Archive for the ‘barnes and noble’ tag
B&N to get MasterCard’s new digital wallet service no comments
Yesterday MasterCard announced PayPass Wallet Services. This is a digital 
wallet service that, in addition to providing a ‘Buy With PayPass’ button on participating online merchant’s websites, will also be integrated with Near Field Communication (NFC) chips embedded in mobile devices. NFC chips enable mobile devices to exchange information with other devices that have embedded NFC chips or objects with unpowered NFC tags when they touch or come into close proximity to each other.
In a recent interview with Fortune, Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch said that NFC chips will be coming to Nook devices, enabling Nook users to do things like hold their ereader up to a pbook on a shelf at a B&N store and get information on the book and possibly even purchase the ebook version and have it start downloading to their ereader’s library.
Indeed, MasterCard said in its announcement that Barnes & Noble and American Airlines will be among the first merchants to begin using the service by having the PayPass online checkout button on their websites. You can expect to start seeing the PayPass button sometime in the third quarter of this year. Probably the next generation of Nook ereaders will feature the NFC chips that will let them read NFC tags affixed to paper books in B&N stores.
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Microsoft to invest in B&N’s Nook and College business no comments
Microsoft is investing in Barnes & Noble’s Nook business. Yes, that’s the same Microsoft that was suing B&N over the use of Android in the Nook ereaders. Barnes & Noble is now in the process of consolidating its College and digital reading businesses into a new subsidiary, for now known as Newco, in which Microsoft will invest $300 million. Back in January B&N indicated that it was considering various strategic options for its Nook business, including spinning it off.
From the press release:
The new subsidiary, referred to in this release as Newco, will bring together the digital and College businesses of Barnes & Noble. Microsoft will make a $300 million investment in Newco at a post-money valuation of $1.7 billion in exchange for an approximately 17.6% equity stake. Barnes & Noble will own approximately 82.4% of the new subsidiary, which will have an ongoing relationship with the company’s retail stores. Barnes & Noble has not yet decided on the name of Newco.
The inclusion of Barnes & Noble’s College business is an important component of Newco’s strategic vision. Through the newly formed Newco, Barnes & Noble’s industry leading NOOK Study software will provide students and educators the preeminent technology platform for the distribution and management of digital education materials in the market.
"The formation of Newco and our relationship with Microsoft are important parts of our strategy to capitalize on the rapid growth of the NOOK business, and to solidify our position as a leader in the exploding market for digital content in the consumer and education segments," said William Lynch, CEO of Barnes & Noble. "Microsoft’s investment in Newco, and our exciting collaboration to bring world-class digital reading technologies and content to the Windows platform and its hundreds of millions of users, will allow us to significantly expand the business."
"The shift to digital is putting the world’s libraries and newsstands in the palm of every person’s hand, and is the beginning of a journey that will impact how people read, interact with, and enjoy new forms of content," said Andy Lees, President at Microsoft. "Our complementary assets will accelerate e-reading innovation across a broad range of Windows devices, enabling people to not just read stories, but to be part of them. We’re on the cusp of a revolution in reading."
This is not, of course, Microsoft’s first foray into ebooks. The company launched its MS Reader application, which reads ebooks in the .LIT format, in 2000. Last year Microsoft announced that MS Reader will be discontinued in Aug 2012. Sales of .LIT ebooks were discontinued in November of last year.
As to the patent infringement litigation, the two companies have settled this and B&N and Newco will have a royalty-bearing license under Microsoft’s patents for its Nook family of ereaders.
The collaboration between the two companies will result in a Nook app for Windows 8, which will be available internationally. I would also expect that with this infusion of capital we could finally see the Nook ereaders themselves going international. The Nook ereaders and Tablets are excellent ereading hardware and will no doubt be welcomed by consumers outside of North America. They will probably be much less welcome by the other ereader makers who have not been able to compete effectively in the U.S. market. An international Nook will definitely not bring smiles to the faces of Sony execs.
Shares of Barnes & Noble opened at almost double the price they closed at on Friday, although they have given some of that back – currently they are up about 67%.
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Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight update no comments
I stopped by my friendly neighborhood Barnes & Noble store today to have a look at B&N’s new glow in the dark Nook ereader. B&N may have begun fulfilling early pre-orders, but the stores do not have stock to sell yet. They do have demos though, and I spent a few minutes playing with one.
My concerns before actually seeing the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight in person were mainly a: Is the lighting uniform and evenly distributed over the screen and b: Are the positions of the individual bulbs readily visible and, if so, is it distracting?
The Nook ST with GlowLight is displayed on a counter alongside the other Nook ereaders – it isn’t displayed in any kind of special darkened display case and obviously the staff is not willing to darken the store, so my impressions are limited to only being able to use the new Nook in conditions under which one ordinarily wouldn’t need the light.
Still, it is obvious that the GlowLight is quite bright when at the highest setting; probably brighter than most users will want or need. There is a virtual slider that easily controls the level of brightness, so it is very easy to adjust. Yes, you can tell where the bulbs are across the top of the screen, but at a normal reading angle I don’t think it will be a problem. Harder to say how even the light distribution is under the ambient lighting conditions I saw the demo unit in.
It looks like B&N were not just hyping when they said supplies of the new ereader are initially going to be tight. The staff at my local store told me that they were getting a very limited number of units in and they were all reserved already. They expect to receive their allotment on or about May 7. This is also the shipping date now shown on the pre-order page online.
If you do want one of these in time for Mother’s Day it would probably behoove you to pre-order one right away online or reserve one in a Barnes & Noble store. Reserving one of the new Nooks does not require a credit card, nor does it obligate you to buy it when it comes in – you can opt out when the notification arrives.
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Free ebooks for Kindle & other ereaders – 4/14/2012 no comments
The wheel turns exceedingly fast at the Kindle Store these days – many of these will flash only very briefly through the free section – so please double check the current price before hitting the buy button.
By Hook or By Crook (Best Crime & Mystery Stories of the Year) by Ed Gorman, Ed Gorman, Martin Greenberg and Martin H. Greenberg (4 1/2 stars/3 reviews) Mystery; Short story collection. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
Laugh Now (Crime Thriller) by Rahiem Brooks (4 1/2 stars/19 reviews) Thriller.
The Perfect Crime by Les Edgerton (5 stars/5 reviews) Mystery; Hard-boiled.
Hotel by Gwendolyn Everline and Shontell Scott (4 stars/4 reviews) Detective fiction.
Death on an Autumn River (A Sugawara Akitada Novel) by I.J. Parker (5 stars/9 reviews) Historical mystery.
Willowtree by Mike Bove (4 stars/9 reviews) Mystery.
Muffin Man by Brad Whittington (5 stars/27 reviews) Mystery.
Tested by Fire: He Sought Revenge. He Found Life | A Riveting Story for First Responders (Police Officers, EMTs, and Firefighters) in a Post-911 World (A Medic-7, First Responders Novel) by Pat Patterson (5 stars/5 reviews) Suspense; Vengeance; Religious themes.
Penalty of Pride (Dispersive Ground) by mj Hangge (5 stars/5 reviews) Thriller; War; North Korea.
Nowhere to Hide by Joan Hall Hovey (5 stars/19 reviews) Thriller.
Rage by Kimberly A. Bettes (4 1/2 stars/20 reviews) YA Suspense. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
The Puzzle Keeper by Megan Nafke (4 stars/13 reviews) Psychic detective fiction.
Justice Incarnate (Shadows of Justice) by Regan Black (5 stars/15 reviews) Fantasy; Futuristic reincarnation thriller. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
The Circle of Sorcerers: A Mages of Bloodmyr Novel: Book #1 by Brian Kittrell and Lynn O’Dell (4 stars/14 reviews) Fantasy.
Ascension: A Novella by Mark Wheaton (5 stars/1 reviews) Thriller; Horror.
Black Beast: A Clan of MacAulay Novel (Volume One) by R.S. Guthrie (4 1/2 stars/46 reviews) Supernatural thriller.
Loss, a paranormal thriller by Glen Krisch and Kealan Patrick Burke (4 1/2 stars/15 reviews) Ghosts.
Titanic 2012 (Curse of RMS Titanic – an Inspector Alastair Ransom title) by Robert W. Walker (4 stars/44 reviews) Science fiction; Historical.
The Immortals (The New World Series) by Spartan Kaayn (5 stars/3 reviews) Science fiction.
Getting Too Young For This! by Steve Games (4 1/2 stars/2 reviews) Science fiction.
Eden (Eden Saga) by Matthew Plourde (4 stars/29 reviews) Science fiction; Armageddon.
Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror #1) by Karina Halle (4 1/2 stars/54 reviews) Horror; Amateur ghost hunters. Also at Barnes & Noble.
Tamed by Douglas R. Brown (5 stars/10 reviews) Werewolves; Pets.
Hermes the Olympian (The Trismegistus Trilogy) by David Rosser (5 stars/2 reviews) Fantasy; Mythology.
When Copper Suns Fall by KaSonndra Leigh (4 stars/26 reviews) Fantasy. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
Branded (Fall of Angels) by Keary Taylor (4 stars/71 reviews) Fantasy.
Hero’s Curse (The Paladin Files) by Jack J. Lee (5 stars/18 reviews) Fantasy.
The Harbor by Al Lamanda (4 1/2 stars/7 reviews) Horror.
Beautiful Demons (Peachville High Demons #1) by Sarra Cannon (4 stars/44 reviews) YA Fantasy. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
Maiden (Sarah’s Story) by Deborah Hainley Bonnar (5 stars/12 reviews) YA Vampires.
Blood Harvest (The Hidden Amongst Us) by Michael Weinberger (5 stars/7 reviews) Vampires.
Death Has a Name by Jerry Hanel (4 1/2 stars/25 reviews) Paranormal detective fiction. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
Thief: Fringe, Book 1 by Anitra Lynn McLeod (4 1/2 stars/8 reviews) Sci-Fi romance. Also at Barnes & Noble.
Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton (4 1/2 stars/11 reviews) Vampiric romantic suspense. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
The Vampire’s Warden, a Paranormal Romance (Undead in Brown County #1) by S.J. Wright (4 stars/86 reviews) Vampires; Romantic suspense. Also free at Kobo and Barnes & Noble.
A Dark Kiss of Rapture by Sylvia Day (4 stars/18 reviews) Paranormal romance. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Spur of the Moment by Candace Bowen Early (4 1/2 stars/19 reviews) Time travel romance.
Lancelot’s Lady by Cherish D’Angelo and Cheryl Kaye Tardif (4 1/2 stars/13 reviews) Romantic suspense; Contemporary.
Not Your Everyday Housewife by Mary Campisi (5 stars/1 reviews) Contemporary romance.
Sandcastles of Love by Sydell I. Voeller (4 1/2 stars/3 reviews) YA Summer romance.
Trading Up by Sandra Edwards (4 1/2 stars/18 reviews) Contemporary romance.
All I’ve Ever Needed (After the Storm) by Jewel Moore (5 stars/2 reviews) Contemporary romance.
No More Lies by Mona Risk (4 stars/30 reviews) Contemporary romance.
Cowboy Heat (Hell Yeah!) by Sable Hunter (4 1/2 stars/36 reviews) Ranchy romance; Erotica.
Male Wanted by Betty Jo Schuler (4 1/2 stars/3 reviews) Contemporary romance.
Code Triage (Mercy Hospital) by Candace Calvert (4 1/2 stars/43 reviews) Contemporary romance from a faith-based publisher. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Red Magic by Juliette Waldron (4 stars/8 reviews) Historical romance; 18th century Germany.
To Tempt A Knight (Brotherhood of the Scottish Templars) by Gerri Russell (4 stars/13 reviews) Historical romance.
All’s Fair in Love & Seduction (The Elusive Lords, Book 2.5) by Beverley Kendall (4 stars/27 reviews) Historical romance. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Enchanted Heart by Brianna Lee McKenzie, Pamela Brennan, J. Darroll Hall and Jimmy Thomas (4 stars/4 reviews) Historical romance.
Miss Carmelia Faye Lafayette (A Short Story) from the Trouble Down South Series by Katrina Parker Williams (4 1/2 stars/5 reviews) Historical romance; Short story.
Trapped On the Titanic by Tammy Knox (4 stars/9 reviews) YA Historical fiction.
The Coming and Going of Strangers (P.S.) by Simon Van Booy (5 stars/2 reviews) Short Stories. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Daisy by R.B. Clague (5 stars/7 reviews) Contemporary fiction; Australia.
The Final Assault: A Novel about Finishing the Task by Steve Smith (5 stars/1 reviews) Religious fiction.
NIV Once-A-Day 31 Days of Wisdom by Zondervan (4 1/2 stars/2 reviews) Religion. Also free at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis (4 1/2 stars/66 reviews) Christianity. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
The Christian Mama’s Guide to Having a Baby: Everything You Need to Know to Survive (and Love) Your Pregnancy by Erin MacPherson (5 stars/31 reviews) Parenting; Christianity.
Ordinary Men, Extraordinary Lives: Defining Moments by Jim Sharon and Jim Sharon (5 stars/14 reviews) Biography; Inspirational.
Give Up Your Excess Baggage : 24 Simple Mind Exercises That Great Men & Women Effectively Use Every Single Day by Sri Vishwanath (4 1/2 stars/12 reviews) Self-help.
Spiritual Makeover: Ten Practices for Falling in Love with Your Life by Sirah Vettese Ph.D. (5 stars/5 reviews) Self-Help.
Analysis Without Paralysis: 10 Tools to Make Better Strategic Decisions by Craig S. Fleisher and Babette E. Bensoussan (4 stars/5 reviews) Business. Also free at Barnes & Noble.
My Crazy Pet Frog (The perfect bedtime story!) by Scott Gordon (4 1/2 stars/15 reviews) Children’s fiction.
Whales (Our Amazing World Series) by Kay de Silva (5 stars/9 reviews) Children’s books; Animals.
Math Blender (A Free Puzzle Game for Kindle) by Amazon Digital Services (4 1/2 stars/4 reviews) Free Kindle game (works on all Kindle e-ink ereaders except 1st generation).
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To promote Spring Educator Appreciation Week (April 14 – 22) Barnes & Noble will be offering discounts and other promotions to pre-K through grade 12 educators.
Discounts and promotions include:
- 20% off of the Nook Tablet 16GB, Nook Color and Nook Simple Touch.
- 15% off of the Nook Tablet 8GB.
- 25% off personal and classroom purchases.
- 10% off DVDs and music.
- A contest with various prizes including a $500 gift card, a Nook Tablet and more.
To claim discounts a valid B&N Educators Discount Card is required. The special offers are supposed to be in effect both at stores and online, though I have not found a page dedicated to the event yet.
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A possible buyer for B&N’s college stores no comments
The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch is reporting that a Barnes & Noble shareholder, G Asset Management, has offered to buy 51% of the bookseller’s college bookstore chain for $460 million. B&N operates 641 college bookstore
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B&N offering $20 discount on Nook Color and Nook ST no comments
Barnes & Noble is offering a $20 discount on the Nook Color or the Nook Simple Touch ereaders when the purchase is made with a MasterCard. The offer applies to both in-store purchases and to purchases made online at barnesandnoble.com until March 18, 2012.
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New B&N promotion for Hunger Games fans no comments
Barnes & Noble will be running a new promotion built around the opening of the film adaptation of The Hunger Games. On March 10 the first customers to buy a Nook Tablet, Nook Color or Nook Simple Touch at select stores in major cities across the US will receive two complimentary tickets to advance invitation only screenings of the new movie to be held in Los Angeles and New York on March 19 and on March 21 in a number of other cities. The offer will be good while supplies last.
B&N will also be hosting Hunger Games parties at participating stores on March 21, and all customers who buy a Nook between March 10 and March 20 will receive VIP tickets to this event. There will also be in-store appearances by members of the cast of The Hunger Games at stores in NYC and Los Angeles.
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B&N reports Q3 2012 results; Launches new tablet model no comments
Barnes & Noble today reported its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2012, which ended Jan 28. In a continuation of recent trends, B&N’s online business continues to grow fast (32% over last year during the 3rd qtr), while sales at the physical stores only grew 2%. Earnings for the quarter would have been almost flat except for the impact of deferred income from textbook rentals. Barnes & Noble College is seeing increased adoption of textbook rentals and this revenue is deferred over the life of the rental term rather than being recorded when the sale is initiated. The sales of paper books in stores increased more than 4% over last year — I suspect this may be attributable to the demise of Borders.
B&N also announced the launch of a new 8GB version of the Nook Tablet that is priced at $199 and includes all of the features of the 16GB model except for the amount of built-in memory. 5GB of the new Tablet’s 8GB memory can be used for content, but 1GB of this is reserved for Nook Store content. B&N now has a Tablet that price matches the Kindle Fire. The Nook Color’s price has been reduced to $169.
There is also a new software update for the Nook Tablet. Version 1.4.2 appears to be a minor bug-squashing update that “provides minor system enhancements.”
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B&N will not sell books published by Amazon no comments
Don’t look for any fence mending to take place anytime soon between the two largest competitors in the digital reading space in the US. 
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Barnes & Noble will no longer sell any books published by Amazon’s publishing imprints in its stores. B&N is irate about Amazon’s growing list of exclusive ebook publishing deals.
To be sure there are a few books that are available in digital format from B&N but not from Amazon, but these are few and far between and the number of exclusives at the Kindle Store vastly outweighs those available at the Nook Store.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s stock price is taking a hit today after the company reported lower than expected revenue for the last quarter, although the company’s profit was higher than expected.
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B&N offers discounts on Nook with NYT & People subs no comments
Barnes & Noble is currently offering a free Nook Simple Touch ereader or a Nook Color for $99 (regular price $199) with the purchase of a one-year Nook subscription to the New York Times. The Nook version of the NYT costs $19.99 per month and includes access to The Times’ website.
With the purchase of a one-year Nook subscription to People magazine comes a $50 discount on a Nook Tablet, bringing the price down to $199. People is a weekly publication and the digital subscription price is $9.99 per month. The digital version does have some exclusive content not included in the print version of the magazine.
Both offers start today and run through Mar 9, 2012. The subscriptions can be initiated online at the links above and the Nook will then either be shipped out or can be picked up at a local store.
