Barnes & Noble Puts Google’s Play Store and Apps on the Nook

Wow. Google has certainly been busy pulling in lots of previously non-Google Android tablets. Last year they got Kobo. Earlier this year they pulled in a bunch of no-name manufacturers (at least for this year's JB 4.1 tablets).<p>Now they've reeled in B&#38;N. Outside of Amazon, China and maybe India (all big, idiosyncratic exceptions to be sure), who's left? The biggest name I can think of is Nabi (maker for educational tablets) and I don't know how long that will last.

Nook are clearly trying to revitalise their product offerings, perhaps clearing out old inventory? They're currently selling the nook simple touch for £29 here in the UK... which is an absurd price for an 800 MHz TI OMAP 3621 with e-ink display, RAM / Storage, WIFI, Battery etc.<p>It may be based on an ancient Android 2.1/Linux 2.6.29 but £29 is an insane bargain. Get root and a shell on it and you've got a great piece for general use kit for next to no money.

Wow, gutsy, but awesome, call by B&#38;N! As the owner of a Nook HD and 3 Nook devices in total over the years, I whole heartedly endorse this move. Especially as I have a book in the Google Play store right now, that I haven't been able to read on my Nook, and I was starting to get a bit pissy about that. This is a nice step. I hope it works out well for B&#38;N, as the Nooks are - generally speaking - pretty nice devices.

Pretty interesting, not that it mattered much, the same day I opened my nook tablet was the same day I rooted it. I find it odd that the hang up was that there was only "10,000" apps available for it, from the rare occasion I recall browsing the nook app store you would never know there was more than 40 apps available.<p>I wonder how all this is sitting with Microsoft? After their 300 million dollar investment into B&#38;N last year I had assumed that the Nook was going to be Microsoft's channel into the sub 300 dollar tablet market with a really stripped down version of Windows 8 RT with some Nook flare slapped on. Microsoft must be pissed.

Pity I nooted my tablet last month, as soon as it had gone out of warranty.