Barnes and Noble Nook

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  • Nook 1.1 update hitting now

    Right on schedule, the Barnes and Noble Nook is kicking out a software update (we rebooted to get the download to start). We've heard this will fix some of the issues we had with the unit in our review -- but we'll update you once we've had a little time to play around with it. Some things we've noticed so far: Page updating on the E Ink display does seem to be a tiny bit faster. Nothing mindblowing, but a little bit better. B&N has fixed the page numbering issues. There is now a clear number and progress bar along the bottom of the screen. Overall the navigation and color screen loading times seem improved. The experience is definitely faster -- even scrolling through book covers seems a bit improved. There is still pausing and lag in the UI. This isn't a sea change, but it's clear they've cleaned some elements up. [Thanks, anonymous tipster] Update: You can take a look at all the changes right here.

  • Barnes & Noble Nook torn down and rooted -- but still respected

    Barnes & Noble might be pitching the Nook to the literary set, but it turns out the Android-based dual-screen reader is pretty hacker-friendly as well: both the OS and filesystem are stored on a microSD card. That means the newly-formed crew at nookdevs has already managed to root what they describe as the "generic" Android 1.5 build that's hidden under the Nook's navigation UI, and they say the device can do "everything a rooted Android phone can do." That's certainly intriguing, especially since the Nook has a data-only AT&T 3G modem and WiFi to go along with that capacitive touchscreen and E Ink display -- can you say "potential"? [Thanks, Andy]

    Nilay Patel
    12.14.2009
  • Nook ship date pushed back to January 15th for new pre-orders, no Nooks in stores before Christmas?

    Last night, we got a tip telling us that this morning, Barnes and Noble's ship date for the Nook would slip further -- from the previously known date of January 11th to January 15th. And hey, what do you know? The BN website is now showing an expected ship date of January 15th -- though it seems this would be the shipping date for new pre-orders, not for pre-existing ones. Disappointing for all of us who are expectantly awaiting our units, no doubt, but there's the possibility of further bad news. The last time we checked in, the Nook was expected in some Barnes and Noble retail stores on the 7th of December. This tipster, who as we've just mentioned proved spot on with the expected shipping date (and whose name we know, though they've asked us not to print it), also says that no Barnes and Noble stores will have actual Nooks on hand until after Christmas. Of course, we have no way of knowing if this information will turn out to be correct, but at this point, we thought it seemed a decent enough piece of "possible" to pass on. Update: We've just spoken with a Barnes & Noble rep, and they say they will have the Nook in select stores on Monday, December 7th, so we're just going to have to be patient and see. Update 2: If it was not clear enough, this new date of January 15th (as well as the previous date of January 11th) seems to pertain ONLY to new pre-orders of the device -- not orders placed before the initial run sold out. Update 3: And the in-store delay is official... Barnes & Noble is now confirming that the Nook will NOT be available in stores on Monday, as it's "intent on fulfilling earlier preorders." [Thanks, unnamed]

  • Barnes & Noble's Nook now sold out for the holidays

    Hoping to put your hands on a Nook this holiday season? Here's hoping you got in the door early, because bookseller Barnes & Noble claims that the Kindle-competitor has sold out for anyone hoping to gift the thing this year. According to the New York Times, B&N says pre-orders on the device have exceeded its expectations, and the well has now run dry on forthcoming stock. To make up for the loss, the seller is offering placeholder certificates for buyers, with a promise that the next round of devices will be shipping out around January 4th. Are suburban moms to blame? Only B&N knows for sure.

    Joshua Topolsky
    11.20.2009
  • Spring Design sues Barnes & Noble over the Nook

    We knew something was up with the Spring Design Alex dual-screen ebook reader the instant we saw its hastily-prepared web site published the night before Barnes & Noble's Nook launch, and it appears that our hunch was right: Spring Design just filed a trade secret lawsuit against B&N, alleging that their designers showed the Alex to the bookseller's execs before the Nook was developed. According to Spring Design, the two companies had been in contact with each other over ereader designs since the beginning of the year, with various executives exchanging calls, meetings and product details under NDA -- which would certainly explain why there are suddenly two Android-based ereaders on the market with dual electronic ink and capacitive LCD touchscreen displays. Definitely suspicious, but we'd also note that the Nook and Alex actually work quite differently: users browse the web on the Alex's touchscreen and then "print" the content they want to read to the electronic ink display, while the Nook doesn't have a browser and the touchscreen is only used for navigation, not content. We're digging for as much info as we can, and we'll hit you with more info as soon as we get it -- stay tuned.

    Nilay Patel
    11.02.2009