Barnes & Noble and Samsung Electronics have unveiled a new co-branded tablet called the ‘Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook’ that will replace B&N’s own Nook tablets. The 7-inch Wi-Fi tablet will sell for $179 after a USD 20 instant rebate, the same entry price of the non-branded Samsung Galaxy Tab 4.
The Nook will have a front-and rear-facing camera. It comes with more than USD 200 in content from the Nook Store, including three e-books such as “Freakonomics”, TV show episodes including HBO’s “Veep” and free 14-day magazine trials. It also offers access to both the Nook app store and Google’s Google Play store for Android apps. B&N has been trying to turn itself around as competition from discount stores and online retailers toughens, and as consumers shift away from traditional books to digital formats.
The New York company spent years investing heavily in its Nook e-book reader and e-book library, but they struggled to be profitable. And in December the chain said it was evaluating the future of its tablets. Barnes & Noble says it will continue to make and sell its USD 99 Nook GlowLight e-readers and provide customer support. In July, Barnes & Noble said it would split off the company’s retail business, which has been outperforming its Nook unit, and includes its bookstores and BN.com businesses.
Nook Media, whose investors include software company Microsoft Corp. and educational book publisher Pearson Inc., houses the digital and college businesses of Barnes & Noble. The company expects the separation to be complete by the end of the first quarter of the next calendar year, implying April of 2015.
