Articles about Barnes & Noble

Do you like to read? Me neither. I mean, sometimes it can be enjoyable, but let's be honest -- television is usually much better. Unless a book is truly exceptional, I'd rather watch a movie or TV show instead. And if I do have to read a book, it will not be a physical paper variant -- those are archaic. Digital reading is where it's at, folks. For book consumption, eReaders with e-ink displays are simply wonderful and put traditional tablets, such as Apple iPad, to shame in this regard.

When it comes to buying an eReader, you really can't go wrong with Amazon's e-ink Kindle devices. They are well-made and have access to an unrivaled number of books. Unfortunately, many people do not like or trust Amazon due to poor worker conditions and the negative impact the retailer has on small businesses. If you want a modern eReader that isn't made by Amazon, today, Barnes and Noble unveils its latest product. Called "NOOK GlowLight 4," it has a 6-inch e-ink screen and USB-C charging.

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Earlier today, I told someone there was a new Barnes and Noble NOOK. Their response? They had no idea Barnes and Noble was still putting out NOOK devices! Yeah, I can understand that thinking, as who in the heck even buys a NOOK nowadays? I mean, look, hardcore readers usually opt for an e-ink Amazon Kindle. For those wanting a traditional tablet, an iPad still reigns supreme.

So, yeah, with all of that said, there is an all-new NOOK coming next month, but in reality, it is just a 10-inch (technically 10.1-inch) Android tablet made by Lenovo that has the Barnes and Noble bookstore pre-loaded. While that may not sound exciting, let us remember that Lenovo does make great hardware. In the case of this tablet, which weighs less than a pound, it is priced very affordably too. And yes, it has Google Play Store support.

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If you like to read books, an Amazon Kindle e-reader is a wise purchase. After all, they use e-ink technology which is easy on the eyes while offering very long battery life. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a device dedicated to reading. For many, a traditional tablet -- such as an iPad -- serves as both an e-reader and a general use slate.

Barnes and Noble sells e-ink readers, but also, it offers NOOK Tablets powered by Android. These are superior to Amazon's Fire tablets, as NOOK has Google Play support. In other words, Barnes and Noble's tablets have access to all the popular apps you will want. Today, timed perfectly for the upcoming holiday shopping season, Barnes and Noble announces its latest tablet. This new NOOK Tablet has a big 10.1-inch screen. In addition to being a consumption device, the company apparently thinks it can be used for productivity -- it will sell an optional keyboard cover for it.

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Want to know something shocking? Like, literally shocking? Barnes and Noble is recalling 147,000 faulty NOOK Tablet 7 power adapters due to shock risk. In other words, owners of this tablet could face an electricity related injury when charging it.

If you own this tablet, it is important that you stop using the charger immediately. While there is no guarantee that you will be injured, it is not worth the risk. Barnes and Noble will replace the power adapter at no charge. To make up for the inconvenience, the company will also give you a free gift.

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Barnes and Noble's color-screen NOOK tablets are really just repurposed Samsung Android devices. You know what? That is totally fine. Heck, B and N doesn't even try to hide it. While the company could go the route of Amazon and produce its own hardware and operating system, many consumers don't really want that. Without the Google Play Store, an Android tablet is largely a big disappointment.

Today, Barnes and Noble announces the latest such NOOK Android tablet, which is based on the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab A. While not a top of the line tablet by any means, it is affordable, and overall, a damn good value. Existing NOOK tablet owners can even get a substantial discount when upgrading.

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Reading a book on a traditional tablet, such as the iPad, is a passable experience. However, a dedicated reader with an e-ink display is much superior for reading. Not only is it more comfortable for your eyes, but it works better in the sun too. Not to mention the super-long battery life.

While Amazon's Kindle e-readers are all the rage, Barnes and Noble's e-ink Nook models are great too. Choosing one over the other is more of a personal preference, really. Today, Barnes and Noble unveils the all-new waterproof NOOK GlowLight Plus with 300 dpi. Yes, you can safely read books in the bathtub or in the pool. This is a huge benefit.

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Paper books are archaic -- e-readers and tablets are the proper way to read nowadays. They are more convenient for traveling, helpful for nighttime reading, and most importantly, don't take up room. Both public and in-home libraries are a waste of space.

Today, Barnes and Noble announces its newest tablet-based reader, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK. Unlike Amazon's Kindle Fire Android tablets which are designed in-house and don't have access to Google Play, B&N partners with Samsung for the hardware while giving access to Google's app store. In other words, it is a proper Android tablet with a B&N experience baked in. I like it.

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Samsung makes great products -- you really can't go wrong with anything it makes; televisions, washing machines, tablets -- all wonderful. Sure, some people don't like the interface that the manufacturer uses for Android, but those people are just being whiny -- TouchWiz is fine. Just install Nova launcher if it bothers you that much.

Today, Barnes and Noble is releasing Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK. While Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets do not have standard Android or access to Google's Play Store, this new tablet does. In fact, it is essentially just the regular 7-inch Galaxy Tab 4 with the NOOK app pre-installed and some perks. So the question is, why does it exist?

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On Wednesday, Nook Media -- Barnes & Noble subsidiary -- announced that Windows 8 users can take advantage of a "free book and magazine offer", available for a limited period of time, after installing the Nook app.

All that users have to do is download the Nook app -- which is available for any Windows 8-based device -- and sign in with their Microsoft account. From there on, they can choose up to five popular books and five top magazines (all free) from a specific list that includes titles such as Blue Bloods, Hello, Life of Pi, The Enemy, GQ, HGTV Magazine and Time, among others.

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Book retailer Barnes and Noble announced on Thursday that its partnership with Microsoft in a new limited liability company called Nook Media LLC is complete and ready to go ahead of Windows 8's launch.

Barnes and Noble first announced it was considering a spin-off of its digital content business in January 2012. Three months later, the partnership with Microsoft was announced, and the software giant pledged $300 million to the venture, which would encompass Barnes and Noble's digital content business: e-books, e-textbooks, and e-periodicals.

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The best-designed Android tablets you can buy today aren’t the sleekest or the sexiest. They’re not the most powerful. And they don’t boast the largest or brightest displays. What they do have, however, are sales. The tablets? The Kindle Fire from Amazon and Barnes & Nobles’ Nook Tablet.

On a runway awash with thin, pretty models, it’s easy to overlook this pair of plain Janes. But don’t. They are two of the top three largest-selling Android tablets on the market. And their formula should serve as a model for how to succeed in this market if you’re a supplier that’s lacking a throng of breathless fanatics aching to snap up anything you sell.

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Nobody partners, or negotiates deals, like Microsoft. That's evident from today's stunning agreement with Barnes & Noble, which is sure to turn the ebook market on its head. The two will jointly invest in Newco, temporary name for ebook venture that incorporates B&N's digital and College business divisions. B&N gets partner in Microsoft, which invests $300 million, for 17.6 percent stake; both parties end ongoing patent disputes, largely related to Android; and Microsoft launches Windows 8 with native Nook Reader application. All around it's win-win, after losing a decade ago.

That's right, Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have been here before, in pioneering ebook ventures that failed. Both companies jumped on ebooks back when Amazon, which makes the popular Kindle, was still just a struggling Web 2.0 startup. Microsoft Reader led the first big ebook push at the turn of the century, and Barnes & Noble launched its original e-bookstore using the software. I bought my first ebooks there about 12 years ago. But by late 2003, it was over; Barnes & Noble gave up on ebooks -- a market later re-entered only after Amazon's Kindle success. Microsoft kept producing Reader software, but that's done, too, when the software retires on August 30.

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