The latest edition of the Barnes and Noble Nook reading device has been a hot topic. Many have speculated that the device would have a color display. Further digging by CNET revealed a mockup of the touch screen e-reader. It turns out that most of the rumors were correct. The Android powered, color e-reader looks exactly like the “crude” and “unprofessionally done” mockup (as Gizmodo referred to it). The Nook Color is much more than what you might expect, though.
At the live event today, the new Nook was finally revealed. The Nook Color by Barnes & Noble is being billed as “the future of reading.” It’s geared towards people who “snack on content,” but also offers additional features to enhance the reading experience.
- Expandable up to 32GB MicroSD
- Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
- 16 Million Color Display
- 7” Color Touch screen
- Backlit Display
You can actually use your Nook Color as an audio player. It stores up to 100 hours of MP3 or AAC files for listening to books or music. There is a universal 3.5mm stereo headphone jack for audio, but the Nook Color also includes a mono speaker. Even if you don’t want to store any music on your Nook Color, you can simply run Pandora to satisfy your music cravings. Playing your music while you read is supported.
Nook Friends is where the Nook Color gets social. You can import your Google contacts and share favorite lines or recommend books. Facebook and Twitter integration let you update your reading status without leaving the page you’re on. I’ve seen people live tweet TV shows, so this should be no different. The Nook also makes it easy to share passages from the book you’re reading in case you think something might be of interest to your social networks.
Other features include Microsoft Office integration, where you can create, edit, and view Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. Nook Kids turns your Nook Color into an interactive reading device for children. There are games and a LendMe feature for swapping books.
The Nook Color is much more than a simple e-reader. Its features straddle the line between e-reader and full-fledged tablet. You can even become a Nook developer to create new Nook Extras. You can order the device right now for $249 with free shipping (expected ship date is November 19th).
via CrunchGear, Barnes & Noble