Barnes & Noble, the company that brought you NOOK, the HD tablet gadget that allows us to read ebooks, movies and download android apps is now adding Google Play’s fill complement of videos, music and apps. Of course with such an amazing integration of functions, they would not neglect the addition of the entire suite of possible Google services like Gmail, Google Maps, Youtube and the magnificent Chrome browser.
This move allows the NOOK to actually provide users with a more extensive suite of services. With a bigger ecosystem of services, I believe this will generally put a lot of tablets and readers out there to a shame. This small device is pledging a lot with it’s merger with Google. In general, users who are seeking to do most of their reading online now basically have their hands full of other services. It is highly possible that if one were to understand the use and needs of a reader user, the single most important USP would be providing great reading capabilities. However, I believe with technology it is essentially important to understand that users do not want to carry more devices on the go. While given an option of having an awesome reader device and a compact Apple Mac Book Air, I would choose to have one with both gadgets in it.
B&N believes that while Google Play also provides ebooks and digital magazines, it is generally the NOOK shopping experience that attracts the users who essential took up the decision to purchase the device. Amazing theory there which explains truly what an experiential driven approach that B&N has invested all this while.
Will you prefer a Kindle or a NOOK now?
Zack Chia 