Barnes & Noble has unveiled a suite of new updates for its Nook ebook reader, including enhanced wi-fi connectivity, a web browser and the first set of Android-based games and apps for the device.
The Web browser, still in its beta testing stage, seems to be on par with mobile phone browsers, offering strong support for e-mail services but falling short for other web services. It appears that neither Flash nor HTML5-based video are supported.
For web sites and e-mails, the Nook offers an on-screen keyboard.
The browser will expand the Nook’s ability to get online as well, as the device will support Wi-Fi hotspots that require a Web-based login or authentication, including airports, hotels and caf’s.
The games so far are limited to a chess and Sudoku offering, but more are expected to come as the Android SDK with Nook specifications becomes available.
The Nook will also now automatically connect to in-store Wi-Fi at Barnes & Noble stores, allowing users to access the new “Read In Store” feature that supports browsing complete ebooks at no cost for up to an hour per day. This feature works well in the caf’ included in many stores and will likely see heavy usage there.
Barnes and Noble said that this feature will eventually be extended to other publications, allowing users to “virtually flip through leading daily newspapers and magazines covering news, finance and technology available in the eBookstore.” These newspapers will have a 20 minute limit.
The announcement of the new Nook updates came after some other good news for the device: it accounted for 53% of the eReaders shipped to US vendors last month, according to DigiTimes. DigiTimes attributes the success to the Nook being a newer product and being available in retail stores.
The Nook is now making its way to Best Buy shelves in the US, while Amazon.com’s Kindle is slated for debut in Target stores. Amazon’s last earnings report showed the Kindle as its best-selling product that quarter, so the Nook gains may be worrisome. This all might show that the Kindle is due for a new iteration, which could help it compete against both the Nook and the iPad.