Engadget’s back to school guide 2013: e-readers

Posted on 15/08/2013 by Brian Heater

Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! Today, we're taking a look at your best e-reader options. Head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as we add them throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back; in early September, we'll be giving away a ton of gear, including some of the picks in our guides.

Schoolbooks? What is this, the late 20th century? Granted, we still have a ways to go before all the world's textbooks go digital, but e-readers should be able to stand in for most of those paperbacks, at least. So lose a little backpack weight, save a couple of trees and take notes without ruining your copy. We have got your e-reader needs covered, no matter what your back to school budget.

Filed under: Amazon

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The Daily Roundup for 05.03.2013

Posted on 03/05/2013 by David Fishman

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Google Play comes to Barnes & Noble’s Nook HD and HD+, we go hands-on (video)

Posted on 03/05/2013 by Brian Heater

Barnes & Noble's refusal to open its ecosystem has long been one of our primary complaints about the company's tablet offerings. The Nook HD and HD+ are extremely nice pieces of hardware that have been held back by their own walled software offerings -- having a fast device with a nice screen only gets you so far without the proper apps. The company line up to now has been that walling off content allows for a sort of quality control, assuring that apps are developed specifically for the unique form factor of its devices. And while there's perhaps something to be said for that sentiment in the sometimes-fragmented world of Android devices, it was hard to ignore the fact that offering up exclusive access to content through your own marketplace assures better cash flow. It also, unfortunately, means that without extensive developer outreach, there are sure to be plenty of popular apps that just never make it over to your side of the fence.

With its announcement tonight, B&N acknowledges that, in this case, open is better. The company has responded directly to user feedback and will be issuing a software update to its Nook HD and Nook HD+ devices (sorry Nook Tablet and Color owners) that brings Google Play directly to the desktop. The software will come pre-loaded on new devices and will be available as an over-the-air update. If you can't wait that long, you'll also be able to download it directly from the bookseller's site. The update also brings a few other tweaks to the system, but this is far and away the biggest news. The first question we asked upon getting a quick demo: will you be able to buy content like books, magazines and movies through Play? Yep, that's coming too.

Gallery: Google Play comes to Barnes & Noble's Nook HD and HD+

Filed under: Tablets, Software, Google

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Nook getting in-app purchasing ‘soon,’ B&N promises ‘thousands’ of top apps

Posted on 25/03/2013 by Brian Heater

Sure Barnes & Noble's already promising you the ability to download the "most popular and bestselling top 100 app titles for tablets available anywhere," but what happens when you want to buy something in those apps? Fear not, the bookstore-turned-hardware-maker will be bringing in-app purchases to its line of slates "soon," thanks to a partnership with Nook developer Fortumo. That company's bring single click payment to the Nook ecosystem and offering dashboards and analytics on consumer buying habits for developers. Thanks to the offering, B&N feels certain that, "thousands of the most-requested games and apps featuring in-app purchasing will be available for customers to experience on NOOK's award-winning line of tablets" in the months to come.

Filed under: Tablets

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Via: The Next web

PSA: Barnes & Noble’s Nook HD, HD+ tablets are now available in the UK

Posted on 22/11/2012 by Daniel Cooper

Following the arrival of Barnes & Noble's e-reader products in the UK, today's the day that the company's tablets follow suit. The Nook HD and HD+ are a pair of tasty little high-definition tablets, which can be snagged at stores such as Argos, Sainsbury's and John Lewis. The 7-inch HD can be yours for £159 with 8GB storage or £189 for 16GB, while the HD+ is priced at £229 for 16GB and £269 for 32GB.

Continue reading PSA: Barnes & Noble's Nook HD, HD+ tablets are now available in the UK

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EA bringing more games to Barnes & Noble’s Nook HD and Nook HD+

Posted on 14/11/2012 by Edgar Alvarez

Nook HD and HD+ owners will be very happy to know that more gaming titles from Electronic Arts are on the way, with a couple even being available as we speak. Earlier today, the renowned developer announced its Plant vs. Zombies and Bejeweled 2 are now compatible with Barnes & Noble's newest pair of slates, while other EA titles like Real Racing 2, Tetris, Monopoly and The Game of Life are expected to launch "through the holiday season." Both Plants vs. Zombies and Bejeweled 2 are up for download now for $5 and $3, respectively, and you can snag your favorite one from the source link below.

Continue reading EA bringing more games to Barnes & Noble's Nook HD and Nook HD+

Filed under: Gaming, Tablets

EA bringing more games to Barnes & Noble's Nook HD and Nook HD+ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget’s tablet buyer’s guide: fall 2012 edition

Posted on 05/11/2012 by James Trew

Three months is a long time in tablet-land, it seems. Since we last brought you a buyer's guide, a few things have changed. In fact, this is probably the biggest shake-up yet, with not only the long-rumored iPad mini making an appearance, but also new offerings from two other big guns -- Microsoft and Google. Oh, and that means there's a whole new species of device altogether. With Windows RT finally shipping, there's new hardware to go with it, and we expect to see more popping up on the list in the months to come. This is all good news for you prospective tablet owners, as more competition can only mean more choice. With more options, though, comes more confusion. That's where we come in, armed with a few notable picks. Read on to find out what made the cut this season.

Continue reading Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition

Filed under: Tablets, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft, ASUS, Google

Engadget's tablet buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble bolstering Nook Video catalogue, bringing UltraViolet to the HD and HD+

Posted on 30/10/2012 by Jamie Rigg

Barnes & Noble is seriously beefing up its Nook ecosystem by striking deals with studios and other providers to bring a ton of new video content to its HD and HD+ tablets. Debuting alongside the slates, expected to start shipping in the US this week, thousands of SD and HD movies and TV shows from the likes of NBCUniversal, 20th Century Fox and others will be available for your consumption. Brits will get the same opportunity a little later, coinciding with the local release of the tablets closer to the holiday season. B&N won't force you to buy its hardware to enjoy the expanded catalogue, as it'll be releasing free Nook Video apps in the future to access the content from all platforms. What's more, you'll also be able to view UltraViolet video on the HD and HD+, meaning you can watch all that previously purchased content right from the get-go. This is certainly a huge bonus for consumers that have a big UV library, and coupled with all the new content, we wouldn't be surprised if Nook sales start stealing a little heat from the Fire.

Continue reading Barnes & Noble bolstering Nook Video catalogue, bringing UltraViolet to the HD and HD+

Filed under: Tablets, Software, HD

Barnes & Noble bolstering Nook Video catalogue, bringing UltraViolet to the HD and HD+ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nook HD review: a high-def tablet with the heart of a reader

Posted on 30/10/2012 by Brian Heater

Barnes & Noble knows where it stands in the tablet race. Sure, the company has been plugging away at the space since the day the Nook Color made its transformation into a full-fledged tablet, but the Nook, it seems, is rarely mentioned in the same breath as the Kindle Fire or Nexus 7, when discussing low-cost tablets. As such, the company seems to rarely mention its devices without discussing the competition -- Amazon in particular. In fact, at the launch event for the Nook HD and HD+, reps trotted out Kindle Fire HDs at every possible opportunity.

Seeing the two devices side by side, there's no question that Nook trumps the Fire in a number of categories, and the bookseller has gone a ways toward making the Nook HD stand out in a field full of bigger players. For one thing, the device is far more focused on the reading experience than the competition, a fact reflected in both hardware and UI decisions. The company has also taken a more aggressive approach toward marketing the device toward families. The question, then, is whether these features are enough to capture marketshare from the more prominent devices. See how the Nook HD stacks up after the break.

Gallery: Nook HD review

Continue reading Nook HD review: a high-def tablet with the heart of a reader

Filed under: Tablets

Nook HD review: a high-def tablet with the heart of a reader originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barnes & Noble’s Nook HD gets splayed all over the internet by the FCC

Posted on 17/10/2012 by Daniel Cooper

Barnes & Noble is eager to ensure its Nook HD tablets are passed safe for consumption by humans. That's why one of the slates has just been ushered out of the FCC's underground bunker after being torn into tiny pieces. Of course, our boys in blue generously shared the pictures for us all to enjoy, and we'd be remiss if we didn't include them here -- after all, it's what's inside that counts.

Gallery: Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet HD at the FCC