Table war on going: B&N Nook Tablet

by Rian

When first B&N ebook reader was launched, I laughed, I humiliated them. Kindle was the only device that made, created inner-environment for ebook market. The markets, ebook markets were spontaneously created and disappeared, and my prediction was that Nook will be one of them. From my point of view, Kindle would have been part of “good old days,” if they have failed to keep the price down to 100 to 200 dollars.

Barnes & Noble launched Nook color, and I saw it as a total failure. And it was, apparently none of tech bloggers were in favor of it, and largely taken and compared to Kindle. It was a total failure: Kindle worked faster, and Android mobile OS Nook used was badly imported to Nook, slowed the whole device down.

However Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch disputes this common idea of Nook failure.

The Nook Color, which Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch says is the second-best selling tablet behind the iPad, will now be sold for $199. The Nook Simple Touch will be sold for $99.

Amazing isn’t it? Nook Color so far has been hidden 2nd best selling tablet in the market! Though the source is quite unreliable, -since it is from Barnes & Noble itself- we have one good reason to believe that Barnes & Noble is actually serious about tablet business. It’s not because they see blue-ocean market, but because they are one of biggest tablet manufacturer.

Interestingly enough, Amazon and Barnes & Noble would be 2 biggest tablet producers, those who seek better price for consumers. Remember the days when Kindle was still 300 to 400 dollars; most early-adopters saw it as true mocked-up device of century. Who would want to spend 300 dollars for books? Despite all the free book promotions and etc., actual printed, hard-covered books were more loved by readers. Of course, potential of Kindle was underestimated back in those days. Amazon CEO was, and is proud of Kindle and its ebook market nowadays. He said, Kindle is now bigger than actual paper book markets. Readers want books, not papers and inks.

Both Kindle and Nook are reasonable price for readers and bookworms. I would put myself in realms of bookworms, since I usually read more than average readers would, but still 300 dollars were reasonable price for bookworms. -that’s how Kindle grew to this point- Now it’s $99, anyone can tryout off-bookshelf life in their pleasant office. How tablet war will end? Will it ever end? -R

P.S. Off the record, since I don’t have bookshelf in my room, Kindle is incredible option for me.