One of Amazon's rival is looking to close the book on the Kindle here in the UK. US bookshop Barnes and Noble is bringing its Nook ebook reader here in time for Christmas.
The Nook Simple Touch will go on sale to British readers of ebooks in October, alongside the Simple Touch with Glow Light. The 6.5-inch touchscreen readers pack Wi-Fi to download ebooks from the online Nook store, as well as newspapers, magazines and comics.
The Nook boasts 2GB of storage and a micro-USB slot to stuff in even more paperbacks. It supports the ePub and PDF formats, but is incompatible with ebooks bought from Amazon in the AZW or KF8 formats. Like the Kindle, the Nook reader talks to ebook apps on your computer, smart phone and tablet so you can read your book on whichever device you have handy.
Barnes and Noble will open this new chapter by selling the Nook online at nook.co.uk. After that, the US bookseller has pledged to announce partnerships with "leading retailers" soon, including both "physical and online channels".
But which retailer are we looking at? The Sony range of ebook readers is in shops already, while Waterstones has a deal with Amazon to sell the Kindle and WH Smith has a similar deal to sell the Kobo Touch.
Assuming neither high-street bookseller ditches their current deal or sells the Nook alongside the Kindle or Kobo, that leaves us with chains that don't focus on books -- as far as we can think, there aren't any other nationwide booksellers.
One possibility is an electronic chain like Dixons Retail, the group that includes Currys and PC World. But my money's on Tesco: books are established in supermarkets these days, and ebooks are big business too. Just look at Fifty Shades of Grey, which owes much of its phenomenal success to ebook sales.
Hopefully Nook ebook readers will be followed by Barnes and Noble's low-cost Android tablet, rival to the Amazon Kindle Fire. The Kindle Fire is yet to cross the pond, leaving the Google Nexus 7 to stake its claim as the only budget Android tablet worth owning.
Would you buy a Nook, or is the Kindle the last word in ebooks? Plot your thoughts in the comments or tell us a story on our Facebook page.
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Comments 6
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anonymous 21 August, 2012 11:46
With most people using these to surreptitiously read "Fifty shades of Grey", it seems appropriate that this is called the "NookeBook"
Rich
anonymous 26 August, 2012 13:30
So the Nexus 7 is "the only budget Android tablet worth owning"? I recently returned from a massive overseas trip, taking in rainforest, swamp, mountains and much else. I didn't want to take anything expensive in case it got lost/damaged, so ended up taking a cheap 7" tablet I picked up for less than £60 (that I won't name so as not to be accused of being connected to the company, but most people will never have heard of the manufacturer). It worked flawlessly and quickly. I can't think of one thing it wouldn't do that a big name product would have. I watched movies. I surfed. I installed apps. I managed my email etc etc. It also has a user replaceable battery so I took a spare for double the battery life. All I'm saying is there's more to life than shelling out premium prices for big-name brands.
Rich Trenholm 25 September, 2012 16:59
What was it? Don't keep us in suspense!
anonymous 27 October, 2012 02:39
I downloaded Nook for my PC in the UK and tried to purchase an ebook. They advised they could not supply to an address outside the UK.
Why are they now selling their readers in the UK if this is the case as at 27 October 2012.
Any ideas anybody?
anonymous 27 October, 2012 02:42
Sorry my email above should read "outside the US" ...you are unable to download...
Hugh Carmichael
Hugh Carmichael 27 October, 2012 02:47
...just registered...only realised after posting it would show as as anonymous...the two above are mine..