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  • Barnes & Noble Is Still Losing Money, Wants Third Party OEMs To Make Nook Tablets

    In a report from May, Barnes & Noble said that it would be ditching its own tablet efforts and instead focus on licensing the Nook brand to third parties. In its latest earnings report, the company confirmed that to be the case.

    In its fiscal fourth quarter earnings report, Barnes & Noble said that it’s still losing money. The book store only brought in $948 million this quarter after a $118.6 million quarterly net loss. It’s annual revenue also dropped to $6.8 billion after a loss of $154.8 million.

    As for Nook, it took a beating last quarter. Nook Media reports that it only brought in $108 million in quarterly revenue.

    Despite its poor performance, Nook Media has a plan. It’s going to start offering the Nook brand to third-party OEMs. In other words, you’re going to soon start seeing tablets from Asus, Acer and others that bear the Nook branding. Think Google’s Nexus line, but with Nook branding instead.

    The move will allow Nook Media to distance itself from the costly process of manufacturing its Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets. By offloading the work of making Nook tablets onto others, it can save some money in the long run.

    Of course, this doesn’t mean that that Nook will stop making hardware altogether. Nook Media will continue to build its own e-readers as manufacturing costs aren’t as high, and it doesn’t have to compete with hundreds of alternatives. The market for e-readers is pretty stable as well so Nook will be able to make some decent money for a few more years.

    All in all, it looks like Barnes & Noble and Nook Media are making some solid decisions for now. The next big fight is just on the horizon, however, as Barnes & Noble founder Leonard Riggio has plans to buy the retail operation of Barnes & Noble and take it private. As for Nook, he wants to completely cut ties. If that happens, moving to exit the hardware business is about the smartest option for the once proud e-reader maker.

    [h/t: TechCrunch]

  • Nook HD Father’s Day Sale Extended Into Summer

    Did you forget to get your dad that Nook HD he really wanted on Father’s Day? If so, Barnes & Noble is giving you another chance to redeem yourself.

    Barnes & Nobile announced that is “best prices ever” Father’s Day promotion has been extended into the summer. During this time, you’ll be able to pick up a Nook HD for $129 (8GB) or $149 (16GB). Likewise, the Nook HD+ is available at $149 (16GB) or $179 (32GB). You’ll see these prices at Barnes & Noble, Nook.com and any retailer that sells the devices.

    “With the fantastic success of our Father’s Day promotion, we decided to extend the great prices on Nook HD and Nook HD+ to help our customers gear up for a great summer reading season,” said Jamie Iannone, President of Nook Media. “In our stores and online, customers have embraced these beautifully designed, lightweight devices with stunning displays that offer great reading and entertainment content. We’re thrilled to keep in place our best prices ever and deliver great value to make reading more affordable.”

    I’m just spitballing here, but maybe Nook should keep these prices. Amazon has been able to undercut the Nook HD at every corner thanks to its lower price and wide selection of content. Nook now has the chance to pose a legitimate threat to Kindle with the combination of lower prices and access to the massive Google Play Store.

    Even then, the biggest threat Nook faces right now is Nook itself. The Barnes & Noble subsidiary is rumored to be ditching its hardware business in favor of pushing its Nook app on Android and iOS devices. It’s not a bad idea, but its hardware could see a renaissance of sorts with a renewed focus on content and a lower price. Nook would be smart to see how this current promotion does for it before making any substantial changes to its business.

  • Nook Inks Deal With Google To Add Google Play To Its Nook HD Tablets

    If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

    The Wall Street Journal reports that Barnes & Noble has entered into a partnership with Google to bring the Google Play store to the company’s line of Nook HD and HD+ tablets. The addition of Google Play will bring over 700,000 apps to the Nook platform – a huge upgrade from the 10,000 or so apps currently available in the Nook store.

    So, what convinced Nook to start playing nice with Google? Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch says that Nook’s poor holiday sales told him that consumers don’t want an e-reader that’s also a tablet. Instead, consumers want a multi-purpose tablet that can double as an e-reader. Amazon had already adapted to this change in consumer focus when it killed off multiple e-readers last year and focused almost exclusively on its Kindle Fire HD line.

    Of course, it’s better late than never, and Nook is in a position where it needs all the help it can get. Barnes & Noble can now advertise that it has the Google Play store and all of its apps – something that Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD does not have. Of course, some consumers prefer the Kindle Fire HD for its curated app store experience so it will be interesting to see if a mostly unregulated app store will be much of a draw.

    Current Nook HD and HD+ owners will get Google Play in an OTA update today. The update will also bring all the other Google services that Android tablet owners have come to expect, like Google Chrome, Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps.

  • Pinterest Is Now Available On Nook, Will Come Preloaded On New Devices

    Nook isn’t doing that well for itself these days, but the Barnes & Noble subsidiary isn’t giving up. In fact, it’s pushing for more content than ever before to establish itself as a viable competitor in the cheap tablet space.

    Nook announced today that Pinterest is now available on Nook HD, Nook HD+, Nook Tablet and Nook Color devices. The app is available from the Nook store, but it will also come preloaded with any new Nook device sold.

    “Pinterest has long been one of our most requested apps and we are thrilled to bring it to Nook, along with the Twitter and Facebook for NOOK apps,” said Claudia Romanini, Vice President of Nook Apps, Nook Media LLC. “Our goal is to bring Nook users the very best in social media and these apps will bring to life the rich sharing experiences that Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter offer.”

    Alongside Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter will also come preloaded on all new Nook devices. The Facebook app received an update that overhauls the experience to mimic what users expect out of a Facebook app on other mobile devices. With the new app, users can “see what their friends are up to, share updates, photos and videos, chat and have group conversations, play games and much more.”

    The addition of Pinterest is just the latest move from Nook to make its platform more desirable to consumers. It recently launched Nook Press, a new version of Barnes & Noble’s popular PubIt! platform that allows independent authors to self-publish their titles on Nook. If it takes off, we could see Nook devices starting to sell well again as people clamor for exclusive content from up-and-coming authors.

  • In-App Purchasing Coming Soon To Nook HD Devices

    Despite having a less than stellar holiday season, Nook is still soldiering on in its attempts to combat Amazon’s Kindle dynasty. It’s latest move may just help bring more developers to its side.

    Nook announced today that in-app purchasing will soon be a reality on Nook HD and HD+ apps. The Barnes & Noble subsidiary will be working with Fortumo to provide developers with all the tools needed to implement in-app purchasing in apps while also providing developers with real-time insights on revenue.

    “We are thrilled to bring in-app purchasing to Nook with Fortumo for our community of developers so they can foster a profitable relationship with their customers, while also providing our Nook customers with a more in-depth app experience and an even wider selection of popular apps,” said Claudia Romanini, VP of Nook Apps, Nook Media, LLC. “We look forward to adding thousands of more apps that feature in-app purchasing over the coming weeks and months to expand Nook’s already wide array of digital content offerings.”

    This latest addition to the Nook development environment brings the Nook HD up to par with Amazon’s Kindle Fire and other Android tablets that have offered in-app purchasing for the past year. It’s also an important addition to the Nook development environment as it encourages more developers to bring apps to the platform. As we all know, any hardware is only as good as its apps, and the Nook definitely needs more apps, especially revenue heavy games, to survive in the highly competitive tablet market.

    In-app purchasing will be available to developers starting in the first half of April. For more details on how to start offering in-app purchasing in Nook apps, check out the Nook developer portal.

  • Barnes & Noble Partners With Mastercard For Nook Promotion

    Are you one of the millions of Americans who use a Mastercard credit card? Have you always wanted a Nook HD or Nook HD+? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you may want to take advantage of a new promotion Barnes & Noble is running this weekend.

    Starting today, Barnes & Noble will be giving away $20 gift cards to anybody who purchases a Nook HD or Nook HD+ using a Mastercard card. The offer is good online and in any of the retail stores around the nation. You will have to act fast, however, as the deal will only last throughout January 21.

    Before you go running out to pick up one of Barnes & Noble’s acclaimed tablets, you might want to check if you have enough credit to cover the cost. The Nook HD, which features a 7-inch screen, comes in two varieties – 8GB and 16GB. The former will set your credit back $199 while the latter goes for $229. The Nook HD+ comes in at 9-inches and features a 1080p display. The 16GB device retails for $269 while the 32GB device retails for $299. Buying any of these with a Mastercard card will net you the $20 gift card.

    So, why is Barnes & Noble offering a Christmas-like deal in January? It’s very simple really. The Nook didn’t have a very good holiday season, and Barnes & Noble is obviously trying to drum up demand for its tablet. The only flaw in its plan is restricting the deal to Mastercard users. Hell, it would be a bad idea to restrict it to any credit card purchases as most consumers are now in the process of paying off their credit card debt left over from the holidays.

    Still, it’s a neat little promotion for those who prefer Nook to the Kindle Fire HD or the Nexus 7. The latter of which just received a T-Mobile version for those who want to take it on the go.

  • Barnes & Noble’s Nook Business Took A Dive During The Holidays

    Barnes & Noble is the last national book store chain left in America because it jumped on the eBook revolution early with its line of Nook eReaders. It also introduced new tablets in the form of the Nook HD and HD+ to take on Amazon and its wildly successful Kindle Fire. Unfortunately, the holidays weren’t too kind to the retailer.

    Barnes & Noble reports that Nook revenues declined more than 12 percent in the lead up to the holiday season. In essence, what should have been a great quarter for the company turned out to be a bust. What’s even more shocking is that the BGR says Nook hardware and digital content sales combined are shrinking faster than the already shrinking traditional hardcover and paperback market.

    So, what went wrong? It’s really hard to say. Barnes & Noble priced its Nook tablets competitively for the holiday season. Its Nook HD+ and Glowlight Nook, competing against the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 inch and Kindle Paperwhite respectively, were priced the same or lower than the competition. Even then, the devices couldn’t achieve sales on par with Amazon’s Kindle devices.

    For now, Barnes & Noble says that its Nook business has brought in $3 billion in revenue over the fiscal year with losses “at a comparable level to fiscal year 2012.” It’s not a death spiral, but it’s not good either when all the other tablet and eReader manufacturers are posting profits. In fact, Amazon said that its Kindle business had its best weekend ever on Black Friday and Cyber monday. In comparison, Barnes & Noble said that Nook sales “got off to a good start over the Black Friday period, but then fell short of expectations for the balance of the holiday.”

    Barnes & Noble can now go one of two ways – it can either continue in the tablet business or sell off said business to another interested party. It already spun off Nook into its own subsidiary and has received substantial funding from both Microsoft and Pearson. Microsoft could step up and purchase the Nook business to increase its relevance in the tablet market, but its own botched handling of the Surface may not make the Redmond-based company a good fit.

    At this moment in time, it would be smart for Barnes & Noble to hold onto its Nook business. The losses weren’t staggering during the holidays, and the company still has some time to reevaluate how its going to compete in a market that’s already saturated with inexpensive tablets. It’s only problem is that it lacks the retail muscle of Amazon and deep pockets of Google. Nook is an underdog, for sure, but it might just be worth rooting for in the new year.

  • Nook Video Now Available In The UK

    Nook Video Now Available In The UK

    The Kindle Fire HD has been available in Europe since October 25. The device came with Amazon’s own LOVEFiLM which streams movies and TV shows directly to users’ devices. Nook, the ever present rival to Kindle, is now just catching up.

    Nook Media, now a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, announced today that it’s now offering a wide selection of films and TV shows to its customers in the UK. The video playback is available on the Nook HD and the Nook HD+ tablets. Users in the UK now have access to content from BBC, HBO, NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures, STARZ, and Warner Bros. It’s also noted that Nook is the first digital retailer to offer UltraViolet in the UK.

    “We purposefully designed our new Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets with stunning high resolution displays for unmatched reading and entertainment experiences, and we’re excited to expand our content partnerships to bring Nook Video to our growing base of UK customers,” said Jonathan Shar, Vice President & General Manager, Emerging Digital Content, NOOK Media. “NOOK Video provides customers with the flexibility to enjoy their favorite movies and TV shows wherever they go and however they choose – all in spectacular digital quality.”

    Some of the titles available day one on Nook include Sherlock, Game of Thrones, True Blood, Ted, The Amazin Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises, and more. The company said that it’s working to get more content secured.

    Nook Video is available in two flavors – streaming and download. As for UltraViolet, users need only sync their account on the Nook HD and all of their content will be available for streaming on the device. Users can also shop for UltraViolet DVDs and Blu-Rays on the Nook and start instantly watching the digital version upon purchase.

    “Barnes & Noble becoming the first UltraViolet retailer in the UK is going to change the way consumers purchase and enjoy their digital movie libraries,” said Jim Wuthrich, President, International, Warner Home Video and Digital Distribution. “With UltraViolet-enabled movies, consumers know their collection is stored securely in the cloud and can be accessed across numerous devices, including the NOOK HD and NOOK HD+. This convenience, combined with the ability for consumers to share their digital libraries with up to five family members, makes NOOK Video a very compelling destination to purchase movies.”

  • Barnes & Noble Announces Nook HD and HD+

    Barnes & Noble Announces Nook HD and HD+

    Barnes & Noble today took a direct shot at Amazon, debuting its latest Nook mini-tablets, the Nook HD and Nook HD+. The tablets are close in specifications and competitively priced to Amazon’s recently released Kindle Fire HD tablets. It seems the earlier announcement of Barnes & Noble’s new streaming video service was a prelude to this larger announcement.

    The Nook HD is Barnes & Noble’s new 7-inch tablet. The company is pointing out the features the Nook HD has that beat the Kindle Fire HD: resolution and weight. The Nook HD has a 1440 x 900, 243 ppi HD screen and weighs only 11.1 ounces. It is also boasted that, because the tablet is only 5-inches wide, it can fit into the pocket of a men’s suit coat. The rest of the tablet’s hardware features are nearly identical to the Kindle Fire HD, though the tablet does feature a microSD card slot and the 16GB version of the Nook HD will have a full 1GB of memory.

    The Nook HD will come in two sizes, 8GB and 16GB. The 8GB version will be available for $199, same as the Kindle Fire HD. The 16GB version will be available for $229. The tablet will be available in either “snow” or “smoke” colors, and can be pre-ordered starting today on Barnes & Noble’s website.

    The Nook HD+ is where Barnes & Noble is really striking at Amazon. At 9-inches, the tablet is aiming for Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ tablet. The Nook HD+, however will sell for $269 for the 16GB version and $299 for the 32GB version. Amazon is selling its 8.9″ tablet for $299, or $ $499 with $G LTE. The Nook HD+ doesn’t have 4G LTE capabilities the way Amazon’s tablet does, but the cost savings from that omission are obvious.

    As with the Nook HD, at 18.2 ounces the Nook HD+ is lighter than its Kindle counterpart and it also has a microSD card slot. It’s battery, however, is not up to par with the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″, and will only last for up to 10 hours of reading.

    Both the Nook HD and Nook HD+ are expected to ship in late October and be available in Barnes & Noble stores in early November.