Barnes and Noble’s Nook tablet was meant to directly compete with Amazon’s equally sized Fire tablet for your Ulysses S. Grant. Unfortunately for the brick-and-mortar bookstore, things have not turned out that way, with the Nook’s removal from its physical and online storefronts the latest blow to the tablet’s potential success.
Its suspension was initially foretold by Reddit user nookthedestroyer, who alleged that Barnes and Noble issued a companywide order to remove Nook tablets from its stores and return them to the supplier. The user, who allegedly works at a Barnes and Noble store, assumed the order was a result of the tablet’s spyware controversy that also affected Blu and many other smartphone manufacturers.
Developed by Chinese firm Shanghai Adups Technology, the software has the ability to discreetly collect everything from call logs and contact names to IP addresses, with the information then sent to third-party servers in China. Security firm Kryptowire discovered the preinstalled spyware on more than a few Android phones, with a subsequent investigation having discovered similar spyware on as many as 43 manufacturers’ devices.
Even though researchers also found the preinstalled software on the Nook tablet, Barnes & Noble confirmed to Android Police that the decision to halt the tablet’s sales were due to a faulty charger, not because of the software.
“Barnes and Noble is investigating three reported cases involving the adapter sold with the Nook Tablet 7. The specific issue involves the adapter casing breaking apart while still in the socket,” reads the statement. “This does not affect the Nook device itself. With no injuries reported and out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that customers stop using the adapter until we provide a replacement adapter.”
Barnes and Noble also confirmed that talks with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are underway regarding a recall. In the meantime, the company advises Nook tablet owners to charge the device through a computer.
