Nook Color to receive 'major' firmware update, new magazine titles

Written by Rachel King, Staff Writer

Rachel King Staff Writer

Rachel King is a staff writer for CBS Interactive based in San Francisco, covering business and enterprise technology for ZDNet, CNET and SmartPlanet. She has previously worked for The Business Insider, FastCompany.

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Posted in The ToyBox on March 25, 2011 | Topic: Mobility

Barnes & Noble has announced several developments for its prized Nook Color e-book reader. Not only is a ton of new content on the way, but a "major" firmware update is too.Let's start with the easy and most confirmed stuff. First up is stuff you can get now, which includes copies of such popular glossies like The Economist, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine and ESPN The Magazine, along with the "only" digital version of The King's Speech.

Kids will get some new treats too as the children's book section is being expanded with new interactive titles from Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.

But more importantly, B&N will issue "a major update to the device’s firmware" what will allow access to "exciting new applications, email and many other requested features." Some of the apps on the way include Angry Birds, Drawing Pad, Lonely Planet Phrasebooks, Tikatok, and Wine PhD.

According to the Home Shopping Network (via CNET), all of that will be thanks to an upgrade to Android 2.2 with Adobe Flash onboard and the new Nook Store. (Don't call it Nook App Store!)

The Nook Color is about to get a whole lot more exciting.

Related coverage on ZDNet:

• Microsoft throws down the gauntlet at Android tablets
• Microsoft sues Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec over Android patent infringement
• Barnes & Noble hosting in-store events for PubIt!, Nook Color
• Nook Kids for iPad app gets updated alongside Nook for iPhone
• Photos: Hack the Nook Color into a full Android tablet