HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Barnes & Noble Nook (styled nook or NOOK) is a brand of
e-reader An e-reader, also called an e reader or e device, is a Mobile computing, mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and Periodical literature, periodicals. Any device that can display text on ...
s developed by American book retailer
Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 600 retail stores across the United States. Barnes & Noble operates mainly through its B ...
, based on the Android platform. The original device was announced in the U.S. in October 2009, and was released the next month. The original Nook had a six-inch E-paper display and a separate, smaller color touchscreen that serves as the primary input device and was capable of
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
and
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
3G wireless connectivity. The original Nook was followed in November 2010 by a color
LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers to display information. Liquid crystals do not em ...
device called the Nook Color, in June 2011 by the Nook Simple Touch, and in November 2011 and February 2012 by the Nook Tablet. On April 30, 2012, Barnes & Noble entered into a partnership with Microsoft that spun off the Nook and college businesses into a subsidiary. On August 28, 2012, Barnes and Noble announced partnerships with retailers in the UK, which began offering the Nook digital products in October 2012. In December 2014, B&N purchased Microsoft's Nook shares, ending the partnership. Nook users may read nearly any Nook Store
e-book An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Al ...
, digital magazines or newspapers for one hour once per day while connected to a Barnes & Noble's Wi-Fi.


Naming

The Nook name and identity was devised and created by the Brand Development Group at
R/GA R/GA is an innovation consultancy, and digital design and advertising agency, headquartered in New York City, with global offices in Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, London, Berlin, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Singapore, Shanghai, Sy ...
. Nook was initially rejected as a name by Barnes & Noble but eventually the connection to a nook being a familiar place to read was compelling enough to change the minds of the company's executives. This decision pivoted on the information contained within an NPR article which suggested that female readers tend to read more than men. The name is also claimed by Rex Wilder when he was consulting for Ammunition Design Group.


Devices


Current


Nook GlowLight 4 (E Ink)

In December 2021, B&N announced the 4th generation of the GlowLight e-reader. The GlowLight 4 has an enhanced lighting system that provides a cool white during the day or in rooms with bright light, but then can manually or automatically switch to night mode with an orange tone for reading in dark spaces with less blue light. The device also has physical page turn buttons and is the first device to have
USB-C USB-C, or USB Type-C, is a 24-pin reversible Electrical connector, connector (not a Communication protocol, protocol) that supersedes previous USB hardware#Connectors, USB connectors (also supersedes Mini DisplayPort and Lightning (connector) ...
.


Nook GlowLight 4 Plus (E Ink)

On September 6, 2023, B&N released the GlowLight 4 Plus e-reader with a 7.8-inch display. The larger 4 Plus retains the enhanced lighting and 300 ppi resolution of the GlowLight 4 but the display is now flush with the front of the device. Like the others in the GlowLight 4 family it has physical page turn buttons and
USB-C USB-C, or USB Type-C, is a 24-pin reversible Electrical connector, connector (not a Communication protocol, protocol) that supersedes previous USB hardware#Connectors, USB connectors (also supersedes Mini DisplayPort and Lightning (connector) ...
but is the first of its type to have a capacitive touch (rather than physical) home button. The 4 Plus also is the first e-ink Nook to include a headphone jack and
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...
audio support for listening to audiobooks.


Nook 9" Lenovo Tablet (LCD)

On February 5 2024, B&N announced a 9" LCD Android tablet for $149.99. The device contains 64 GB of storage (up to 128 GB with microSD card purchased separately) and a thirteen-hour battery life. The 9” color display features TÜV Rheinland certified eye protection to protect against blue light, offers Grayscale, Chromatic & Immersive Reading modes, and is fingerprint resistant. The tablet also comes with a front and rear camera. Along with audiobooks and Bluetooth compatibility, the tablet sports an audio jack and dual speakers with Dolby Atmos, as well as a USB-C port for varied headphone options, charging and data transfer purposes. The Nook Lenovo tablet is available in Arctic Grey and Frost Blue.


Discontinued


E Ink Devices


=Nook 1st Edition

= The device has two versions, a Nook that includes
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi () is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for Wireless LAN, local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by ...
and
AT&T AT&T Inc., an abbreviation for its predecessor's former name, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the w ...
3G wireless connectivity, and one that only includes Wi-Fi.


=3G + Wi-Fi version

= * This version made its debut on November 22, 2009, at a retail price of US$259. It was offered with built-in Wi-Fi + 3G connectivity for free access to the Barnes & Noble online store. * This has a six-inch
E Ink E Ink (electronic ink) is a brand of electronic paper (e-paper) display technology commercialized by the E Ink Corporation, which was co-founded in 1997 by MIT undergraduates JD Albert and Barrett Comiskey, MIT Media Lab professor Joseph Jacobs ...
display, and a separate, smaller color touchscreen that serves as the primary input device. * The price was dropped to US$199 on June 21, 2010, upon the release of the new Nook Wi-Fi. * With the announcement of the newer Nook Simple Touch Reader, on May 25, 2011, the price was dropped to US$169. * In early 2011, Nook Wi-Fi + 3G was discontinued.


=Wi-Fi version

= * This version of the Nook 1st Edition supports only Wi-Fi (not 3G Wireless), and is easily distinguishable due to its white back panel (in contrast to the gray back panel of the Wi-Fi + 3G version). Nook Wi-Fi made its debut on June 21, 2010, at a retail price of US$149. * With the announcement of the newer Nook Simple Touch Reader, on May 25, 2011, the price was dropped to US$119. * In September 2011, the price was dropped again, to US$89. * In late 2011, Nook Wi-Fi was discontinued.


=Nook Simple Touch

= Announced on May 25, 2011, the Simple Touch Reader (also informally referred as Nook 2nd Edition) was released on June 10, 2011, at a retail price of US$139. The Simple Touch is a Wi-Fi only Nook, with an infrared touch-screen,
E Ink E Ink (electronic ink) is a brand of electronic paper (e-paper) display technology commercialized by the E Ink Corporation, which was co-founded in 1997 by MIT undergraduates JD Albert and Barrett Comiskey, MIT Media Lab professor Joseph Jacobs ...
technology, and battery life of up to two months (or 150 hours, offering approximately 25,000 continuous page turns with Wi-Fi turned off). The device weighs with dimensions of 6.5" × 5" × 0.47". * On November 7, 2011, the Simple Touch Reader's price dropped to US$99. * On December 9, 2012, the Simple Touch Reader's price dropped to US$79. * On December 4, 2013, the Simple Touch Reader's price dropped to US$59. * In February 2014, the Simple Touch Reader was discontinued due to being phased out by the GlowLight.


=Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight

= On April 12, 2012, a Nook Simple Touch Reader with built-in
LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...
lighting, called "GlowLight", was released with a retail price of US$139. This model is distinguishable from the non glow light model by a gray bezel on the outer edge. * On September 30, 2012, the Simple Touch Reader with Glowlight's price dropped to US$119. * On August 18, 2013, the Simple Touch Reader with Glowlight's price dropped to US$99. * On October 30, 2013, the Simple Touch Reader with Glowlight was discontinued due to being phased out by the Nook Glowlight.


=Nook GlowLight

= The Nook Glowlight (marketed as the "nook GlowLight") e-reader was released on October 30, 2013. The Glowlight uses a 6-inch touchscreen with
E Ink E Ink (electronic ink) is a brand of electronic paper (e-paper) display technology commercialized by the E Ink Corporation, which was co-founded in 1997 by MIT undergraduates JD Albert and Barrett Comiskey, MIT Media Lab professor Joseph Jacobs ...
Pearl, Wi-Fi and has a battery life of two months with wireless off; it launched at a US$119 retail price. It weighs with dimensions of 6.5" × 5" × 0.42" and has 4 GB of storage, of which 2 GB is reserved for Nook Store content and 512 MB for additional user content. The device uses Android 2.3 Gingerbread and it has an 800 MHz processor with 256 MB of
RAM Ram, ram, or RAM most commonly refers to: * A male sheep * Random-access memory, computer memory * Ram Trucks, US, since 2009 ** List of vehicles named Dodge Ram, trucks and vans ** Ram Pickup, produced by Ram Trucks Ram, ram, or RAM may also ref ...
. Compared to the Nook Simple Touch Reader, the GlowLight has a white exterior, a brighter screen, a boost in screen resolution to 1024 × 758 and a more durable silicone edge. Compared to the Simple Touch, the
microSD Secure Digital (SD) is a proprietary hardware, proprietary, non-volatile memory, non-volatile, flash memory card format developed by the SD Association (SDA). Owing to their compact size, SD cards have been widely adopted in a variety of port ...
card slot and page-turn buttons have been removed.


=Nook GlowLight Plus (6 inch)

= The Nook GlowLight Plus e-reader was released on October 21, 2015, and it features a 6-inch 300 ppi Carta E Ink screen with frontlight and touchscreen, Wi-Fi, an aluminum rear shell, six weeks of battery (1,500 
mAh ''Mångha'' (') is the Avestan for "Moon, month", equivalent to Persian ''Māh'' (; Old Persian ). It is the name of the lunar deity in Zoroastrianism. The Iranian word is masculine. Although Mah is not a prominent deity in the Avestan sc ...
) life with wireless off,6.4 by 4.6 by 0.4 inches and weighs 6.9 ounces, and meets
IP67 The IP code or International Protection code indicates how well a device is protected against water and dust. It is defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the international standard IEC 60529 which classifies ...
, meaning it is
waterproof Waterproofing is the process of making an object, person or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resists the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet env ...
for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 meter and is dustproof. The Nook software is run on Android 4.4 KitKat and it has 2.8 GB of user-accessible storage. The GlowLight Plus uses a
Freescale Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. was an American semiconductor manufacturer. It was created by the divestiture of the Semiconductor Products Sector of Motorola in 2004. Freescale focused their integrated circuit products on the automotive, embedde ...
i.MX6
GHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or Cycle per second, cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in ter ...
CPU and has 512 MB RAM. Since the device runs Android 4.4, third party apps and launchers can be installed. Due to the lack of physical buttons, initial set up to install third party apps is done through a USB connection to a computer.


=Nook GlowLight 3

= In November 2017, B&N announced the 3rd generation of the GlowLight e-reader. The device returned to a design more reminiscent of the original Simple Touch with its 6-inch screen and dropped the IP67 certification. The Glowlight 3 has an enhanced lighting system that provides a cool white during the day or in rooms with bright light, but then can manually or automatically switch to night mode with an orange tone for reading in dark spaces with less blue light.


=Nook GlowLight Plus (7.8 inch)

= In May 2019, B&N announced the GlowLight Plus e-reader. The device is the largest Nook e-reader to date with a 7.8-inch E Ink screen. The Glowlight Plus is waterproof, has 8 GB of storage, a color-shifting frontlight similar to the GlowLight 3, and it has physical page turn buttons. The lighting technology has adjustable settings for a cool white color during the day and a warmer tone at night.


=Nook GlowLight 4e

= In May 2022, B&N announced a 6" GlowLight e-reader. The 4e has similar specifications as the GlowLight 4, but lacks the enhanced lighting system of the GlowLight 4. The device also has physical page turn buttons and
USB-C USB-C, or USB Type-C, is a 24-pin reversible Electrical connector, connector (not a Communication protocol, protocol) that supersedes previous USB hardware#Connectors, USB connectors (also supersedes Mini DisplayPort and Lightning (connector) ...
.


LCD Devices


=Nook Color

= Released on November 19, 2010, and priced at US$249, the Nook Color comes installed with Android 2.1 Eclair. The device is powered by a TI OMAP 3621 800 
MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...
processor, and has 512  MB of RAM, 8 GB of flash storage, a 7" LCD screen, and a
microSD Secure Digital (SD) is a proprietary hardware, proprietary, non-volatile memory, non-volatile, flash memory card format developed by the SD Association (SDA). Owing to their compact size, SD cards have been widely adopted in a variety of port ...
expansion slot. On February 21, 2012, the price of the Nook Color was reduced to US$169. On August 12, 2012, the price of the Nook Color was reduced to US$149. On November 3, 2012, following the release of the Nook HD and Nook HD+, the price of the Nook Color was reduced to US$139.


=Nook Tablet

= The 7-inch Nook Tablet, based on Android OS, with 16 GB of internal storage became available on November 17, 2011, for US$249. A version with 8 GB of internal storage was made available February 21, 2012, for US$199, replacing the Nook Color in that price range. On August 12, 2012, the price of the Nook Tablet 8 GB and Nook Tablet 16 GB were reduced to US$179 and US$199 respectively.


=Nook HD

= Nook HD (styled NOOK HD), announced September 26, 2012, and released November 1, 2012, along with the Nook HD+, is a 7-inch tablet with a resolution of 1440x900. It competes with the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD and comes in two colors: snow and smoke (a dark gray). It has a
Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American multinational semiconductor company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is one of the top 10 semiconductor companies worldwide based on sales volume. The company's focus is on developing analog ...
1.3 
GHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or Cycle per second, cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in ter ...
dual-core A multi-core processor (MCP) is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit (IC) with two or more separate central processing units (CPUs), called ''cores'' to emphasize their multiplicity (for example, ''dual-core'' or ''quad-core''). Ea ...
processor with 1 GB RAM. It can play back video at 720p from the NOOK Video store, much like
Amazon.com Amazon.com, Inc., doing business as Amazon, is an American multinational technology company engaged in e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. Founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos in Bellevu ...
's Instant Video service. The Nook HD was initially priced at US$199 for 8 GB and US$229 for 16 GB. It then sold at reduced prices at US$129 for 8 GB and US$149 for 16 GB. The Nook HD runs a heavily modified version of Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich. The Nook HD/HD+ line was originally planned to be discontinued, as announced in Barnes and Noble's 2013 Fiscal Year-End Report, due to financial losses. A few months later, B&N President Michael P. Huseby announced that the company "intends to continue to design and develop cutting-edge Nook black and white and color devices at the best values in the marketplace", following the resignation of former CEO William Lynch.


=Nook HD+

= Nook HD+ (styled NOOK HD+) is
Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble Booksellers is an American bookseller with the largest number of retail outlets in the United States. The company operates approximately 600 retail stores across the United States. Barnes & Noble operates mainly through its B ...
's first tablet capable of playing back movies and television shows downloadable from NOOK Video store at
1080p 1080p (1920 × 1080 progressively displayed pixels; also known as Full HD or FHD, and BT.709) is a set of HDTV high-definition video modes characterized by 1,920 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 1,080 pixels down the sc ...
resolution. Announced on September 26, 2012, the NOOK HD+ is a 9-inch tablet with a 1920 × 1280 resolution. It competes with the similar 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD and has a
Texas Instruments Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is an American multinational semiconductor company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. It is one of the top 10 semiconductor companies worldwide based on sales volume. The company's focus is on developing analog ...
1.5 GHz dual-core OMAP 4470 processor and was initially priced at US$269 and US$299 for 16 and 32 GB, respectively. Nook HD+ runs a heavily modified version of Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich.


=Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook

= On October 22, 2014, B&N released the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook 10.1 that has a 10.1-inch LCD. It features the same specifications as the Galaxy Tab 4 10.1, so it has a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm processor, 1280x800 resolution with 149 ppi, a 1.3 MP front camera without flash, a 3.0 MP rear-facing camera, and a microSD storage slot that accepts cards up to 64 GB. It launched with a US$299 retail price.


=Samsung Galaxy Tab Nook

= In February 2014, B&N announced a new Nook color tablet would be released in 2014. In June 2014, Barnes & Noble announced it would be teaming up with
Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...
to develop co-branded tablets titled the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook. The devices would feature Samsung's hardware with a 7-inch display, and customized Nook software from Barnes & Noble.


=Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook

= The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook was released in the U.S. on August 21, 2014, with B&N's Nook Division focusing on the software and content, and Samsung focusing on the hardware with a 7-inch LCD. The product uses Android 4.4.2 KitKat on a 1.2 GHz
quad-core A multi-core processor (MCP) is a microprocessor on a single integrated circuit (IC) with two or more separate central processing units (CPUs), called ''cores'' to emphasize their multiplicity (for example, ''dual-core'' or ''quad-core''). Ea ...
Snapdragon SOC with 1.5 GB RAM, WiFi, and
Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...
, and features a 1.2 MP front-facing camera, a 3.2 MP rear camera, screen resolution of 1280 × 800, and a microSD storage slot that accepts cards up to 64 GB. It launched with a US$199 retail price.


=Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Nook

= In September 2015, B&N released the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Nook, which is a Nook branded
Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 The Samsung Galaxy Tab (stylized as SΛMSUNG Galaxy Tab) is a line of Android OS tablet computers produced by Samsung Electronics. The first model was the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2010 with 7-inch display, which was presented ...
8" LCD tablet that includes some Samsung and B&N software. It uses Android 5.0.2 Lollipop, and features an 8-core CPU (1.9 GHz Quad + 1.3 GHz Quad) with 3 GB RAM, 32 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, two cameras (2.1 MP front and 8 MP rear), and a 4,000 mAh battery, which B&N says will last for up to 14 hours of video usage and launched with a US$399.99 retail price.


=Samsung Galaxy Tab E Nook

= In October 2015, B&N released the Samsung Galaxy Tab E Nook, which is a Nook branded Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 9.7" LCD tablet that includes some Samsung, B&N and Microsoft software. This tablet runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop on a 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU with 16 GB of storage, microSD card support, weighs 547 grams, and two cameras (2 MP front and 5 MP rear); and its 9.6-inch display has a resolution of 1280 × 800 and it retails for $249.


=Nook Tablet 7

= In November 2016, B&N released the Nook Tablet 7, which is a Nook-branded tablet with a 7" LCD screen that has a resolution of 600 × 1024, and retails at $50. It is using Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Nook apps included with a 1.3 GHz
MediaTek MediaTek Inc. (), sometimes informally abbreviated as MTK, is a Taiwanese fabless semiconductor company that designs and manufactures a range of semiconductor products, providing chips for wireless communications, high-definition television, h ...
CPU. It has 8 GB storage, a microSD card slot, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It weighs 8.8 ounces and has a battery for up to 7 hours. In December 2018 B&N released updated version with 16 GB storage and Android 8.1 (Go edition).


=Nook Tablet 10.1"

= On November 14, 2018, B&N released the Nook Tablet 10.1", an Android 8.1 (Go edition) tablet with a 10.1-inch LCD screen at a resolution of 1920 × 1200 and a 224  ppi pixel density. It has a 1.5 GHz MediaTek processor and 2 GB of RAM. The device has 32 GB of onboard storage (25 usable), which can be expanded with a microSD card (up to 256 GB). It has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a microUSB 2.0 port, ac Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. The front and rear cameras are both 2 megapixels and can record 720p video. The tablet was manufactured by white-label manufacturer Southern Telecom, and sold at a launch price of $129.99.


=Nook 10" HD (LCD)

= On April 2, 2021,
Lenovo Lenovo Group Limited, trading as Lenovo ( , zh, c=联想, p=Liánxiǎng), is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer electronics, personal computers, software, servers, conv ...
and Barnes and Noble released the Nook 10" HD, a successor to their 2018 model. The
Android 10 Android 10 (code name, codenamed Android Q during development) is the Android version history, tenth major release and the 17th version of the Android (operating system), Android mobile operating system. It was first released as a developer pre ...
-based tablet has a 2.3 GHz octa-core MediaTek P22T processor and 2 gigabytes of RAM. It has a 10.1-inch IPS display at a resolution of 1280 × 800. The tablet includes a microSD card slot, and comes with 32 gigabytes of onboard storage, though only 23 GB of that is usable. It has an 8 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera. It cost $129.99 at launch.


Features and specifications

All models have the following features: * Wi-Fi


Sales

On December 1, 2011, Barnes & Noble stated that Nook and Nook-related sales for Q2 of 2011 were US$920 million. The Nook had 13.4% global market share for E-paper readers in 2011. On October 29, 2012, the rival Blackwells and
Foyles Foyles, a trading name of Waterstones Booksellers Limited (formerly W & G Foyle Ltd.), is a bookseller with a chain of seven stores in England. It is best known for its flagship store in Charing Cross Road, London. Foyles was once listed in ...
bookshops, the John Lewis department stores, the
Waitrose Waitrose Limited, trading as Waitrose & Partners, is a British supermarket chain, founded in 1904 as Waite, Rose & Taylor, later shortened to Waitrose. In 1937, it was acquired by the John Lewis Partnership, the UK's largest employee-owned b ...
and
Sainsbury's J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is a British supermarket and the second-largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company was the largest UK r ...
supermarket chains and high street catalogue retailer Argos launched the Nook
e-reader An e-reader, also called an e reader or e device, is a Mobile computing, mobile electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading digital e-books and Periodical literature, periodicals. Any device that can display text on ...
in the UK—and, from November, the Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablet computers went on sale in the stores. In March 2016, Barnes & Noble stated they would no longer sell digital content in the United Kingdom. It announced that from March 15, 2016, the UK Nook Store and the UK Nook Reading App for Android will cease operation. Whilst Barnes & Noble did not give a reason for ceasing Nook sales in the UK, commentators attributed the decision to declining sales. On March 15, 2016, Barnes & Noble announced it would close the Nook App Store and Nook Video, probably because Google's Play Store, which runs on Barnes & Noble devices, has been far more successful. In the UK, those who have bought, respectively, e-book or video content will need to open accounts with other providers in order to not lose the content. B&N continues to sell e-books as well as digital magazines and newspapers in the US.


Nook e-reader applications for third party devices

Barnes & Noble provides free e-reader applications to permit reading on devices other than Nooks. Selections include Nook Reading Apps, Nook for Web and Nook Study.


Nook free reading applications

Barnes & Noble offers free applications for various platforms, with which to access Nook digital reading material: * For desktop and laptop computers: ** NOOK for Windows 8 and Windows 10 (US only) * For smartphones and tablets: ** NOOK for Android ** NOOK for iPhone and iPad


NookStudy and Yuzu


NookStudy

In August 2010, concurrently with introducing a web-based textbook rental service, Barnes and Noble—"one of the largest textbook retailers in the US"—introduced the NOOK Study app "for the PC or Mac that lets users buy or rent e-book versions of their textbooks for use on the computer. Mobileread describes Nook Study (sometimes styled "NookStudy" or "NOOK Study") as "a free e-textbook application from Barnes and Noble that provides a suite of digital study tools. It is available for
Microsoft Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
and
Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
's
Mac OS X macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
." Nook Study cannot be used on Nook e-readers; rather it is designed for use only on PCs, Macs, and
iPad The iPad is a brand of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple that run the company's mobile operating systems iOS and later iPadOS. The IPad (1st generation), first-generation iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010. ...
s, and it permits one to read e-textbooks "on up to two (2) computers". Nook Study offers two categories of benefits: the ability to read
ebook An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. A ...
s and other content that is accessible via other eReading devices, and the ability to read e-textbooks purchased from Barnes & Noble, which are meant to be read on one's computer via the Nook Study application. According to Barnes & Noble's NookStudy FAQs: "You cannot use your Nook or mobile device to read textbooks as the screens are too small to properly view the contents." In ''The Digital Reader'', Nate Hoffelder describes capabilities possessed by Nook Study that render it superior to other e-reading software for reading textbooks. For example, he writes: In an August 2, 2011, press release, BN College cited kudos publicized on NBC's ''
Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'') is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television ...
'' and
MSNBC MSNBC is an American cable news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Launched on July 15, 1996, and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the channel primarily broadcasts r ...
.com that deemed NOOK Study "the "Coolest Digital Study Tool Around". On the ''Today Show'' and in an MSNBC.com post, Wilson Rothman, Deputy Technology & Science Editor at MSNBC, had included NOOK Study in a list of 10 back-to-school tech survival tips to consider when shopping for college technology necessities, recommending: "NOOK Study is an essential back-to-school tool that students should consider when heading back to college—and may be the 'coolest digital study tool around.
Barnes & Noble may well have the coolest digital study tool around. Seriously, this free eTextbook application for PC and Mac lets you not only get books digitally, but organize coursework, compile syllabi and other documents, take notes, print, export and go online for related research. While the same warning about Amazon's textbook rental program applies here—that your particular study materials might not be available—it's certainly worth the $0.00 price to check it out, and the other features may end up being useful on their own.


Yuzu

In April 2014, the Barnes & Noble website announced the Nook Study had been replaced by Yuzu, which the company called "the next-generation digital education platform from Barnes & Noble." In April, NOOK Study had already been "retired", and a
Beta Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; or ) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Ancient Greek, beta represented the voiced bilabial plosive . In Modern Greek, it represe ...
version of Yuzu was introduced for the
iPad The iPad is a brand of tablet computers developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple that run the company's mobile operating systems iOS and later iPadOS. The IPad (1st generation), first-generation iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010. ...
and for
Internet Explorer Internet Explorer (formerly Microsoft Internet Explorer and Windows Internet Explorer, commonly abbreviated as IE or MSIE) is a deprecation, retired series of graphical user interface, graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft that were u ...
and Safari 6.1/7 browsers. Yuzu was formally rolled out that summer and made available to more browsers, and as an Android,
iOS Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
, and
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
app. However, the Nook Study site continued offering a link to the Nook Study program, explaining: "We understand that as a NOOK Study user, you may have some questions. On this page we will try to direct you to the appropriate websites to find what you are looking for." Clicking "Get NookStudy Help" redirects one to the "NOOK Study Knowledge Base", where they can download the Nook Study app as well as find answers to frequently asked questions. Yuzu, like NOOKStudy, "offers students a next-generation reading and note-taking experience in a simple app, but it also improves on NookStudy by making it easier for educators to provide course materials" by integrating with BN's college-focused website Faculty Enlight, where educators can search for the textbooks and other academic material they need, assemble them into course packs, and then build a required and recommended reading list for a class. Downsides of Yuzu, however, are: "Yuzu does not share the same accounts as the Nook Store or NookStudy" and "Yuzu is not compatible with NookStudy textbooks". Emily Price at
Engadget Engadget ( ) is a technology news, reviews and analysis website offering daily coverage of gadgets, consumer electronics, video games, gaming hardware, apps, social media, streaming, AI, space, robotics, electric vehicles and other potentially ...
made a similar observation: "With Yuzu, OOKStudys being phased out, and sadly any pricey books you've already bought through that service are incompatible with the new app." In March 2016, B&N announced that Yuzu would be shut down and instead B&N would partner with VitalSource for digital textbooks.


Issues


Compatibility issues

Nook for Mac users have noted the app has compatibility issues with Mac OS 10.8
Mountain Lion The cougar (''Puma concolor'') (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, KOO-gər''), also called puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther is a large small cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North America, North, Central America, Cent ...
. While the application requires OS 10.6
Snow Leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia'') is a species of large cat in the genus ''Panthera'' of the family Felidae. The species is native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because ...
, many users have documented the performance issues under Mountain Lion (and consequently all Macs sold since July 2012).


Locked file table

The file table on the Nook is locked, meaning that external programs, such as
Calibre In guns, particularly firearms, but not artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel bore – regardless of how or wher ...
, cannot be used to automatically organize uploaded files. All organization must be undertaken on the device itself, one book at a time, and such organization cannot be backed up or saved elsewhere.


Lending restrictions

A book can only be lent once through the Nook's LendMe program.


Downloading of NOOK Store content

* Purchasing Barnes & Noble digital content and letting the credit card expire prevents re-downloading of the content until a valid credit card is entered into the account. This is required because most downloads from Barnes & Noble have copy restrictions (DRM), and credit cards are required to unlock them. * On September 17, 2014, Barnes & Noble removed the "download" button from many books in the My Nook online library, without advance warning. The removal of these buttons, which permitted readers to download copies of their ebooks and transfer that content to other apps or devices, upset numerous users. User complaints and inquiries, via telephone, email, online chats, and social media forums, yielded the following, standard B&N response:
We're sorry, but the ability to sideload NOOK purchased content has been discontinued. We apologize for any inconvenience. : —NOOK Customer Care (@NOOK_Care) September 17, 2014


Spinoff of business

On June 25, 2014, Barnes & Noble announced that the Nook division business would be spun off into an independent company. On December 4, 2014, Barnes & Noble announced an end to its partnership with Microsoft connected to Nook and that it intended to complete the separation of Nook by the end of the first quarter of 2015. However, in February 2015, B&N decided to keep the Nook division for the short-term future. In April 2016, B&N outsourced most Nook technical services to be managed by an Indian company Bahwan CyberTek.B&N Outsources Nook Functions to Indian Tech Company
The Digital Reader, 7 April 2016


See also

*
Amazon Kindle Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, Audible audiobooks, and other digital media via wireless networking ...
*
Comparison of e-book readers An e-reader, also known as an e-book reader, is a portable electronic device that is designed primarily for the purpose of reading e-books and periodicals. E-readers have a similar form factor to a tablet; usually use electronic paper resulting ...
*
Comparison of tablet computers This is a list of tablet computers, grouped by intended audience and form factor. Media tablets Multimedia tablets are compared in the following tables. Larger than screen The following two tables compare multimedia tablets with screens larger ...
*
Kobo eReader The Kobo eReader is an e-reader produced by Toronto-based Kobo Inc (a subsidiary of Rakuten). The company's name is an anagram of "book". The original version was released in May 2010 and was marketed as a minimalist alternative to the more ex ...


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Barnes And Noble Nook Android (operating system) devices Barnes & Noble Dedicated ebook devices Ebook sources Products introduced in 2009 de:Barnes & Noble#NOOK E-Book-Reader