Today Barnes and Noble released a version of the Nook eBook reader without the 3G functionality (Wi-Fi Only) and dropped the price by $110. They also dropped the price of the 3G + Wi-Fi version to $199 (from $259) and announced as well the availability of free WiFi connectivity through the AT&T Nation-wide WiFi network. Just in time for summer reading, NOOK Wi-Fi is now available for purchase online at www.nook.com for $149 and will begin shipping this week. A bookseller at a Barnes & Noble store can also help customers place an order. NOOK Wi-Fi can also be ordered at www.bestbuy.com. Barnes & Noble expects NOOK Wi-Fi will be in-stock in select Barnes & Noble and Best Buy stores for immediate purchase later this month and rolling out to all stores later this summer.
Amazon Responds with Kindle Price Drop
For awhile this morning, the B&N Nook was the most Full-Featured, Low-Cost eBook Reader on the Market, until Amazon released the Kindle at $189, as a direct challenge for dominance in the eBook reader market. Amazon has already shown that it is willing to take a loss on the Kindle business in order to gain market share. Chances are good that the Barnes & Noble will leave well enough alone in the price arena and will focus its marketing on the unique features of the Nook ecosystem, including the ability to lend e-book to friends for up to two weeks and B&N’s in-store reading program. In addition, the Nook’s small touchscreen at the bottom of the device gives B&N’s e-reader an additional hardware feature that the Kindle doesn’t offer yet.
Nook v1.4 Software Update
Dear NOOK Owner,
We’ve heard what you’ve had to say, and we’re excited to announce some new features and improvements now available for your NOOK.
Enhanced Wi-Fi®: Automatically connect for free to AT&T’s entire nationwide Wi-Fi® network including restaurants, hotels and additional locations – all of which can be found at http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=13540.
Go To Page Feature: Now you can jump right to a specific page number in an open eBook – it’s one of the enhancements most frequently requested by NOOK owners.
Improved reading experience: With a new “extra extra large” font size you now have 6 font sizes to choose from.
Plus, we’ve made some performance enhancements that will allow you to open your eBooks even faster. Learn more about the new NOOK 1.4 Software Update.