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Here are the latest news about Nook:

20.06.24. Nook eReaders and Apps Can Sync Sideloaded eBooks Now



Some users on the Nook subreddit have discovered that Nook ereaders and apps can now sync sideloaded ebooks between devices and apps, although it's unclear how long this feature has been available or which models support it. Given Barnes & Noble's history with sideloading, this capability is surprising and might even seem like an unintended bug. There’s no mention of this feature for non-B&N content on the Barnes & Noble website or in their help section. To use it, simply sideload the same ebook file on your Nook devices and apps and your reading position will sync automatically. It works with EPUBs and possibly PDFs, though this hasn’t been confirmed yet.


2023. NOOK Reading App for Windows is discontinued



In a move that seems as inevitable as the end of a Vogon poetry recital, Barnes and Noble has, with a flourish of indifference, waved goodbye to the NOOK reading app on the Microsoft Windows Store. The app’s listing has vanished into the digital void, and new downloads have been firmly placed in the category of things that will never happen again. Existing users, however, may continue to cling nostalgically to their NOOK apps for now—though Barnes and Noble has offered no promises, prophecies, or even mildly reassuring shrugs about the long-term fate of the service. Instead, they encourage the hopelessly optimistic to explore their “more expansive” reading options through NOOK apps for Android, iOS, or even the grand and lofty NOOK for Web. But the tale grows darker still: as announced earlier, those still clutching their trusty Nook Simple Touches and Glowlight devices are soon to find themselves as cut off as Arthur Dent from tea. By April next year, the Nook Store will close its metaphorical doors, and syncing additional digital content will become as impossible as surviving a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster without a hangover.


2023. Nook iOS app adds Trends to track reading progress



Barnes and Noble, in what might best be described as an earnest attempt to sprinkle a bit of pizzazz into their Nook reading app for iPhones and iPads, has introduced a fascinatingly peculiar feature called "Trends"—an attempt to make reading feel slightly more like a quest and less like, well, reading. The "Trends" section promises users the curious pleasure of watching their monthly reading and listening metrics unfold, with a hypnotic little wheel cheerfully recording every consecutive day they’ve dutifully indulged in their ebooks or audiobooks. Barnes and Noble seems positively giddy with plans to toss in more rewards and doodads tied to Trends, a nod, no doubt, to Amazon’s Kindle system for iOS, where uninterrupted reading streaks have somehow become a badge of honor, sparking impassioned online boasting about multi-year reading records. There’s hope—fingers crossed—that this feature might one day grace Nook’s own ebook readers as well, elevating their humble devices with a touch of gamified grandeur.


2021. Nook released a new cheap Tablet for e-Reading



Barnes & Noble has launched a new Nook Tablet created by Lenovo. It’s another budget ($129) model similar to the previous Nook Tablet, featuring an even lower resolution screen (1280 x 800). On the positive side, the new Nook Tablet operates on Android 10 and includes Google Play support for installing Android apps. It is equipped with an octa-core CPU, a USB-C port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, an FM radio, 32GB of storage and a microSD card slot. It also has an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera and is slightly lighter than other 10-inch tablets at 420 grams.


2020. Barnes and Noble improved author sorting in Nooks



Barnes and Noble has released a firmware update for many of their Nook e-readers. Software update 52.0.78 is being rolled out and includes several bug fixes and improvements. One of the most notable changes is that author names now consistently display as their first and last names. This feature is helpful if you enjoy reading ebooks by the same author, making it easier to organize them in your library. Additionally, a progress bar has been added to your library, indicating how far you are through various ebooks. There are likely other aspects of this update, but Barnes and Noble no longer publishes detailed changelogs.


2019. Barnes and Noble will continue to support the Nook e-Reader



The freshly minted captain of the good ship Barnes & Noble, one James Daunt (a name that practically insists on adventure), has assured the world that the plucky little Nook e-Reader will not be left adrift in the sea of obsolescence. However, his telescope is firmly trained on the company’s brick-and-mortar bastions, with Daunt declaring, “Improve the stores, and the tides of success shall rise.” In the meantime, the Nook will merrily chug along, with shiny new incarnations popping up every year or two—just frequent enough to make you wonder if it’s learning to evolve on its own.


2018. Barnes and Noble releases Nook Tablet 7 2018 Edition



Barnes & Noble has introduced a second-generation NOOK 7 tablet with increased storage to accommodate your digital library and an enhanced reading experience, just in time for holiday shopping. It is available today in stores and online for $49.99. The NOOK 7 provides twice the storage capacity of the previous model at 16GB (expandable up to 128GB), along with front and rear cameras, Bluetooth connectivity, a headphone jack, a speaker and a microphone. The new NOOK is a fully-equipped tablet featuring a stunning LCD screen, access to the Google Play Store, a soft-touch finish and upgraded NOOK software for a better reading and browsing experience.


2018. Barnes & Noble released new Nook tablet



Barnes & Noble introduced a new Nook 10.1 tablet priced at $130. Aside from the screen size (a modest 224 ppi), there isn’t much to highlight about what will likely be a standard budget Android tablet with 32GB of storage, two cameras and a headphone jack—though this does count as a feature in 2018. The soft-touch finish and lightweight build make it an ideal holiday present for readers who want to immerse themselves in their favorite books for extended periods. Barnes & Noble is dubbing it a “game changer.” This is the first Nook since 2016, when the once-popular bookseller offered an extremely affordable $50 model.


2018. Barnes and Noble launched book social discovery app



Barnes & Noble has introduced a new Android app named Browsery. This app serves as a social network for readers to discuss books. Drawing on the fundamental aspects of the Barnes & Noble store experience—exploring, community and dialogue—it assists you in discovering your next favorite book through the insights and passion of other readers. Examples of popular questions include: What is a compelling biography to read after watching The Crown? Are there any stories that will make you cry? What’s your favorite book about books?


2017. Nook for Android gets Search by Voice



Barnes and Noble updated their Nook for Android e-reading app and introduced a range of new features. The latest version includes several significant improvements such as voice search, which allows you to search both your e-reader and the store for e-books. Simply tap the microphone in the search bar and tell NOOK what you're looking to read. Additionally, you can now create custom Quote Cards from your favorite highlights, select a background and share them via social media, email, or text message.


2016. Barnes and Noble launched a new website



Barnes and Noble have completely reengineered their online website, and it’s not so much a facelift as a full cosmic regeneration. Where once a confused assortment of pillows, scented candles, and toys tried desperately to claim literary kinship, now stands a shimmering monument to the written word. The main page brims with bookish delights, from the illustrious Barnes & Noble Top 100 Books to insightful blog-based reviews. It’s an actual library with fewer shushing librarians and more image carousels enthusiastically twirling fresh and notable Nook books, as well as eerily personalized suggestions derived from your own purchasing history (yes, they’ve been watching). CEO Ron Boire, during a recent shareholders conference, declared with the flair of a galactic overlord that Barnes and Noble shall boldly embrace the "modern web," ensuring the site is as agile and adaptable on mobile devices as a Babel fish in a universal translator.


2016. Barnes and Noble is closing the Nook App and Video Store



Barnes and Noble is attempting to halt the decline of the struggling Nook division by implementing cost-cutting measures. This March, they plan to shut down the Nook App Store, Nook Video Store and the UK Nook e-book store. The closure of the app and video stores will impact every tablet Barnes and Noble has ever produced, including the Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD, Nook HD+ and all Samsung for Nook branded devices. Barnes and Noble is encouraging users to transition to Google Play or a third-party app store. The company states that closing the app store will allow them to concentrate their efforts on their core digital content business, which includes Books and Newsstand.


2015. Barnes & Noble released Nook Audiobooks app



In a move that seems to suggest they've been taking their business tips from a particularly chatty galactic hitchhiker, Barnes and Noble has decided it’s time to get properly serious about audiobooks. Enter the shiny new Nook Audiobooks App for iPhone and iPad, along with a rather spiffy website, NOOKAudiobooks.com. This cunningly devised digital lair boasts a selection of over 60,000 audiobooks, which one can browse, sample, and, with the delightful absence of a pesky subscription, purchase straight through the app. As if that weren’t enough, you can even try before you buy, with free samples just a tap away—perfect for listening anywhere, whether you're lounging on a sofa or fleeing from a Vogon poetry reading.


2015. Barnes & Noble and Samsung unveiled new tablet Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK



Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK is a new 8-inch tablet combining Samsung’s sleek design and multi-tasking capabilities with NOOK’s exceptional reading and entertainment features. It’s the slimmest, lightest and fastest device from the two companies, priced at $399.99. An ultra-fast octa-core processor allows users to swiftly switch between books, movies, apps and the web without delay. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK provides access to a vast array of digital content from Barnes & Noble. The extensive NOOK Store offers a range of reading and entertainment options, including over 4 million books, such as bestsellers, new releases, classics and enhanced editions with exclusive content.


2015. Barnes & Noble closes international Nook Store



The Digital Reader discovered an intriguing email sent to international Nook users regarding the Nook app for Windows. International Nook users outside the US or the UK have been informed that their content will be removed from Windows devices and their funds refunded. They will also no longer be able to access Nook books on their Windows devices. This is directly connected to B&N’s acquisition of Microsoft’s investment in the Nook store last December. It is uncertain where the Nook is heading, but it is evident that it is currently retracting partnerships to streamline what is now a diminishing business.


2014. Barnes & Noble and Microsoft end their Nook partnership



Barnes & Noble today announced the end of its agreement with Microsoft regarding the Nook business. This follows news that Nook device sales plummeted by 60% this year. The two companies formed the partnership two years ago, with Microsoft initially investing at least $300 million to establish Nook Media. This alliance was formed after B&N declined to pay Microsoft patent royalties for its Android-based readers. However, the deal did not produce significant results. Over the summer, B&N partnered with Samsung to create a Nook-branded tablet, but even Samsung couldn't revive the struggling e-reader pioneer.


2014. Nook launches Audiobook app for Android



Nook introduces an audiobook app for Android users, enhancing the offer by including two free audiobook titles with initial downloads of the new app for a limited time. With an intuitive, straightforward shopping experience and high-quality listening options, the new NOOK Audiobooks App provides top audiobooks for adults and children at attractive prices, with free samples available for a broad range of titles. Earlier this month, Scribd also added audiobooks to its subscription ebook platform, aiming to challenge Amazon’s Audible. Scribd hopes to attract ebook readers to listen to more audiobooks, viewing the two markets as potentially complementary.


2014. The new Nook is almost all Samsung Galaxy Tab



Barnes & Noble has unveiled "the first ever fully-featured Android tablet designed for reading" - the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, a 7-inch tablet primarily manufactured by Samsung. It features something known as the “Barnes & Noble Advantage,” a deeply integrated app that facilitates book downloads as well as tech support. To clarify, this is a Samsung device being sold in B&N stores with some branding. While the partnership is a clever move, it indicates that dedicated Nook hardware may no longer be a focus. The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook is available today in stores and online for $179 after a $20 rebate, matching the price found on Amazon and other retailers.


2014. Barnes & Noble will dump its Nook business



Barnes & Noble has announced that it will divide its retail and NOOK operations into two distinct public companies. This separation is anticipated to be finalized by the first quarter of the upcoming calendar year. This announcement coincides with B&N's fourth-quarter 2014 financial results, where the Nook division continued to negatively impact the rest of the company. Following the split, the Nook business will no longer have the support of Barnes & Noble. It will face the challenge of thriving independently and if past performance is any guide, the Nook may not remain viable for long. Who knows, perhaps Microsoft will acquire it swiftly.


2014. Samsung to make next Nook Tablet based on Galaxy Tab



As Barnes & Noble gallantly flounders to avoid becoming the literary equivalent of a beta-max tape in the increasingly pixelated ebook market, it has decided to hitch its wagon to the gleaming starship of Samsung. In an announcement that had all the gravitas of a spaceport ribbon-cutting ceremony, the two have revealed plans to unleash co-branded Galaxy Tab 4 Nook tablets upon the universe by early August. These devices, an impressive hybrid of Samsung's shiny, bleeping Galaxy Tab 4 hardware and Barnes & Noble's NOOK software (polished to a gleam and muttering things about three million books), promise to offer users an intergalactic library experience. Featuring access to magazines, newspapers, and an alarming amount of novels, they are designed to turn the humble act of reading into something one might imagine a Vogon attempting, but with more style.


2013. Barnes & Noble slashes Nook and book prices for Black Friday



Barnes & Noble is cutting the prices of several Nook devices for Black Friday weekend. It’s offering the Nook Simple Touch at its lowest price ever of just $39 (down from $79). Barnes & Noble is also providing at least 50 percent off hundreds of top-selling Nook books. Additionally, on Black Friday, Barnes & Noble will reduce the price of several popular Nook books to $2.99, including Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich, The Cider House Rules by John Irving and Crewel by Gennifer Albin. If you need accessories for your Nook, Barnes & Noble has you covered there too. The company is offering a $10 Industriell cover for Simple Touch and Simple Touch GlowLight devices and 25 percent off other Nook HD accessories through Dec. 1.


2013. Nook released new reading app for Windows 8



Barnes & Noble has refreshed its NOOK App for Windows 8, now fully optimized to incorporate the latest features of Windows 8.1. The updated application includes a streamlined interface, faster performance and new functionalities, such as enhanced support for snap view and portrait e-reader orientation, the ability to import files from SkyDrive, improved search capabilities, better library organization and enhanced in-app customer support. You can now import ePub and PDF files from “My PC” and SkyDrive, with imported files showing up in the NOOK library and the current reading page saved for these items. Enhanced library organization features include content-type grouping and integrated library search access.


2013. Barnes & Noble drops Nook tablets buy keeps manufacturing e-ink readers



Barnes & Noble announced in its earnings report on Tuesday that it will cease in-house production of Nook tablets. Instead, the company will adopt "a partnership model for manufacturing" these tablets, while it will persist in developing e-ink readers internally. “We plan to keep innovating in the single-purpose black-and-white e-reader segment,” CEO William Lynch stated. He also mentioned that “most of the content sales come from non-tablets” and that e-readers have “been our main tool for acquiring customers for content.”


2013. Barnes & Noble kills Nook desktop apps



Today Apple has introduced iBooks for Mac. Concurrently, Barnes & Noble has discontinued support for the Mac and PC (pre-Windows 8) versions of the Nook standalone reader software and now directs users to the web-based version instead. This isn’t a perfect substitute, as a large proportion of Nook e-books are not compatible, since not all titles in the store support the web-based version of the application. This indicates that Barnes & Noble’s e-book initiatives now lag behind Amazon’s in terms of cross-platform accessibility. However, B&N seems to be focusing on a different objective—becoming a key player in the affordable tablet market with Nook hardware. The company has recently introduced features that not only add Play Store functionality to the Nook HD line but also unlock essential missing features, such as a browser for the Simple Touch, making them more than just e-readers.


2013. Barnes & Noble integrates Google Play into Nook tablets



Barnes & Noble is integrating the Google Play marketplace (including apps, music, videos and ebooks) and Google services (Google+, Gmail, YouTube, Maps) into its Nook HD and HD+ tablets. While Nook tablets run on Android, this move seems somewhat unusual for a company that has a strategic alliance with Microsoft. Nevertheless, Jim Hilt, Barnes & Noble’s VP of ebooks, mentioned that the goal is to offer a wider media ecosystem to Nook tablet users and B&N isn’t concerned about Google Books: “We’re very confident that when people use a Nook device, they’ll engage with the Nook shopping experience,” he stated.


2012. Nook for Windows 8 is here. But it's dissapointing



Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have finally launched the long-anticipated Nook e-reader app for Windows 8 (Metro) and it's now available in the Windows Store here. Interestingly, this app (which could have been pre-installed in Windows 8) is neither featured on the Windows Store front page, nor in the eBooks section's front page, nor in the list of recommended apps. At present, it only holds the #4 spot in the New Releases section. Meanwhile, the main rival—Kindle—is the second recommended app in the eBooks section. According to initial reviews (which mainly come from current Nook users), the app is somewhat buggy and lacks several useful features available in Nook tablets and other Nook apps. However, it's just the initial release, so patience is warranted.


2012. Windows 8 launch: with Kindle, and without Nook



Today, Windows 8 officially launched worldwide with its new Windows Store—the primary destination for Windows 8 apps (the sole source for Windows RT tablets). And guess what? There is no Nook app available yet, neither pre-installed in Windows nor in the Store. Remember that Microsoft partnered with Barnes & Noble to form a joint venture to manage the Nook ecosystem. They also promised to develop the Nook app for Windows 8 by its launch, but they did not deliver. Meanwhile, the main competitor, Amazon's Kindle app, is already available in the Windows Store. Like the Kindle apps on other platforms, it automatically synchronizes your last page read, bookmarks, notes and highlights in each book. This means you can start reading a book on a Kindle e-reader and continue on a Windows 8 computer or tablet.


2012. Microsoft enters the ebook market via Nook Media



Last year, Microsoft sued Barnes & Noble, alleging that they were violating five Microsoft patents (by utilizing Android OS in the Nook e-reader). However, Microsoft later chose to partner with B&N and enter the eBook market rather than pursuing royalties. Today, the partnership between Microsoft and Barnes & Noble has officially been established—it’s named Nook Media. From now on, this company manages Nook (instead of B&N). Microsoft invested $300 million in this joint venture and holds a 17.6% stake. Additionally, it will develop the Nook app for Windows 8 and integrate it with Office and Bing. This means the app will not only be used for (social and internet-enhanced) reading but also for writing and publishing books with familiar tools like Word. The Nook app for Windows 8 is expected to launch on October 26, alongside Windows 8.