The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, a joint project from Samsung and Barnes & Noble, was released today at an event held at Barnes & Noble's store in Union Square, New York City.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook Details Revealed A Day Before Release
The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook has identical hardware to the standard Tab 4 and runs on KitKat 4.4, but the whole device has been optimized for e-reading with Barnes & Noble's software. The new tablet sports a 7-inch screen and has access to Barnes & Noble's library of millions of books, including popular children's books. It also offers users a selection of popular movies, TV shows and magazines.
The device, which is on sale now for $179, comes with some hardware upgrades from previous members of the Nook family courtesy of Samsung. Front- and rear-facing cameras are a first for a Nook, clocking in at 1.3 and 3 megapixels, respectively. Additionally, Barnes & Noble estimates that the battery will offer about 10 hours of general use.
Samsung, Barnes & Noble Partnership Announced
One strength that Barnes & Noble brings to the partnership with Samsung and to the tablet market as a whole is its national chain of brick-and-mortar stores, and the bookstore is using this to its advantage with the new Nook. Barnes & Noble emphasized the role that physical stores can play in the Nook experience, adding that they are offering in-store customer service "for the life of the device." Another aspect of the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook that Barnes & Noble emphasized is the focus on personalization. The tablet itself comes in both black and white models, and the interface can be personalized even if the device is shared. Multiple profiles can be created on one device so people can have their own, personal Nook, even if they share the actual tablet with someone else.
To entice buyers to get on board with the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, Barnes & Noble is offering a collection of free content, including three books – Freakonomics, The Wanderer, and I Am Number Four – and an episode each of three TV shows – Veep, Hannibal, and Orphan Black. They're also encouraging people to sign up for up to four 14-day trial subscriptions from a list of 12 magazines and receive the last 12 issues of those titles as a bonus. New buyers also recieve $5 in credit to test out the Nook Store.
For a complete summary of this morning's launch event, head over to CNET.