These are the pre-requisites for this hack (you can call it "root" or "jailbreak" if you prefer). If done incorrectly, it could also make your device un-bootable, rendering it useless.Proceed with caution, because this will void your warranty.In this case, we'll be using the ADB (the Android loader from the Android SDK) to install apps on the Nook Color. In order to turn your Nook Color into a powerful Android tablet, you have to "root" it, which means you'll be gaining access to the the operating system and making unauthorized changes. I don't know about you, but that sure makes me think twice about getting an iPad or XOOM. That means it's made to run the Android OS, so why settle for the dumbed down version when you can have the full OS? The most the Nook Color will cost you is $250. Something that isn't explicitly stated on B&N's website is that their Nook Color uses Google's Android mobile operating system. With its color touchscreen and integrated-web apps, you'd think it was an Android tablet. Well, it is possible-with Barnes & Noble's Nook Color (NOOKcolor, if you try using their hip stylized branding à la iPod).ī&N launched the Nook Color to combat the success of the Kindle, offering more interaction than conventional e-book readers. But what if there was a way to bypass the hefty price tag of tablet computers? What if you could turn your NOOK into an Android tablet, capable of playing movies and music. If you want to read digital books, then you'll more than likely settle for the Kindle or the NOOK. If you want to watch movies, try the iPod Touch. If you want to listen to music, you'll get one of the many, cheap MP3 players available. These days, the Apple iPad will run you at least $500, and the new Motorola XOOM will cost you a whopping minimum of $800.Ī tablet would merely be a luxury item for most of us. Everything is moving to the digital world, and everything is finding smaller, more compact ways of viewing it.īut chances are, you're not willing to pay the expensive prices for those "jack of all trades" devices-the tablet computers that let you read eBooks, watch movies and listen to music on just one device. And Borders and Barnes & Noble are closing stores left and right thanks to eBooks available on eReaders, like the Amazon Kindle. The once mighty movie rental store Blockbuster is now bankrupt because of online streaming services like Hulu and Netflix. The lack of full app functionality through Google's Android Market is also a drawback but at $250 the Nook sounds like a pretty good deal overall.Thanks to online music services like eMusic and iTunes, compact discs are becoming a far distant memory, turning local music shops around the country into desolate wastelands. In terms of hardware the Nook Color is certainly not the most powerful tablet out there: It packs a Texas Instruments ARM Cortex-A8 800MHz processor, 8GB of internal memory plus a MicroSDHC card slot that supports up to 32GB cards, and a 1024 x 600 display that's optimized to minimize glare for reading. Other new features include a social reading app called Nook Friends, which lets you share not only comments but also books, a new navigation slider bar in the periodical reader, presets for AOL Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo Mail, free calendar and note-taking apps as well as Adobe Flash support. The company says that part of its goal with its App Store and SDK is to make sure that apps are tailored for the Nook Color. Unfortunately it won't offer access to the full Android Market, but the company's store already counts 125 apps and games, among them popular favorites like Angry Birds, Pulse reader, Pandora, Uno, Epicurious and more.Īdditionally, developers are encouraged to continue submitting apps using the B&N provided tools. The 1.2 firmware update includes a customized version of Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) and B&N's own mobile app store: Nook Apps. Although originally billed as an e-reader, the Nook is now looking even more like a multipurpose tablet, and with a price tag of just $250 it's a very compelling option for those looking an affordable Android slate. Barnes & Noble's Nook Color just received a major update today that finally delivers apps, email, and web browsing to the 7-inch device.
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