bringing more games to Barnes & Noble's Nook HD and Nook HD+
Nook HD and HD+ owners will be very happy to know that more gaming titles from Electronic Arts are on the way, with a couple even being available as we speak. Earlier today, the renowned developer announced its Plant vs. Zombies and Bejeweled 2 are now compatible with Barnes & Noble's newest pair of slates, while other EA titles like Real Racing 2, Tetris, Monopoly and The Game of Life are expected to launch "through the holiday season." Both Plants vs. Zombies and Bejeweled 2 are up for download now for $5 and $3, respectively, and you can snag your favorite one from the source link below.
Nook HD review: a high-def tablet with the heart of a reader
Barnes & Noble knows where it stands in the tablet race. Sure, the company has been plugging away at the space since the day the Nook Color made its transformation into a full-fledged tablet, but the Nook, it seems, is rarely mentioned in the same breath as the Kindle Fire or Nexus 7, when discussing low-cost tablets. As such, the company seems to rarely mention its devices without discussing the competition -- Amazon in particular. In fact, at the launch event for the Nook HD and HD+, reps trotted out Kindle Fire HDs at every possible opportunity. Seeing the two devices side by side, there's no question that Nook trumps the Fire in a number of categories, and the bookseller has gone a ways toward making the Nook HD stand out in a field full of bigger players. For one thing, the device is far more focused on the reading experience than the competition, a fact reflected in both hardware and UI decisions. The company has also taken a more aggressive approach toward marketing the device toward families. The question, then, is whether these features are enough to capture marketshare from the more prominent devices. See how the Nook HD stacks up after the break. %Gallery-169588%
PSA: Nook Simple Touch and Simple Touch with Glowlight now on sale in the UK
Barnes & Noble's arrival in the UK has been so well-telegraphed, you might be surprised to learn that today's the day the units actually launch. You'll be able to pick up a Nook Simple Touch or awkwardly-titled Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight from retailers such as John Lewis, Sainsbury's and on the company's new Nook.co.uk site. Access to Barnes & Noble's 2.5 million title e-book library will set you back £79 for the base model and £109 for the glow-in-the-dark version.
Barnes & Noble's Nook HD gets splayed all over the internet by the FCC
Barnes & Noble is eager to ensure its Nook HD tablets are passed safe for consumption by humans. That's why one of the slates has just been ushered out of the FCC's underground bunker after being torn into tiny pieces. Of course, our boys in blue generously shared the pictures for us all to enjoy, and we'd be remiss if we didn't include them here -- after all, it's what's inside that counts.
How would you change the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight?
Barnes & Noble's Simple Touch with Glowlight was here long before Amazon's glow-in-the-dark offering, and has found its way onto plenty of your nightstands. We thought it was great, except wishing it was cheaper and had 3G, and since the company has remedied the former if not the latter gripe. However, has the last six months of reading been totally blissful for you? We're inviting you to place yourself in the hirsute shoes of CEO William Lynch and tell us what you'd change if you were in charge.
Barnes & Noble and Microsoft complete Nook Media LLC partnership
Barnes & Noble and Microsoft's mutual appreciation is getting a lot more real. The duo issued a joint announcement today, marking the completion of Nook Media LLC, a "strategic partnership" made up of the bookseller's digital and college wings. The news comes after a $300 million investment in the pairing. Further plans for Nook Media are vague at the moment, as the companies note, "There can be no assurance that the review will result in a strategic separation or the creation of a stand-alone public company." Until such key things are decided, B&N for one doesn't plan on elaborating. You can find a bit more, however, in the press release after the break.
Target, Walmart list price drop for B&N's Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight to $119
Check those calendars. It's September 29th, which means, for those who follow the world of e-readers, that we're two days from Kindle Paperwhite day. According to Target and Walmart, it also means that Barnes & Noble's own illuminated e-reader, the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, is getting a $20 price cut, down to $119. That price puts the reader on par with the entry-level Paperwhite (no 3G, with ads). Let the battle of the front lit e-readers commence! Update: Check out some official pricing update info from B&N after the break.
Barnes & Noble Nook HD, HD+ vs. Nook Tablet: what's changed?
When William Barnes and G. Clifford Noble set up their first bookstore in 1917, neither of them could have conceived of an e-reader or tablet, let alone trying to sell one of 'em. Their historical lack of foresight aside, the company outed a pair of second generation slates this morning, and it's our job to see what technical nips and tucks have been made from version one. If you love to start the day with a spec chart comparison, then why not grab a bowl of cereal and join us after the break?
