Barnes & Noble unveils Android-based eBook reader ‘nook’

Oct 21, 2009

Bookseller Barnes & Noble, Inc. today announced the launch of nook, the  eBook reader, which marries innovative technology and sleek minimalist design with access to the company’s digital store of over one million eBooks, newspapers and magazines. nook features many industry firsts as it is the first Android-based eBook reader and the first to offer a color touch screen for navigation along with a best-in-class E Ink display for an immersive, enjoyable e-reading experience.

nook eBook Reader

nook eBook Reader

The centerpiece of Barnes & Noble’s strategy to deliver any book, any time, anywhere, nook was created expressly with the reader in mind, with features and functionality to create an immersive, seamless and fun experience.

For fast connectivity, nook is the first eBook reader to provide, at no additional costs to customers, both 3G wireless access on AT&T’s mobile broadband network and access to Wi-Fi for Barnes & Noble in-store browsing and enjoyment.  And to help friends share their joy of reading, nook is the first eBook reader to offer digital lending for a wide selection of eBooks.

Some features of nook:

  • A Gripping Read, by Design: nook’s sleek, minimalist design puts the focus on the content, not the technology, and the combination of color and touch make navigation intuitive and simple. nook feels great in hand and features a contoured, easy-to-hold back. About the size and weight of a paperback book, nook is thin, small and portable. Its best-in-class E Ink Vizplex display is easy on the eyes with text as clear and crisp as a printed book.  And with no glare or backlight and adjustable text size, you can read comfortably for hours without straining your eyes.
  • Color Touch for Easy Navigation: The beautiful lower color touch screen offers an immersive experience, inviting you to virtually browse through brilliant cover art, flip through an expansive library, or search using a virtual keyboard. nook presents the controls, navigation and keyboard you need, only when you need them.
  • Download eBooks Wirelessly: With fast 3G wireless and Wi-Fi access, nook is the most-connected eBook reader. Browse and instantly download eBooks, magazines and newspapers simply and seamlessly on AT&T’s 3G wireless network, the nation’s fastest, with no set-up required or additional wireless costs. Connect to the complimentary Wi-Fi, provided by the AT&T Wi-Fi network, in Barnes & Noble stores and download at broadband fast speeds.
  • Lend eBooks to Friends: With nook’s breakthrough LendMe technology, lend a wide selection of eBooks to friends free of charge, for up to 14 days at a time.  Just choose the book you want to share and send it to your friend’s nook or iPhone, iPod touch, select BlackBerry and Motorola smartphones, PC or Mac with Barnes & Noble eReader software.
  • A Continuous Reading Experience: With “Reading Now,” your virtual bookmark, nook brings you back to the last book you’ve read, right where you left off.  And it works across a range of devices.  If you forgot your nook at home, Barnes & Noble’s free eReader software on your iPhone, select BlackBerry and Motorola smartphones or laptop lets you pick up where you left off, including annotations. And when you’re reunited with your nook again, the Reading Now page will be updated and ready to go.
  • A Wealth of Content, in the Palm of Your Hand: nook can hold up to 1,500 eBooks and other printed content, and the sky’s the limit for your digital library when you use nook’s expandable memory slot. A 16GB MicroSD card holds up to 17,500 eBooks.
  • Portability and Personalization: You can also easily transfer PDF-format documents from your computer to access and read business documents, legal contracts and travel information on your nook. And transfer your photos to create custom screensavers.
  • Protect Your nook in Style: nook comes with a removable back cover you can personalize from a selection of four additional great colors. You can also choose from a range of accessories by renowned designers kate spade new york, Jack Spade, Jonathan Adler, Tahari and others. From classic and colorful portfolios to an innovative book light, Barnes & Noble will offer stylish and elegant accessories designed exclusively for nook both in stores and online.

nook will begin shipping at the end of November with a price of $259.00.  Barnes & Noble is now taking pre-orders at www.nook.com and in stores. In celebration of nook’s launch, Barnes & Noble will also offer a free eBook of Malcolm Gladwell’s widely acclaimed best-seller, “The Tipping Point,” for the first 10,000 customers to pre-order nook.

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