Barnes & Noble nook
Encyclopedia
The Nook 1st Edition is a brand of electronic-book
readers developed by American
book retailer Barnes & Noble
, based on the Android platform. The original device was announced in the United States
in October 2009, and was released the next month. The original Nook includes Wi-Fi
and AT&T
3G
wireless connectivity, a six-inch E Ink
display, and a separate, smaller color touchscreen that serves as the primary input device. In June 2010 Barnes & Noble announced a Wi-Fi
-only model, and the Nook Color
was announced to be released in November 2010. A second-generation Wi-Fi only Nook "Simple Touch Reader" was announced May 25, 2011 with a June 10 ship date.
This version made its debut on November 22 2009, at a retail price of $259 and comes with built-in 3G + Wi-Fi connectivity for free access to Barnes and Noble online store. Price was reduced to $199 in June 21, 2010 upon the release of the new Nook Wi-Fi. Latest price drop was made in May 25 2011, dropping to closeout prices of $169 in accordance with the announcement of the new Nook also known as Nook Simple Touch Reader.
This version made its debut on June 21 2010, at retail price of $149. It is a version of the Nook 1st Edition that supports Wi-Fi only, and not 3G Wireless and it was launched with Firmware Version 1.4 already. It is physically easily distinguishable from the 3G + Wi-fi gray backed version, due to its white back color. Price reduction was made in May 25, 2011, dropping to closeout prices of $119 in accordance with the announcement of the new Nook also known as Nook Simple Touch Reader.
display for viewing digital content with most navigation and additional content provided through a color touchscreen. The Nook Color provides a larger, color LCD display. Pages are turned using arrow buttons on each side of the Nook. The original Nook connects to Barnes and Noble's digital store through a free connection to AT&T's 3G network or through available Wi-Fi connections. Users can read books without a wireless connection; disconnecting the wireless connection can extend the battery's charge to up to ten days.
The device has a MicroSD expansion slot for extra storage and a user-replaceable rechargeable battery. The battery can be charged through either an AC adapter or a micro-USB 2.0 cable, both included with new Nooks. The device also includes a web browser, a built-in dictionary, Chess and Sudoku, an audio player, speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Supported ebook file-formats with DRM
include:
The EPUB with eReader DRM combination is a new format created for the Nook. Adobe has undertaken to include support for that combination in future releases of Adobe Acrobat
mobile software, to allow other reader devices to support that format.
Supported ebook file formats without DRM include:
Supported sound file formats for music and audiobooks include MP3
and Ogg Vorbis, but not WMA
. Only the original Nook and the Nook Color support sound files.
Nook supports image file formats JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP, used for book cover thumbnails, wallpapers, and screen savers.
The Nook provides a "LendMe" feature allowing users to share some books with other people, depending on licensing by the book's publisher. The buyer is permitted to share a book once with one other user for up to two weeks. Users will be able to share purchased books with others who are using Barnes & Noble's reader application software
for Android, BlackBerry
, iPad
, iPhone
, iPod Touch
, Mac OS X
, and Windows
and others.
The Nook system recognizes physical Barnes & Noble stores. Customers using the Nook in Barnes & Noble stores receive access to special content and offers while the device is connected to the store's Wi-Fi. Further, most e-Books in the catalog can be read for up to an hour while connected to the store Wi-Fi network with the 1.3 software update.
Because Barnes & Noble does not make the Nook available outside the United States, if it is taken overseas it will neither be possible to access a 3G connection nor capable of buying books on the Barnes & Noble Nook Book Store. The Nook is still capable of accessing the same Book Store through Wi-Fi and downloading free books from it outside of the U.S.
and Sudoku
, and more options for Wi-Fi connectivity. Other new features included the ability to read complete ebooks for free in Barnes and Noble stores for an hour at a time, the option to pre-order ebooks that are yet unreleased, minor modifications to the user interface, and improved performance when opening ebooks and turning pages.
, a web browser, a Twitter client called Tweet, Google Reader and a Facebook application. Many general Android applications running on the Nook present interactive areas of their interface on the E Ink display, making such applications difficult to manipulate on the device. However, Android applications optimized for the Nook screen are also available, including app launchers, browsers, library managers, and an online book catalog browser and feed reader.
Although gaining superuser
(root) access to install software on the Nook initially required physical disassembly of the device, users can gain root access using software alone.
A new hardware revision introduced in August 2010, identifiable by a serial number starting with 1003, running firmware 1.4.1, requires different software than the older models. Attempting to gain root access using software designed for older models renders the unit unusable.
As of October 2010, a new method involving spoofing a DNS entry has been found to root 1.4.1 Nooks.
in the United States
for following its launch on 20 October 2009 and began shipping on 30 November 2009. The device was available for demonstration and display in Barnes and Noble retail stores in early December. Barnes & Noble began selling the Nook in-store in February 2010.
Due to the large number of pre-orders, the initial launch of the product involved multiple shipment dates depending on when customers ordered the Nook. The first shipment occurred as planned on November 30, but delays occurred with subsequent shipments as demand for the product exceeded production. Further shipments occurred December 7, December 18, January 4, January 11, January 15, February 1, and February 12.
Barnes & Noble sent a $100 gift certificate via email to customers who had been promised a delivery by December 24, 2009, but whose shipment was delayed past December 25.
, Money
, and PC Magazine
to more critical reviews in Engadget
and the New York Times. PC Magazine noted the color touchscreen, WiFi and 3G connectivity, and large ebook library as advantages over the Nook's competitors, with a lack of support for HTML and Microsoft's .doc file format seen as negatives.
Money compared the Nook favorably to the Amazon Kindle
and the Sony Reader
Touch Edition. ZDNet
blogger Matthew Miller called the Nook "the king of connectivity and content" and wrote favorably about the lending feature and support for PDF and ePub files.
Time listed the Nook as one of its "Top 10 Gadgets of 2009".
Critics pointed to the Nook's "sluggish" performance
and user interface design, with New York Times reviewer David Pogue
writing that the Nook suffered from "half-baked software." Pogue later demonstrated using a postal scale that the Nook's weight differed from the product specifications advertised by Barnes & Noble (12.1 ounces rather than 11.2 ounces as the company had advertised). Engadget reviewer Joshua Topolsky argued that menu responsiveness and organization was not optimal but commented that "many of the problems seem like they could be fixed with firmware tweaks." PC Magazine
wrote that the 1.3 firmware update, released after most reviews of the Nook, improved the device's responsiveness: "On the original Nook, page turning took twice as long as page turning on the Kindle - two seconds compared to one second. With the 1.3 firmware update, it's about a tenth of a second slower than the Kindle, but the difference is negligible."
In early January 2010, the Nook was presented with the TechCrunch Best New Gadget Crunchie award for 2009.
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
readers developed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
book retailer Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
, based on the Android platform. The original device was announced in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in October 2009, and was released the next month. The original Nook includes Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
and AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
3G
3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
wireless connectivity, a six-inch E Ink
E Ink
E Ink is a specific proprietary type of electronic paper manufactured by E Ink Corporation, founded in 1997 based on research started at the MIT Media Lab...
display, and a separate, smaller color touchscreen that serves as the primary input device. In June 2010 Barnes & Noble announced a Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
-only model, and the Nook Color
Nook Color
The Nook Color is a color version of the Nook e-reader device by Barnes & Noble. It is a 7-inch tablet with full-color multitouch touchscreen input. The device is designed for full-color viewing of books, newspapers, magazines, and children's picture books...
was announced to be released in November 2010. A second-generation Wi-Fi only Nook "Simple Touch Reader" was announced May 25, 2011 with a June 10 ship date.
3G + Wi-Fi Version
This version made its debut on November 22 2009, at a retail price of $259 and comes with built-in 3G + Wi-Fi connectivity for free access to Barnes and Noble online store. Price was reduced to $199 in June 21, 2010 upon the release of the new Nook Wi-Fi. Latest price drop was made in May 25 2011, dropping to closeout prices of $169 in accordance with the announcement of the new Nook also known as Nook Simple Touch Reader.
Wi-Fi Version
This version made its debut on June 21 2010, at retail price of $149. It is a version of the Nook 1st Edition that supports Wi-Fi only, and not 3G Wireless and it was launched with Firmware Version 1.4 already. It is physically easily distinguishable from the 3G + Wi-fi gray backed version, due to its white back color. Price reduction was made in May 25, 2011, dropping to closeout prices of $119 in accordance with the announcement of the new Nook also known as Nook Simple Touch Reader.
Features
The original Nook provides a black-and-white E InkE Ink
E Ink is a specific proprietary type of electronic paper manufactured by E Ink Corporation, founded in 1997 based on research started at the MIT Media Lab...
display for viewing digital content with most navigation and additional content provided through a color touchscreen. The Nook Color provides a larger, color LCD display. Pages are turned using arrow buttons on each side of the Nook. The original Nook connects to Barnes and Noble's digital store through a free connection to AT&T's 3G network or through available Wi-Fi connections. Users can read books without a wireless connection; disconnecting the wireless connection can extend the battery's charge to up to ten days.
The device has a MicroSD expansion slot for extra storage and a user-replaceable rechargeable battery. The battery can be charged through either an AC adapter or a micro-USB 2.0 cable, both included with new Nooks. The device also includes a web browser, a built-in dictionary, Chess and Sudoku, an audio player, speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Supported ebook file-formats with DRM
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
include:
- eReader PDBPDB (Palm OS)PDB is a container format for record databases in Palm OS, Garnet OS and Access Linux Platform. Its structure is similar to PRC resource databases...
with Barnes & Noble's eReader DRM, sometimes called Secure eReader format (original Nook only) - EPUBEPUBEPUB is a free and open e-book standard by the International Digital Publishing Forum...
with Barnes & Noble's eReader DRM, used for ebooks downloaded wirelessly to the Nook - EPUB with Adobe ADEPT DRM, sometimes called Adobe EPUB or Adobe Digital EditionsAdobe Digital EditionsAdobe Digital Editions is ebook reader software from Adobe Systems built using Adobe Flash. It is used for acquiring, managing and reading eBooks, digital newspapers, and other digital publications. The software supports PDF, XHTML , and Flash-based content...
format - PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
with Adobe ADEPT DRM (However, figures and equations will not appear)
The EPUB with eReader DRM combination is a new format created for the Nook. Adobe has undertaken to include support for that combination in future releases of Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is a family of application software developed by Adobe Systems to view, create, manipulate, print and manage files in Portable Document Format . All members of the family, except Adobe Reader , are commercial software, while the latter is available as freeware and can be downloaded...
mobile software, to allow other reader devices to support that format.
Supported ebook file formats without DRM include:
- EPUB
- eReader PDB (original Nook only)
- PDF, including password-protected PDF but not Vitrium-protected PDF
Supported sound file formats for music and audiobooks include MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
and Ogg Vorbis, but not WMA
Windows Media Audio
Windows Media Audio is an audio data compression technology developed by Microsoft. The name can be used to refer to its audio file format or its audio codecs. It is a proprietary technology that forms part of the Windows Media framework. WMA consists of four distinct codecs...
. Only the original Nook and the Nook Color support sound files.
Nook supports image file formats JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP, used for book cover thumbnails, wallpapers, and screen savers.
The Nook provides a "LendMe" feature allowing users to share some books with other people, depending on licensing by the book's publisher. The buyer is permitted to share a book once with one other user for up to two weeks. Users will be able to share purchased books with others who are using Barnes & Noble's reader application software
Application software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
for Android, BlackBerry
BlackBerry
BlackBerry is a line of mobile email and smartphone devices developed and designed by Canadian company Research In Motion since 1999.BlackBerry devices are smartphones, designed to function as personal digital assistants, portable media players, internet browsers, gaming devices, and much more...
, iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
, and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and others.
The Nook system recognizes physical Barnes & Noble stores. Customers using the Nook in Barnes & Noble stores receive access to special content and offers while the device is connected to the store's Wi-Fi. Further, most e-Books in the catalog can be read for up to an hour while connected to the store Wi-Fi network with the 1.3 software update.
Because Barnes & Noble does not make the Nook available outside the United States, if it is taken overseas it will neither be possible to access a 3G connection nor capable of buying books on the Barnes & Noble Nook Book Store. The Nook is still capable of accessing the same Book Store through Wi-Fi and downloading free books from it outside of the U.S.
Software versions
Barnes and Noble distributes software updates automatically "over the air" or through a manual download.Version 1.2
Released in February 2010, improved the device's responsiveness, bookmarking, in-store connectivity, and battery optimization. The update also included interface changes intended to improve navigation of daily subscriptions, clarify LendMe features, and allow sorting personal files on the device.Version 1.3
Released in April 2010 and added a web browser (in beta), the games ChessChess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
and Sudoku
Sudoku
is a logic-based, combinatorial number-placement puzzle. The objective is to fill a 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9...
, and more options for Wi-Fi connectivity. Other new features included the ability to read complete ebooks for free in Barnes and Noble stores for an hour at a time, the option to pre-order ebooks that are yet unreleased, minor modifications to the user interface, and improved performance when opening ebooks and turning pages.
Version 1.4
Released on June 21, 2010, added extended AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot support, a new extra extra large font size, and a Go-To Page feature.Version 1.5
Released on November 22, 2010 and added optional password protection for the device and for making purchases, a "My Shelves" feature for organizing the user's e-book library, and automatic syncing of the last page read across multiple devices. Other improvements include faster page turning and improved search options.Nook apps
Free Nook eReader applications are available to allow reading of eBooks purchases to be read on the PC and Mac desktops, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry devices without the need for a Nook eReader. A virtual bookmark can be synced across the devices a reader uses.Hacking
Some Nook users have loaded Android applications on the Nook, such as PandoraPandora (music service)
Pandora Radio is an automated music recommendation service and custodian of the Music Genome Project available only in the United States. The service plays musical selections similar to song suggestions entered by a user...
, a web browser, a Twitter client called Tweet, Google Reader and a Facebook application. Many general Android applications running on the Nook present interactive areas of their interface on the E Ink display, making such applications difficult to manipulate on the device. However, Android applications optimized for the Nook screen are also available, including app launchers, browsers, library managers, and an online book catalog browser and feed reader.
Although gaining superuser
Superuser
On many computer operating systems, the superuser is a special user account used for system administration. Depending on the operating system, the actual name of this account might be: root, administrator or supervisor....
(root) access to install software on the Nook initially required physical disassembly of the device, users can gain root access using software alone.
A new hardware revision introduced in August 2010, identifiable by a serial number starting with 1003, running firmware 1.4.1, requires different software than the older models. Attempting to gain root access using software designed for older models renders the unit unusable.
As of October 2010, a new method involving spoofing a DNS entry has been found to root 1.4.1 Nooks.
Availability
Barnes & Noble made the Nook available for pre-orderPre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item which has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came when people found it hard to get popular items in stores due to their popularity. Companies were then given the idea to allow people to reserve their own personal copy, before the release, ...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for following its launch on 20 October 2009 and began shipping on 30 November 2009. The device was available for demonstration and display in Barnes and Noble retail stores in early December. Barnes & Noble began selling the Nook in-store in February 2010.
Due to the large number of pre-orders, the initial launch of the product involved multiple shipment dates depending on when customers ordered the Nook. The first shipment occurred as planned on November 30, but delays occurred with subsequent shipments as demand for the product exceeded production. Further shipments occurred December 7, December 18, January 4, January 11, January 15, February 1, and February 12.
Barnes & Noble sent a $100 gift certificate via email to customers who had been promised a delivery by December 24, 2009, but whose shipment was delayed past December 25.
Reception
The Nook initially received mixed reviews, ranging from favorable reviews from TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
, and PC Magazine
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
to more critical reviews in Engadget
Engadget
Engadget is a multilingual technology blog network with daily coverage of gadgets and consumer electronics. Though on appearance Engadget functions much like a blog and may be defined as such, much of its editorial content takes the form of an online magazine...
and the New York Times. PC Magazine noted the color touchscreen, WiFi and 3G connectivity, and large ebook library as advantages over the Nook's competitors, with a lack of support for HTML and Microsoft's .doc file format seen as negatives.
Money compared the Nook favorably to the Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle
The Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader developed by Amazon.com subsidiary Lab126 which uses wireless connectivity to enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media...
and the Sony Reader
Sony Reader
The Sony Reader is a line of e-book readers manufactured by Sony. It uses an electronic paper display developed by E Ink Corporation, is viewable in direct sunlight, requires no power to maintain a static image, and is usable in portrait or landscape orientation.Sony sells e-books for the Reader...
Touch Edition. ZDNet
ZDNet
ZDNet is a business technology news website published by CBS Interactive, along with TechRepublic and SmartPlanet. The brand was founded on April 1, 1991 as a general interest technology portal from Ziff Davis and evolved into an enterprise IT-focused online publication owned by CNET...
blogger Matthew Miller called the Nook "the king of connectivity and content" and wrote favorably about the lending feature and support for PDF and ePub files.
Time listed the Nook as one of its "Top 10 Gadgets of 2009".
Critics pointed to the Nook's "sluggish" performance
and user interface design, with New York Times reviewer David Pogue
David Pogue
David Welch Pogue is an American technology writer, technology columnist and commentator. He is a personal technology columnist for the New York Times, an Emmy-winning tech correspondent for CBS News Sunday Morning, weekly tech correspondent for CNBC, and a columnist for Scientific American...
writing that the Nook suffered from "half-baked software." Pogue later demonstrated using a postal scale that the Nook's weight differed from the product specifications advertised by Barnes & Noble (12.1 ounces rather than 11.2 ounces as the company had advertised). Engadget reviewer Joshua Topolsky argued that menu responsiveness and organization was not optimal but commented that "many of the problems seem like they could be fixed with firmware tweaks." PC Magazine
PC Magazine
PC Magazine is a computer magazine published by Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009...
wrote that the 1.3 firmware update, released after most reviews of the Nook, improved the device's responsiveness: "On the original Nook, page turning took twice as long as page turning on the Kindle - two seconds compared to one second. With the 1.3 firmware update, it's about a tenth of a second slower than the Kindle, but the difference is negligible."
In early January 2010, the Nook was presented with the TechCrunch Best New Gadget Crunchie award for 2009.
See also
- List of Android devices
- Comparison of e-book readers
- Tablet personal computerTablet computerA tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen...
- Amazon KindleAmazon KindleThe Amazon Kindle is an e-book reader developed by Amazon.com subsidiary Lab126 which uses wireless connectivity to enable users to shop for, download, browse, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and other digital media...
- Nook Simple TouchNook Simple TouchThe Nook Simple Touch is the second generation of the Nook e-book device by Barnes & Noble. It features an 800x600 E Ink screen that has a touchscreen using a network of infrared beams slightly above the screen surface...
- Nook ColorNook ColorThe Nook Color is a color version of the Nook e-reader device by Barnes & Noble. It is a 7-inch tablet with full-color multitouch touchscreen input. The device is designed for full-color viewing of books, newspapers, magazines, and children's picture books...