Barnes & Noble has unveiled two new tablets behind closed doors in San Francisco: the Nook HD and the Nook HD+.
The younger model – Nook HD – has a 7-inch screen. The device weighs a very frivolous 312 grams. In fact, this is one of the lightest tablets in the world, though not the thinnest.
The new gadget is completely different in design from last year’s Nook. No strict lines and sharp corners. In some ways, the Nook HD resembles a plump Samsung Galaxy Note II with thick edges and a rubberized back.
One of the main features of the new tablet is the highest display resolution for 7 inches: 1440 by 900 pixels. As for the brightness and viewing angles, they, according to Cnet journalists, are comparable to the characteristics of the Kindle Fire HD.
The processor on the Nook HD is more powerful than that of a direct competitor from Amazon: a dual-core OMAP 4470 at 1.3 Mhz from Texas Instruments (the Kindle Fire HD has an OMAP 4460 at 1.2 Mhz). RAM is a decent 1 GB.
Claimed working time: 10.5 hours of reading and up to 9 hours of video.
The tablet will be delivered in two versions: with 8 and with 16 GB of flash memory (both have a microSD connector), for $199 and $229, respectively.
The older model, the Nook HD+, is similar in size to the iPad, its screen is just 9 inches. However, there is no record resolution: 1,920 by 1,200 pixels, which, in principle, is also not bad. The processor is the same as that of the younger model, but overclocked to 1.5 Mhz. RAM is also similar. But, the design, in many ways resembles the first-generation Nook. For example, there is a strange corner with a hole in place.
Stated working time: 11 hours of reading and up to 9 hours of video
The version with 16 GB on board will cost $269, with 32 GB – $299.
Both the Nook HD and the Nook HD+ lack a Micro-USB port and 3G, but there is HDMI-Out and Wi-Fi. Those who have seen them live say that the devices make a very pleasant impression. The second generation of the Nook is running on a modified version of Android 4.0.
Based on the characteristics, gadgets from Barnes & Noble, of course, are more interesting than those from Amazon, but, as is well known, the one that has more good software on the mobile platform market wins, and which sells this software well. As the previous year showed, Barnes & Noble still has problems with this.
In the USA, new Nooks can already be ordered, but they will not go on sale until November 1.