Amazon is now offering the Kindle 3G, originally $190, for $164 with “offers.” This new version integrates 3G wireless alongside Wi-Fi, something the new Nook pointedly does not have. This new version will also include offers aka advertisements, allowing you to see a bit of flimflammery with your regularly scheduled ebook.
The Kindle Wi-Fi with offers costs $114, twenty dollars less than the… → Read More
We’ll soon have both of these new e-reader devices for review, but a quick comparison seems in order since they’re so similar on paper. Both are going to be available in early June, and both promise a frills-free touchable reading experience. How do they differ? Let’s run down the specs and see what happens. → Read More
I’m a big fan of my Kindle DX. It’s literally my favorite gadget. I love the form factor, the large screen, the relatively good battery life and the keyboard. Amazon could eliminate any of those items and my love would still be just as strong. The Kindle DX is perfect in my eyes. It’s so perfect that just the thought of Amazon ditching the buttons in favor of a touchscreen pains me as deeply as… → Read More
We’re coming at you live from the Barnes & Noble superstore/cafe/public bathroom on Union Square where we hope to see an update to the Nook line. It’s my understanding that we’ll be seeing a new Nook Color Device with priced at about $140. Update this page as we live blog the event with bated breath. → Read More
Well, after several leaks, an SEC filing, and random speculation from random bloggers, Barnes & Noble just sent out an invite for a Special Announcement. Ready for more random speculation from a random blogger? Here! We! Go! → Read More
Barnes & Noble just announced that Nook Color users have downloaded over 1 millon apps so far, including Angry Birds, Drawing Pad, and Pulse. Obviously 1 million apps in comparison to the numbers downloaded (notice they didn’t say “sold”) is fairly paltry but it’s a great start.
This bit of news confirms what we’ve been saying for a while: the Nook is kind of a stealth Android device and… → Read More
This is a bit odd: I don’t recall anyone leaking any new devices via SEC filings before. I’m know it’s happened in financial reports and so on. But this little document is pretty clear: “In a meeting with investor analysts on May 4, 2011, Barnes & Noble, Inc. (the “Company”) indicated it expects to make an announcement on May 24, 2011 regarding the launch of a new… → Read More
Quanta, a Chinese hardware manufacturer, is reporting that they have received an order from Amazon to build new Kindle tablets, potentially with fringe field switching display touchscreens that may or may not mimic the screens found in devices like the Nook Color. → Read More
The comments on yesterday’s post concerning the Xoom’s bungled launch stated loud and clear that people want inexpensive Android tablets — or at least that the high MSRP was the Xoom’s undoing. The thought is that if you’re going to spend over $500 on a tablet, the iPad is the only choice, which therefore makes the $800 Xoom a no-sale. I sort of agree with that even… → Read More
This, multiplied by a million minus 1 million Digitimes “sources” are stating that 3 million Nooks Color have rolled off the assembly line and into stores over the past year, giving the Nook Color firmly at 50% of the “iPad-like” tablet market. They estimated 600,000-700,000 sales per month in January and February during the post-holiday gift card redemption season. → Read More
Looks like HSN wasn’t lying when they said the Nook Color would be getting an update next month. Of course, they continue to lie about the price of the device ($500, HSN? Really?), but that’s a whole other thing. → Read More
While the Nook Color may be a popular tablet for hacking, it’s also just a plain ol’ e-reader — or so they say. Now that they’re adding the Nook Store, a device-specific market for apps, like that on the Galaxy Tab.
It’s not the full Android Market, but if you’re looking to augment your Nook Color a bit, this is will be easier than hacking it.
Also, it appears that HSN thinks the Nook… → Read More
Microsoft has filed suit against Barnes & Noble, creators of the Nook and Nook Color e-readers, as well as the manufacturers of those devices. The companies allegedly infringe on a number of patents filed between 1998 and 2005, generally applying to UI elements associated with browsing and downloading information. Like many patents from that period (for example those cited by Paul Allen in… → Read More
Barnes & Noble’s Nook is a solid ereading device, but it’s hard to wholeheartedly recommend it over the less expensive and arguably superior Amazon Kindle. Still, the Nook is doing just fine and B&N reported recently that they believe it has 25% of the domestic e-book market. That works out to be a larger marketshare that B&N has in physical books although that might change… → Read More
With all the dashboard modding for the integrations of tablets going on, the future of in-car begins to look brighter. Most automakers force you to use their silly infotainment systems, but the company to first allow a smartphone or tablet to run the system will win in the long run. Take for example this video of a rooted NOOKcolor installed into a dashboard. It may not look fancy or do much now… → Read More
Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) just recently got its first SDK release, and it looks like the enterprising hackers in the Android community have already ported it to the Nook Color hardware. Well, partially. It’s a “zombie” made by mixing the SDK with the Nook’s kernel, and it runs like a dog. Getting hardware acceleration (a major part of the UI snappiness in Honeycomb) working… → Read More
Book chain Borders sales are looking bleak and the company is apparently not paying publishers. The company is down two-fold over last year and, although some talks point to a potential Barnes & Noble merger, nothing has been finalized. → Read More
Just when we thought the NookColor was just a B&N reading device, hackers have rooted the devices and ported the Kindle reading app to the platform, ensuring plenty of migraines around Barnes & Noble HQ this week. → Read More
Reading and books: probably the most fantastic gifts possible. That said, the Nook Color can do books, magazines, simple games, and browse the web all on an Android system. It’s been called an iPad light and that’s a great description, really. Normally these run $249.99 in Barnes & Nobel stores, but as the last item in our 12 Days of Christmas giveaway extravaganza, it’s going to one of our… → Read More
Hot on the heels of Amazon and B&N’s Kindle and Nook announcements, Sony is reminding the world that they still make e-reader and that their Touch Edition is almost sold out – in Japan. → Read More
I’m not sure there was every any real conviction that the Android Market would eventually make it to the Nook Color, but nevertheless, Barnes & Noble has made it clear that no, there’s no chance. The Nook Color will have apps made just for it (the SDK was recently released), but beyond that, apps are verboten. → Read More
The Nook Color is starting to make minor waves (in spite of my prejudice) as it’s really quite a lot of machine for $250. And now the SDK has been opened up, which should allow the usual suspects to adapt their existing Android apps to the Nook’s hardware.
It’s not like the Nook Color is some undiscovered country, though, filled with exotic future tech. It’s just a mid-range tablet with a nice… → Read More
The e-reading battle is raging hot, and while statistics ostensibly showing an insurgent iPad should be taken with a grain of salt, the volatility of the market is plain to see. The Kindle has made the most of an early lead, and promises to be a highly popular gift item. The Nook Color is receiving encouraging reviews and has just been rooted, rendering it a thrifty choice for tablet shoppers. … → Read More
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