New customers will pay $139 for the new tablet, but existing NOOK customers can upgrade for $99
Here is a tough question: which is more dysfunctional, the Donald Trump campaign or Barnes & Noble. Tough one, right? Both have replaced their chief executives in the past 24 hours (see here for the story on Ronald D. Boire ouster as CEO of Barnes & Noble), and both have declining numbers.
I actually B&N is doing better, but I know a few in the digital book field who might disagree.
Today, B&N unveiled a new NOOK branded version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The bookseller has had a deal with Samsung for a while now, but it hasn’t helped the NOOK segment, mainly because B&N is such a bad retailer. It neither knows how to market, nor how to compete as a retailer in today’s shopping environment.
Oddly, I actually think Tim Cook would be better as the CEO of B&N than he is at Apple. The reason is that Cook was fantastic in his role as Senior Vice President for worldwide operations at Apple. He doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves – even when he gets a lot of credit. Cook made hugely important decisions regarding production, inventory, product materials. Cook made the kinds of hard decisions that B&N needs to make.
But B&N hired the guy from Sears Canada and now, after one year, say he “was not a good fit for the organization.” No duh, everyone could see that. But who is the right guy (or woman, obviously)?
In the meantime, B&N has a new NOOK. Wonder if we will see it featured in a commercial during the last few days of the Olympics? (Just kidding, of course not.)
Here is the announcement for the new Samsung Galaxy Tab A NOOK:
NEW YORK, NY – August 17, 2016 — Barnes & Noble, Inc., the nation’s largest retail bookseller and a leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, in conjunction with Samsung Electronics America, today introduced the Samsung Galaxy Tab A NOOK, the newest addition to the NOOK by Samsung lineup and the next-generation reader’s tablet, designed with the NOOK experience readers love and the latest tablet features they need. The Galaxy Tab A NOOK is available for purchase starting today at Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and online at BN.com for only $139.99. Existing NOOK customers can upgrade to the newest NOOK by Samsung device at an even greater value, for only $99.99, by trading in or showing proof of purchase of any NOOK device at any Barnes & Noble store. Barnes & Noble Members taking advantage of this incredible, limited-time upgrade offer will also receive a free cover for their device (a $39.95 value).
“The Samsung Galaxy Tab A NOOK is the perfect device for customers who are looking for a leading tablet that combines the latest features and a great reading experience at an unbeatable price,” said Fred Argir, Chief Digital Officer at Barnes & Noble. “By adding the 7-inch Tab A NOOK to the lineup alongside the cutting-edge Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK®, the large-screen Samsung Galaxy Tab E NOOK® and the popular NOOK GlowLight Plus™ eReader, Barnes & Noble has an amazing lineup of devices for everyone in the family heading into the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.”
Introducing the Samsung Galaxy Tab A NOOK
The Galaxy Tab A NOOK is the next-generation reader’s tablet designed with the NOOK experience readers love and the latest tablet features they need, including a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, GPS and an integrated FM tuner for radio (no Wi-Fi® required) that makes tuning into local FM radio easier than ever before. The Galaxy Tab A NOOK gives users access to all the best Android apps, and is equipped with the most advanced technology so that they can enjoy fast downloads, smooth web browsing, crisp text and vivid images. The Tab A runs Lollipop (Android 5.1) and has access to the Google Play store.
The Galaxy Tab A NOOK offers users an enhanced digital bookstore experience, integrated with the latest NOOK software (version 4.6) and BN.com bookmarked directly onto the home screen of the device so that they have quick and easy access to Barnes & Noble’s vast product offering. Plus, the Galaxy Tab A NOOK enables the expansion of storage space from 8GB to an additional 200GB via a microSD card (sold separately), including the ability to download certain NOOK Books® directly to the microSD card.
The enhanced digital bookstore experience continues with the Galaxy Tab A NOOK as users will be able to read for hours on end due to the device’s extra long battery life, with up to 11 hours of Internet usage.* Plus, users will never run out of content ideas for their next great read, as the device features B&N Readouts™, which brings the pleasures of bookstore browsing and discovery to the NOOK digital experience. Additionally, NOOK Audiobooks will be coming to the Samsung Galaxy Tab A in September via a software update, providing seamless access to nearly 80,000 digital audiobooks, including 9,500 free titles.
The whole family can enjoy the Galaxy Tab A NOOK as it features NOOK Profiles™, enabling families to customize up to 6 profiles that turn the tablet into a personalized reading and entertainment center. Parents will appreciate the ease of setting up profiles for their children with lots of relevant kid-friendly NOOK content for them to enjoy, while managing appropriate content and access to the NOOK Store®.
B&N Readouts: Bookstore-Like Browsing and Free Bite-Sized Content
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A NOOK comes equipped with B&N Readouts, an innovative feature that brings the pleasures of bookstore browsing and discovery to the NOOK digital experience. B&N Readouts offers a daily selection of addictive quick reads that can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere on all NOOK by Samsung devices including the new Galaxy Tab A NOOK, the Free NOOK Reading Apps™ for Android™ and iOS® devices, the NOOK GlowLight Plus, and at www.bn.com/readouts.
Leveraging Barnes & Noble’s vast content catalog and deep bookseller knowledge, B&N Readouts delivers compelling two-minute book excerpts as well as full articles from current issues of popular periodicals. These mobile-friendly quick reads are tailored to users’ favorite genres and subjects and optimized for sharing. A delightful tasting menu for readers of every interest, B&N Readouts is curated by Barnes & Noble’s editors to surprise and delight always-on, on-the-go customers.
Plus, through B&N Readouts, customers can join the thousands of NOOK readers on Serial Reads, Barnes & Noble’s popular program of free fiction serials through which subscribers enjoy a new book every month, delivered free in daily chapters directly to their devices. Titles are hand-picked by Barnes & Noble editors across genres and a variety of authors.
NOOK by Samsung: Extraordinary Reading & Entertainment Content
Customers who trade up to any NOOK by Samsung device will find an impressive collection of digital content to explore from Barnes & Noble. The expansive NOOK Store’s reading and entertainment content offering includes:
Over 4 million books including bestsellers, new releases, classics and enhanced titles with special content, including more than 1 million titles priced under $5.
Nearly 80,000 digital audiobooks, including 9,500 free titles.**
An extensive collection of popular comic books and graphic novels, as well as picture-perfect art, photography, travel guides and cookbook titles.
An expansive digital selection of best-loved children’s books – over 110,000 – including chapter books and a selection of more than 11,000 interactive picture books.
The NOOK Newsstand®, with the largest digital collection of the top 100 bestselling U.S. magazines available for both digital subscriptions and single copy sale, and a vast collection of newspapers and magazines from around the world. Reading tools like ArticleView® lets the reader focus on the text, customized to their needs, and the Visual Table of Contents provides a quick scan of the entire issue, allowing readers to jump directly to any article or section.
Availability, In-Store Support and Other Benefits
All NOOK devices come with free lifetime in-store support. NOOK customers can visit any of Barnes & Noble’s 640 stores across the country for complimentary, personal support, including help setting up their NOOK device and organizing their library. While in-store, customers can speak with any of the company’s expert booksellers, access free Wi-Fi and enjoy the popular Read In Store® program, which allows guests to read any book free for up to one hour per day. Customers can also take advantage of a full calendar of popular NOOK events, including NOOK Night workshops, family Storytimes, book discussion groups and author signings.
*Based on laboratory testing. Results may vary. Battery power consumption depends on factors such as network configuration, carrier network, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, vibrate mode, backlight settings, browser use, frequency of calls, and voice, data and other application-usage patterns.
**Available in September via a software update.