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Barnes & Noble Nook 1st Edition
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| Developer | Barnes & Noble |
| Manufacturer | Foxconn |
| Type | E-reader |
| Release date | November 30, 2009 (3G+Wi-Fi) 21 June 2010 (Wi-Fi only) |
| Introductory price | US$259 (3G+Wi-Fi version) US$149 (Wi-Fi only version) |
| Operating system | Android version 1.5, released 22 November 2010 |
| Power | rechargeable, replaceable lithium-ion polymer battery (1530 mAh) |
| CPU | 667Mhz ARMv6-based Samsung S3C6410 |
| Storage capacity | 2 GB internal storage MicroSD expansion up to 16 GB |
| Display | 600 x 800 pixel, 6 inch E Ink display and a 3.5 inch 480 x 144 pixel color control display |
| Input | color touchscreen, left/right paging buttons |
| Connectivity | AT&T 3G 802.11b/g Wi-Fi |
| Dimensions | 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.5 in (196 x 125 x 13 mm) |
| Weight | 12.1 oz (343 g) (3G + Wi-Fi) 11.6 oz (329 g) (Wi-Fi only) 7.48 oz (Nook Touch Reader) |
| Website | nook.com |
History
3G + Wi-Fi Version
This version made its debut on November 22 2009, at a retail price of $259 and comes with built-in 3G + Wi-Fi connectivity for free access to Barnes and Noble online store. Price was reduced to $199 in June 21, 2010 upon the release of the new Nook Wi-Fi. Latest price drop was made in May 25 2011, dropping to closeout prices of $169 in accordance with the announcement of the new Nook also known as Nook Simple Touch Reader.Wi-Fi Version
This version made its debut on June 21 2010, at retail price of $149. It is a version of the Nook 1st Edition that supports Wi-Fi only, and not 3G Wireless and it was launched with Firmware Version 1.4 already. It is physically easly distinguishable from the 3G + Wi-fi gray backed version, due to its white back color. Price reduction was made in May 25, 2011, dropping to closeout prices of $119 in accordance with the announcement of the new Nook also known as Nook Simple Touch Reader.Features
The original Nook provides a black-and-white E Ink display for viewing digital content with most navigation and additional content provided through a color touchscreen. The Nook Color provides a larger, color LCD display. Pages are turned using arrow buttons on each side of the Nook. The original Nook connects to Barnes and Noble's digital store through a free connection to AT&T's 3G network or through available Wi-Fi connections. Users can read books without a wireless connection; disconnecting the wireless connection can extend the battery's charge to up to ten days.The device has a MicroSD expansion slot for extra storage and a user-replaceable rechargeable battery. The battery can be charged through either an AC adapter or a micro-USB 2.0 cable, both included with new Nooks. The device also includes a web browser, a built-in dictionary, Chess and Sudoku, an audio player, speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Supported ebook file-formats with DRM include:
- eReader PDB with Barnes & Noble's eReader DRM, sometimes called Secure eReader format (original Nook only)
- EPUB with Barnes & Noble's eReader DRM, used for ebooks downloaded wirelessly to the Nook
- EPUB with Adobe ADEPT DRM, sometimes called Adobe EPUB or Adobe Digital Editions format
- PDF with Adobe ADEPT DRM (However, figures and equations will not appear)
Supported ebook file formats without DRM include:
- EPUB
- eReader PDB (original Nook only)
- PDF, including password-protected PDF but not Vitrium-protected PDF
Nook supports image file formats JPG, GIF, PNG, and BMP, used for book cover thumbnails, wallpapers, and screen savers.
The Nook provides a "LendMe" feature allowing users to share some books with other people, depending on licensing by the book's publisher. The buyer is permitted to share a book once with one other user for up to two weeks. Users will be able to share purchased books with others who are using Barnes & Noble's reader application software for Android, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac OS X, and Windows and others.
The Nook system recognizes physical Barnes & Noble stores. Customers using the Nook in Barnes & Noble stores receive access to special content and offers while the device is connected to the store's Wi-Fi. Further, most e-Books in the catalog can be read for up to an hour while connected to the store Wi-Fi network with the 1.3 software update.
Because Barnes & Noble does not make the Nook available outside the United States, if it is taken overseas it will neither be possible to access a 3G connection nor capable of buying books on the Barnes & Noble Nook Book Store. The Nook is still capable of accessing the same Book Store through Wi-Fi and downloading free books from it outside of the U.S.
Software versions
Version 1.0
Launch version on the Nook and made its debut on November 22, 2009Version 1.1
Released in December 2009, consists mostly of minor bug fixes.Version 1.2
Released in February 2010, improved the device's responsiveness, bookmarking, in-store connectivity, and battery optimization. The update also included interface changes intended to improve navigation of daily subscriptions, clarify LendMe features, and allow sorting personal files on the device.Version 1.3
Released in April 2010 and added a web browser (in beta), the games Chess and Sudoku, and more options for Wi-Fi connectivity. Other new features included the ability to read complete ebooks for free in Barnes and Noble stores for an hour at a time, the option to pre-order ebooks that are yet unreleased, minor modifications to the user interface, and improved performance when opening ebooks and turning pages.Version 1.4
Released on June 21, 2010, added extended AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot support, a new extra extra large font size, and a Go-To Page feature.Version 1.5
Released on November 22, 2010 and added optional password protection for the device and for making purchases, a "My Shelves" feature for organizing the user's e-book library, and automatic syncing of the last page read across multiple devices. Other improvements include faster page turning and improved search options.Version 1.6 and 1.7
Released in June 2011 and included "minor system updates".Nook apps
Free Nook eReader applications are available to allow reading of eBooks purchases to be read on the PC and Mac desktops, iPhone, iPad, Android, and Blackberry devices without the need for a Nook eReader. A virtual bookmark can be synced across the devices a reader uses.Hacking
Some Nook users have loaded Android applications on the Nook, such as Pandora, a web browser, a Twitter client called Tweet, Google Reader and a Facebook application. Many general Android applications running on the Nook present interactive areas of their interface on the E Ink display, making such applications difficult to manipulate on the device. However, Android applications optimized for the Nook screen are also available, including app launchers, browsers, library managers, and an online book catalog browser and feed reader.Although gaining superuser (root) access to install software on the Nook initially required physical disassembly of the device, as of 2010 users can gain root access using software alone.
A new hardware revision introduced in August 2010, identifiable by a serial number starting with 1003, running firmware 1.4.1, requires different software than the older models. Attempting to gain root access using software designed for older models renders the unit unusable.
As of October 2010, a new method involving spoofing a DNS entry has been found to root 1.4.1 Nooks.
Availability
Barnes & Noble made the Nook available for pre-order in the United States for US$259 following its launch on 20 October 2009 and began shipping on 30 November 2009. The device was available for demonstration and display in Barnes and Noble retail stores in early December. Barnes & Noble began selling the Nook in-store in February 2010.Due to the large number of pre-orders, the initial launch of the product involved multiple shipment dates depending on when customers ordered the Nook. The first shipment occurred as planned on November 30, but delays occurred with subsequent shipments as demand for the product exceeded production. Further shipments occurred December 7, December 18, January 4, January 11, January 15, February 1, and February 12.
Barnes & Noble sent a $100 gift certificate via email to customers who had been promised a delivery by December 24, 2009, but whose shipment was delayed past December 25.
Reception
The Nook initially received mixed reviews, ranging from favorable reviews from Time, Money, and PC Magazine to more critical reviews in Engadget and the New York Times. PC Magazine noted the color touchscreen, WiFi and 3G connectivity, and large ebook library as advantages over the Nook's competitors, with a lack of support for HTML and Microsoft's .doc file format seen as negatives. Money compared the Nook favorably to the Amazon Kindle and the Sony Reader Touch Edition. ZDNet blogger Matthew Miller called the Nook "the king of connectivity and content" and wrote favorably about the lending feature and support for PDF and ePub files. Time listed the Nook as one of its "Top 10 Gadgets of 2009".Critics pointed to the Nook's "sluggish" performance and user interface design, with New York Times reviewer David Pogue writing that the Nook suffered from "half-baked software." Pogue later demonstrated using a postal scale that the Nook's weight differed from the product specifications advertised by Barnes & Noble (12.1 ounces rather than 11.2 ounces as the company had advertised). Engadget reviewer Joshua Topolsky argued that menu responsiveness and organization was not optimal but commented that "many of the problems seem like they could be fixed with firmware tweaks." PC Magazine wrote that the 1.3 firmware update, released after most reviews of the Nook, improved the device's responsiveness: "On the original Nook, page turning took twice as long as page turning on the Kindle - two seconds compared to one second. With the 1.3 firmware update, it's about a tenth of a second slower than the Kindle, but the difference is negligible."
In early January 2010, the Nook was presented with the TechCrunch Best New Gadget Crunchie award for 2009.
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