As expected, Barnes & Noble today announced a new eReader device, the “All-New NOOK.” Described by CEO William Lynch as the simplest touch reader, it does away with the complexities of buttons and keyboards.
The new NOOK features a 6-inch touchscreen e-ink Pearl display and a single button (37 less than the Kindle as pointed out by Lynch during the unveiling) much as the Kobo eReader Touch Edition announced only yesterday. It also comes with a customized page transition animation that reduces flashing.
Barnes & Noble NOOK specifications:
- Processor: 800MHz TI OMAP 3
- Operating system: Google Android 2.1
- Cellular connectivity: None
- Other connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
- Display: 6-inch 16-level gray scale e-ink Pearl
- Input: Touchscreen
- Storage: 2GB onboard / SD cards up to 32GB
- Rear-facing camera:
- Front-facing camera:
- Battery: Non-removable lasting up to two months
- Connectors: Micro-USB
- Dimensions / weight: 213 grams
Barnes & Noble is also launching “NOOK Friends,” a social network built around reading. It will offer recommendations made by friends and support book exchanges using LendMe.
The all-new NOOK is expected to start shipping around June 10th. It will sell for US$139. The first generation Nook will now sell for US$119 and US$169 for the Wi-Fi and 3G editions respectively while supplies last.