Barnes & Noble to take on Kindle Fire, iPad with new $250 Nook Tablet

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  • Reply 61 of 65
    I like the kindle fire more. Looks like an awesome device for $199!!!





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Barnes & Noble on Monday unveiled its next-generation Nook Tablet, a new 7-inch touchscreen device with a color screen that's a direct competitor to Amazon's new Kindle Fire.



    At $249, the Nook Tablet features more power than the similarly sized Kindle Fire, with the latest Nook packing a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in internal storage. Barnes & Noble said its new Android-powered Nook, which arrives on Nov. 17, also boasts 11.5 hours of battery life.



    "In Nook Tablet, we've created the best wireless media tablet in the portable 7-inch class," said Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch. "Nook Tablet’s VividView display has been designed to be the world’s finest screen for readability and viewing content. We've utilized that breakthrough display technology to bring consumers the largest digital catalog of color and interactive books, magazines, children’s books and high-quality apps through our NOOK Store.



    "Additionally, we’ve seamlessly integrated today’s top entertainment services like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Pandora in a product that’s powerful, easy-to-use, under a pound, and a tremendous value at only $249."



    The Nook Tablet's closest competitor will be the new Amazon Kindle Fire, another 7-inch touchscreen tablet powered by Android. Set to ship on Nov. 15, the Kindle Fire is available for preorder and carries a price of $199.



    To compete with Amazon at that price point, Barnes & Noble also dropped the price of its previous-generation Nook Color to $199. Apple's entry-level 16GB, Wi-Fi-only iPad is $499, sporting a larger 9.7-inch display.



    Speaking with USA Today, Lynch said that he doesn't view Apple's iPad as a direct competitor. Instead, he believes people will buy both an iPad and a Nook Tablet.



    "Despite the fact (that Apple is) closing in on 40 million iPads in the U.S., the iBookstore is still a much smaller share of the overall market than is the Nook bookstore and the Kindle bookstore," he said. "That is because these devices, including Nook Color, have been optimized around the reading experience."







    Apple executives indicated last week that they are not concerned with the forthcoming Amazon Kindle Fire Case. They believe that devices like the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet will only fragment Google's Android platform, as both devices feature a custom user interface that masks the Android underpinnings of the devices.



    And Amazon is already rumored to be looking beyond the forthcoming first-generation Kindle Fire, even before it becomes available. Numerous reports have suggested that the world's largest online retailer plans to adopt a larger screen size with future color touchscreen Kindles.



  • Reply 62 of 65
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Alfiejr View Post


    really good point. wouldn't surprise me at all if 2/3 of the buyers of the Fire/Nook turn out to be women. you're right, 7" is a good size for a handbag if nothing else. their simplicity is also a big selling point for women.



    My wife, just this weekend, had been playing with a the new Nook at a local Barnes and Noble store. She had stated how she liked it.



    I had in the past been saying that she should get an iPad but she has rejected that and specifically stated that she does not want one because it is too big and heavy to hold (she doesn't have strong hands).



    She likes the 7 inch size. As long as the Nook can do basic email, web browsing, books and some games (notably Words for Friends) she will be happy.



    If there are more women like by wife, then there is a strong market for 7 inch tablets (regardless of what Steve Jobs would say).
  • Reply 63 of 65
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kerryn View Post


    If there are more women like by wife, then there is a strong market for 7 inch tablets (regardless of what Steve Jobs would say).



    She can't hold 1.3 pounds? I can understand the first gen? MAYBE, but the iPad 2?
  • Reply 64 of 65
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    If the companies that own them survive their ownership of it.



    I predict that prices will be raised dramatically on both, within a year. And, the pricing of their 10" model -- if it were to see the light of day -- won't be anything similar.



    To the contrary, rather than either the Nook Color or Kindle Fire going up in price, I fully expect to see a $300 iPad by this time next year. Tablet prices are under pressure to come down, not go up. Apple won't be immune.
  • Reply 65 of 65
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    To the contrary, rather than either the Nook Color or Kindle Fire going up in price, I fully expect to see a $300 iPad by this time next year. Tablet prices are under pressure to come down, not go up. Apple won't be immune.



    Just came across a BusinessInsider article, cross-referenced at 9to5Mac, that tends to support my view, adding that there's some indications that iPad sales may be slowing even tho the holiday season is approaching.

    http://www.businessinsider.com/goldm...d-2011-11?op=1
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