Tag Archives: Barnes and Noble

The NOOK 1st Edition bites the dust

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Barnes and Noble notified customers by email today letting them know that as of June 29, 2018, they would not longer be supporting the NOOK 1st Edition. The e-reader had a 6″ e-ink screen and a smaller color screen which was used to navigate the device. I never used it much because I found it difficult to navigate, especially when compared with a Kindle.

When it debuted in 2009, it was originally just called the NOOK e-reader, but the name was changed to NOOK 1st Edition when Barnes and Noble released the Simple Touch e-reader.

It seems that there are several versions of this email being sent out. Nate from The Digital Reader notes that his email offered him a discount on other NOOK devices. My email did not contain such an offer.

Here’s the email I received:

Dear Valued Customer,

Over eight years ago, we launched our first NOOK® eReader, and we were thrilled to have you as one of our first customers for what has become a tradition of offering great books on demand to readers. We want to thank you for your loyalty and continued support of the NOOK 1st Edition and NOOK products.

Because of advancements in our eReader technology, we wanted to let you know that, unfortunately, we are unable to continue to support the NOOK 1st Edition.

Please note that as of June 29, 2018, you will not be able to purchase new content, register with a BN.com account, or sign in using a NOOK account on your NOOK 1st Edition. However, you will still be able to access your existing library, or download new content, by using our NOOK Reading Apps™ for iOS, Android, or Windows, on mobile and tablet devices, as well as any of our other NOOK devices.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 877-831-2393 Monday-Friday 8AM–11PM ET and Saturday-Sunday 9AM–11PM ET. Please be prepared to provide your NOOK 1st Edition serial number. If you need assistance locating your serial number, click here for instructions.

We truly appreciate your business and look forward to continuing to provide you with the great NOOK experience and to welcome you at Barnes & Noble stores.

Sincerely,
Barnes & Noble

This email snafu is not surprising. There have been several times I have received erroneous emails from customer service, if I was lucky enough to get a response at all.

I only own a few books for the NOOK. Most of them were freebies or books that were offered on sale at an bargain price. I also own a NOOK Glowlight (the original one). I mainly used my NOOKs for library books and various epubs I bought elsewhere. Since I bought the Kobo Aura ONE, I tend to use that, especially for books that require Adobe Digital Editions for DRM. So for me personally, this is no big loss.

However, as a consumer, I find this kind of behavior infuriating. Not that I would take them up on it, but if others were being offered a discount towards a new device, I should have been offered one too. After all they are rendering my device pretty much inoperable by their actions.

Compared to Amazon’s customer service, Barnes and Noble’s looks positively medieval. Look at what Amazon did when thy had a device that needed an update to connect: Amazon nagged. Amazon called. Amazon even sent me snail mail to make sure I updated so that I could keep using my device. Barnes and Noble can’t even get an email right. Is it any wonder that they are eating Amazon’s dust in the e-reader market?

Nook closes support forum

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As of September 7, the official NOOK forum at Barnes and Noble is shutting down. From the posts on the site, it seemed that posting activity had dwindled to a small number of posts. Users of the forum received an email on the closure.

While the forum may be closing, assistance is still available from Barnes and Noble. According to the post,

Though the forums will no longer be around, we’ll still be here to answer all your support questions at https://help.barnesandnoble.com/ and on social media at the following links:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barnesandnoble/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BN_care
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/barnesandnoble

If you are looking for another forum, there is still an active community of Nook users at NOOKBoards.

You can also find discussions for Nook users at the NOOK forum on mobileread.com.

So that $50 NOOK has malware….

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new_nookIf you had wondered if that NOOK $50 tablet was too good to be true, turns out you were right. Remember last month’s story on that ADUPS malware that was infecting the Blu R1 HD phones and sending data back to China? Yeah, that one. Well, as it turns out, the same malware is affecting the NOOK BNTV450. And, unlike the BLU scenario where an update was issued, 9 to 5 Google is reporting that there seems to be no way to disable the ADUPS on the NOOK device.

If you want the technical info on the malware, there’s a lot more information on the issue in the Linux Journal article that apparently broke the story. The article notes that Google has blacklisted the ADUPS agent and that a user can expect “zero privacy” from a device with this agent installed. Barnes and Noble has yet to comment on the story.

Since I bought one of these last month, I am not a happy camper. Although I hadn’t had time to do much with it (maybe a blessing in disguise), I was already past the 14 day return window that the online store allows. I have performed a factory reset on my device while I reach out to Barnes and Noble on the matter.  I suggest you do the same or use at your own risk. While the ADUPS does not seem to be active at the moment, that can change at any time.

To reset the device, go to Apps> Settings>Backup and Reset. (Note that the correct one is the grey option that says just settings, not the green NOOK settings option.) Everything will be erased from the tablet, so make sure to transfer any files you want to keep.

More on this as it unfolds. I will update with any news from Barnes and Noble. I am off to change passwords. 😦

See an update to this story here.

Daily Links and Deals: Sales at B and N Down Over 6% in Q1

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daily_links_1Today, Barnes and Noble reports their Q1 earnings and the results are not pretty. Also some news a couple of interesting stories from yesterday’s Apple event (We all heard about the headphone jack beforehand, right?). And, news on cord cutting, Twitters new changes to direct messages and a piece on downsizing your library. In deals, $20 off Madden NFL 17.

Daily Links for Thursday, September 8, 2016:

Apple just made replacing your cracked iPhone screen more affordable (CNET) Update to AppleCare+ warranty lowers the cost of fixing a cracked screen to $29.

Apple’s New iPhone Doesn’t Have A Headphone Jack, What Does That Mean For Your Car? (Jalopnik) Headphone are one thing, but how do you connect on the road? The age of your vehicle and the design of the stereo system are pivotal.

Cord cutting is a bigger bargain than ever (PC World) A run through the numbers based on current prices and options.

Don’t Worry, Here’s How You Can Disable Twitter DM Read Receipts (Motherboard) If you hate auto DMs and check out my Facebook messages as much as I do, you may appreciate learning how to turn it off.

Sales at B&N Down Over 6% in Q1 (Publishers Weekly) This is not surprising for so many reasons….

Downsizing My Library for My Tiny House (Read it Forward) How do you decide which books belong in your life?

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir by Ruth Wariner.

In Today’s Deals, save on Madden NFL 17 for Xbox and Playstation.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is a collection of Star Trek novels for $1.99 each to celebrate the series 50th anniversary. The Romance Daily Find is Seek Me with All Your Heart (Land of Canaan Series #1) by Beth Wiseman.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is All In (High Stakes Book 1) by Simona Ahrnstedt. The Extra Daily Deal is Savannah’s Song (South of Forever Book 2) by Elizabeth Barone.

There is also a selection of Great Reads Under $5 and Bargain Reads in Fiction, in Mystery and other genres.

The Kobo Aura One and the Aura Edition 2 e-readers are now available for order at the Kobo store.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Adverbs A Novel by Daniel Handler.

Google Books has a selection of Big Books, Big Deals (up to 75% off).

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: Companies can’t legally void your warranty for jailbreaking or rooting your phone

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daily_links_1Today, a look at your actual legal rights regarding rooting and jailbreaking your phone (as opposed to what manufacturers may tell you). Also, Barnes and Noble fires its CEO, there are new Hogwarts stories coming from J.K. Rowling, and author Philippa Gregory wants accuracy in films made from her books. In deals, savings on Vizio TVs, laptops and back to school bargains on Kindle and Fire device.

Daily Links for Wednesday, August 17, 2016:

Privacy lawsuit over Gmail will move forward (Ars Technica) Although it is being allowed to continue, this case has a lot of hurdles to clear in order to succeed.

Barnes & Noble drops its CEO after deeming him ‘not a good fit’ (Techcrunch) Sigh. They might try looking for someone who has actually sold books or worked in the industry….

J.K. Rowling to publish new ‘Stories from Hogwarts’ in 3 eBooks this September (Hypable) Wasn’t the play supposed to be the final bit in the series?

Philippa Gregory insists on ‘fact clause’ in film contracts (The Bookseller) Given filmmakers’ tendencies to put drama over actual facts, this should be interesting.

Companies can’t legally void your warranty for jailbreaking or rooting your phone (Motherboard) Do you know what your legal rights are concerning your phone. This suggests that a lot of people don’t.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel by Robert Crais.

In Today’s Deals, VIZIO 1080p Smart LED TV (various sizes), an ASUS ZenBook Pro Signature Edition Laptop (Certified Refurbished) and a Dyson Cinetic Big Ball Animal Vacuum, (Certified Refurbished) – Corded.

In other deals, back to school savings on select Kindles, Fire tablets and Alexa devices. For a limited time, get $15 off the regular price of the Amazon Tap and$20 off the basic Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite.  You can also find savings on the Fire HDX 8.9 Tablet (Wi-Fi and 4G LTE) and the Fire Kids Edition Tablet.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is The Poison Artist by Jonathan Moore. The Romance Daily Find is The Asset
by Anna del Mar.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The Whites A Novel by Richard Price, Harry Brandt. The Extra Daily Deal is Something in the House
A Supernatural Mystery by D. L. Lewis.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes With or Without You by Domenica Ruta.

Google Books has a selection of The Winningest Deals ebooks at up to 75% off.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: If Barnes and Noble goes out of business, it’ll be a disaster for book lovers

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daily_links_1Today, a look at the troubled stated of Barnes and Noble and what the chain’s demise would mean for the book world. Also, Ticketmaster lost a class action suit and is giving out free tickets and discounts, Netflix changed its logo (gasp!) and much more. In deals, there is a Black and Decker Flex vacuum and a Heather Graham ebook boxed set on sale.

Daily Links for Tuesday, June 21, 2016:

Ticketmaster Is Giving Out Millions of Free Tickets (Here’s How to Get Yours)… (Digital Music News) If you bought tickets online form Ticketmaster you may have some discounts and freebies coming….

Pulp Friction: If Barnes & Noble goes out of business, it’ll be a disaster for book lovers.(New Republic) A look at what the book world would be like without Barnes and Noble.

Netflix just changed its icon [Updated] (The Next Web) And here is an article on why we react the way we do when Netflix and Instagram change their logo.

PlayStation Vue is now available on Roku (The Verge) Yay! More choice for cord-cutters. Since I didn’t like Sling TV, I have been wanting to try this one on my Roku.

US Ad Blocking to Jump by Double Digits This Year (eMarketer) Ad blocking is not going away, no matter what publishers want.

New Google Prompt two-factor authentication method is built into Android, available on iOS (9 to 5 Google) Google is making 2FA much easier to use… and safer.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes Heather Graham Krewe of Hunters Series Volume 1: Phantom Evil\Heart of Evil\Sacred Evil\The Evil Inside (Heather Graham Krewe of Hunters Series Box-Set) for $4.99.

In Today’s Deals, a BLACK & DECKER BDH2020FLFH MAX Lithium Flex Vacuum with Stick Vacuum Floor Head and Pet Hair Brush. 

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is Cashelmara by Susan Howatch for $1.99. The Romance Daily Find is Seduce Me in Dreams (Three Worlds Series #1) by Jacquelyn Frank for 99 cents.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The 6th Extinction: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins for $3.99. The Extra Daily Deal is Timeless Fracture by Thaddaeus Alexander for $2.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes My Life Deleted by Scott Bolzan for $1.99.

Google has a Limited-Time Deals promotion.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Last Minute Mother’s Day Ebook Gifts

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mom_tattooHappy Mother’s Day!

If you still need an last minute e-book gift for your mom, here’s a few ideas:

Send an ebook as a gift

Has mom been talking about a new book she just can’t wait to read? Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks all let you buy a specific ebook as a gift. Look for the “Buy as a Gift” button on the book detail page.

Give a subscription

You can give an all-you-can-read subscription to Kindle Unlimited as a gift. It costs $9.99 and is available for gifting in 6,12,and 24 month membership terms.

The Scribd service also offers a gift subscription option.  You can select from three terms: 3 months for $25, 6 months for $50, or 1 year for $99. Scribd lets you an print out the e-card and hand-deliver it yourself.

For audiobook fans, what about a subscription to Audible?  The service features over 180,000 audio titles. Gifts are available in 3,6 and 12 month memberships. And, if there is a specific book you have in mind that you’d like to give, you can also choose to gift an individual book.

Give a gift card

If you are not sure what mom really wants, gift cards make an awesome choice. I always ask for these so I can buy books! 🙂 These are great because they work for buying both print and ebooks. So where does your mom like to shop?

If Mom has a Kindle, how about an Amazon gift card? You can send them via email or print it out an home and present to mom in person. You can even put your baby picture on it – she’ll love it.

If mom loves her Nook, a Barnes and Noble  gift card is a great gift. The cards can be redeemed online for ebooks and web order in the store.

Itunes Gift Cards make a fantastic gift if you are centered in the Apple Universe. You can get them in a range of denominations, they are available at retailers  almost everywhere or you can buy them online. And, they work for everything: apps, music, books, TV and movies or Apple music.

For Android lovers, Google Play Gift Certificates are a very versatile gift. They can be used for apps, music, books and movies from the Play store. They are available in denominations from $10. Plus, you can buy them online or pick them up a local store when you are on your way to take mom to brunch. 🙂

(Sorry Kobo fans! Kobo US does not seem to be offering the option to send a book or buy a gift card on their website.)

Daily Links and Deals: Barnes & Noble Should Carry Indie Books

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daily_links_1Today’s stories include an opinion piece on Barnes and Noble’s refusal to carry indie books in their stores, stories about data caps, low income access and more. In today’s deals, savings on board games for Table Top day! Also, Amazon is having a limited time sale ($20 off!) on e-ink Kindles, just in time for Mother’s Day.. You can also get a Fire HD 10 for $50 off if mom prefers a tablet.

Daily Links for Monday, April 25, 2016:

Comcast customers hate data caps, but making customers hurt is all part of the plan (The Verge) Ouch! That’s just plain mean!

AT&T ‘Access’ connects low income homes to the internet for $5 a month (The Next Web) This program has a lot of fine print, but it is a good start in attacking the digital dived.

Why Electric Cars Ruled The Roads 100 Years Ago (Jalopnik) What’s old is new again, right? This is a fascinating look at the history of electric cars.

Roku CEO opposes FCC plan to open up cable boxes (The Verge) I have several Roku players that are still working, even thought they are older.I can see how Roku would not want cable competing in its niche.

Microsoft gives OneDrive users until July to shrink their storage (Computer World) The reduction in storage space promised last November will be a reality this summer.

Barnes & Noble Should Carry Indie Books (Digital Book World) Sadly, all writers are not perceived as equal. While B & N carries indie ebooks, shelf space is a different matter.

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s selection of Kindle Daily Deals includes The Blessing Way (Navajo Mysteries Book 1) by Tony Hillerman for $1.99.

In Today’s Deals, includes up to 40% off strategy board games for TableTop day!

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Amazon has some deals on both e-ink Kindles and Fire tablets. First, you can get $20 off the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite and the Kindle for Kids bundle.  Amazon is also offering the Fire HD 10 for $50 off for a limited time.

Amazon is still offering savings on the Fire HD 6, and deals on pre-owned Fire tablets. I am also still seeing the option for 5 payments of $58 for the Kindle Oasis pre-order. Yes, it is still not too late to order one, especially with the basic black cover.

You can also take advantage of a trade-in offer from Amazon on your old Fire tablet.

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is The Fight for Freedom by Marcus Ferrar for $1.99. The Romance Daily Find is The Selection (Selection Series #1) by Kiera Cass for $1.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson for $1.99.

Kobo is having a 30% OFF SALE on select ebooks with a coupon. Sale ends Monday, April 25, 2016.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Three Truths and a Lie: A Detective D.D, Warren Story by Lisa Gardener for $1.99.

Google has a selection of Topsellers Under $10.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Daily Links and Deals: It’s Discounted, but Is It a Deal? How List Prices Lost Their Meaning

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daily_links_1Daily Links for day, March 10, 2016:

A 68 Hour Playlist of Shakespeare’s Plays Being Performed by Great Actors: Gielgud, McKellen & More (Open Culture) -Wow! This should keep you busy!

South Korea: “Fewer University Students Use Libraries” (Infodocket) – The mantra for the digital age: trying to explain that “library usage is more than a building.”

Barnes & Noble: Years Later & Still No Clue (The Digital Reader) – Great piece on the root of Barnes and Nobles’ problems.

Google launches the Android Beta Program, gives you easy OTA access to Android N (9 to 5 Google) If you have a Nexus and want to play with the latest version of Android.

It’s Discounted, but Is It a Deal? How List Prices Lost Their Meaning (NYT) – Nowadays, it is really hard to make sure you are getting a deal online. And if we apply this to books? Hm.

How ‘LOL’ Became a Punctuation Mark (The Atlantic) – Okay, any article that quotes  linguists David Cyrstal and John McWhorter has got to be good. 🙂

Deals of the Day:

Amazon’s Kindle Daily Deals includes Killing Pretty: A Sandman Slim Novel for $1.99.

In Amazon’s Today’s Deals, they are featuring a Photive 60 Watt 6 Port USB Desktop Rapid Charger. Intelligent USB Charger with Auto Detect Technology (White)  for $19.99. I use multi-port chargers all over my house. 🙂

The Barnes and Noble Nook Daily Find is After Anna by Alex Lake for 99 cents. The Romance Daily Find is Red Fire by Deidre Knight for $1.99.

Kobo’s Daily Deal is The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking Book 1) by Patrick Ness for $1.99.

iTunes’ Weekly Bestsellers Under $4 includes Hungry for Change: Ditch the Diets, Conquer the Cravings and Eat Your Way to Lifelong Health for $1.99.

(A note on Daily Deals: All prices current at the time of posting and subject to change. Most items marked Daily Deals are good for only the day posted.

Many large promotions have discount pricing that is set by the publisher. This usually means that titles can be found at a discount price across most platforms (with iTunes sometimes being the exception). If you have a favorite retailer you like to patronize, check the title on that website. There is a good chance that they will be matching the sale price.)

Daily Links are interesting links I discover as I go about my online day. The frequency and number of links posted depend upon the daily news. I also post other, different links of interest on Twitter and on the Google Plus eBook Evangelist Page.

Finds and Deals: January Barnes and Noble sales

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girl_on_a_trainBarnes and Noble is currently rolling out their January promotions for books and textbooks. There are various coupons codes and deals that will be valid online throughout the month. Note that the coupon code changes from week to week.

Current promotions:

First, take $10 off your purchase of $100 or more (including new textbooks) with code BNJAN100.  This promotion ends on 1/13/2013

There is also an ongoing promotion for up to 90% off textbooks plus free shipping.

You can save 25% on accessories for the Nook through January 23, 2016. Included are accessories for the NOOK GlowLight Plus, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK, Samsung Galaxy Tab E NOOK, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK 7.0.

Looking for fiction and books on religion, history, biography and self help?  Barnes and Noble is also featuring discounts of up to 40%off top books in these genres through January 26, 2016.

Coming promotions: 

Starting on Monday, January 18, 2016, you can take $10 off your purchase of $100 or more (including new textbooks) with code BNBOOKWORM.   This promotion ends on January 21, 2016.

And finally, starting on January 25, 2016 you can take $10 off your purchase of $100 or more (including new textbooks) with code BNSCHOLAR. The promotion comes to an end on January 27, 2016.

Barnes and Noble also has a membership program with perks like free shipping, discount and exclusive offers. You can learn more here.