Leaked documents reveal Nook Tablet coming Nov 16 for $249

By Trevor Mogg November 3, 2011

Some interesting details have emerged about Barnes & Noble’s “very special announcement” scheduled for Monday in New York.

According to documents obtained by Engadget, it appears that speculation about Barnes & Noble unveiling a new tablet next week has turned out to be correct.

The website claims that the book giant will introduce the Nook Tablet, set to go on sale on November 16 for $249, $50 more than its direct competitor, Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

Engadget, which called the new tablet “a dead-ringer for the Nook Color,” reports that the Nook Tablet will sport a 7-inch VividView IPS color touchpanel with a 1024 x 600 screen resolution.

It’ll be powered by a 1.2GHz dual-core OMAP4 processor, have 1GB of RAM and 16GB of in-built storage (expandable thanks to a microSD slot).

The report claims the new tablet will be 0.48 inches thick, which is a fraction thicker than the Kindle Fire at 0.45 inches, although at 14.1 ounces (400g) the Nook will weigh slightly less than the Fire, which tips the scales at 14.6 ounces (414g).

Battery life is thought to be around eight hours with Wi-Fi turned off, though this’ll drop to four hours if video is running. There’s no mention of the OS but it should be a version of Android.

So will consumers on the hunt for a competitively priced tablet be prepared to fork out an extra $50 for the Nook Tablet, or go instead for the $199 Kindle Fire?

For the extra $50 consumers will get double the RAM, double the internal storage, and a memory expansion slot.

Two other factors will likely sway consumers. First, they’ll be keen to get hold of the devices to see how each one functions and feels in the hand. And second, they’ll want to take a close look at what each tablet offers in terms of content and extras. On Wednesday, for example, Amazon launched the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library which allows owners of its e-readers and Fire tablet to borrow a book a month for free if they join Amazon Prime for $79 a year. The deal also gives members access to around 13,000 movies and TV shows. As for Barnes & Noble’s tablet, from the obtained documents it looks as if it’ll be loaded with Netflix, Hulu and Pandora apps.

Of course, it’s quite possible consumers will shun both devices and opt for Kobo’s $199 Vox tablet instead.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Amazon

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Deals

Should you buy a tablet on Black Friday or wait for Cyber Monday?

11-inch version of Huawei MatePad Pro tablet

A lot of folks wait all year for Black Friday so they can pick up a tablet, but many also worry about whether waiting for Cyber Monday is a better idea. Well, we'll look into that, as well as some great Black Friday deals you can pick up right now.
Should you buy a tablet on Black Friday?
Yes, absolutely, especially since Black Friday is one of the best times to pick up electronics like tablets. If you're worried about Cyber Monday, the truth is that while offers tend to be mirrored, there's no absolute guarantee that you'll find the same item on sale for the same price or at all. That means you're better off picking up Black Friday tablet deals when you see them rather than waiting. That said, even if you do find a better deal on Cyber Monday, you should still be within the return window for Black Friday, so you can return that tablet for a full refund and buy the one with the better offer.
Our 5 favorite Black Friday tablet deals
Fire HD 10 tablet -- $75, was $150

The Fire HD 10 tablet is Amazon's attempt to hit the budget tablet market running, and they do a surprisingly good job of it. You get a 10.1-inch FHD display with relatively good brightness and 3GB of RAM, which is more than enough for most day-to-day usage. With this deal, you also get 32GB of storage, although you can bump it up to the 64GB version if you feel you need it. It has the same experience as the Fire TVs since it carries the same OS, so if you're already a fan of that, you're in luck! One thing we need to point out, though, is that this is a lock screen-ad-supported version, which is why it's so cheap. Luckily, you can get it without the lock screen ads for an extra $15, and we encourage you to do that if you can.

Mobile

Google Pixel Tablet leak reveals key specs about the mysterious device

Google Pixel Tablet.

Following its under-the-radar announcement at Google I/O 2022, the first solid leaks of Google's Pixel Tablet have emerged from fairly reliable folks at 91Mobiles. It's a specs-focused leak, giving us a look at the core features that we can expect when the Pixel Tablet comes out, including its storage capacity, processor, and display size.

As per the report, the Pixel has currently gone into its EVT (engineering validation test) phase. This means that the hardware's been all but finalized and no major changes are expected. At this stage, the Pixel Tablet is reported to come with an 11-inch display, support for WiFi 6, and 128GB - 256GB of storage. It's also to be powered by the same Tensor that powers the last year's Pixel 6 when it launches next year. Although the Pixel Tablet has been rumored to be positioned as a Nest Hub replacement (something its frugal design appears to confirm), this report claims Google is testing a USI (Universal Stylus Initiative) pen for this. The Pixelbook and Pixel Slate were Google's last large-screen devices to support styluses for note-taking and art.

Deals

Amazon is having a surprise FLASH SALE on Fire HD tablets

All-new Fire HD 10 tablet, 10.1, 1080p Full HD, 64 GB, latest model (2021 release)

Work, education, and daily life are becoming increasingly mobile, and the tech deals to accommodate these lifestyles are led by Amazon, which is having a surprise flash sale on its extremely popular Fire tablets. Massive discounts are being offered on several Fire models, and free shipping is included. Whether you're a smartphone user looking to increase your mobile screen real estate or a laptop user looking to create some extra space in your backpack, these Amazon Fire tablet deals are some of the best tablet deals you'll find.
Amazon Fire 7 -- $35, was $50

The Amazon Fire 7 is Amazon's entry-level tablet, and makes a great companion for anybody who spends a lot of time browsing the web and getting comfortable with an ebook. It sports a 7-inch screen in a very portable frame, but still packs a punch with a quad-core processor for anybody looking to do some gaming or watch movies on the go. The Fire 7 has front and rear-facing cameras, ensuring you'll never miss a selfie, Instagram photo, or video chat. If a good weekend binge watch is what brings you in search of a tablet, the Fire 7 allows up to seven hours of battery life, as well as access to streaming apps such as Netflix, Hulu, and others. The Fire 7 is Amazon's most affordable tablet option, and is only $35 today.