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After Weak Holiday Sales, Nook Tablets Will Add Google’s App and Media Store

Barnes & Noble, the nation’s largest bookstore chain, is seeking a lift in the highly competitive tablet market after a disappointing holiday season for the Nook.

“It opens up a whole world of content and really gives HD and HD Plus a unique position,” William J. Lynch Jr., the chief executive of Barnes & Noble, said in an interview, referring to the company’s two color tablets. “There’s no question this is going to accelerate sales.”

Company executives said Nook owners would be able to choose from 700,000 apps, including Facebook, Twitter and Netflix — even Amazon’s Kindle app.

The bookseller has recently vowed to focus more on digital content, including books, movies and popular apps, while beginning to moderate its investment in its digital hardware division.

In the quarter that ended Jan. 26, Nook revenue declined to $316 million, from $427 million over the same period the year ago.

“Of all the things that Barnes & Noble could do to expand its potential audience, running the features of Android that consumers like is a great step,” said Sarah Rotman Epps, a senior analyst with Forrester Research. “You can’t change the fundamentals of Barnes & Noble’s brand and their customer footprint and the economics of their business, but adding more Android features makes this product more appealing to more customers.”

After the holiday season, Mr. Lynch said on Thursday, Barnes & Noble learned that “the No. 1 reason for nonbuyers in the tablet market, as it related to Nook, was the lack of breadth and apps.” That was, he said, “the one area where we were deficient.”

Michael Norris, senior analyst for Simba Information, said the deal with Google would help Barnes & Noble do what Amazon has done well: create a comprehensive online shopping center of nonbook media.

“I think Barnes & Noble is learning a few lessons from Amazon,” Mr. Norris said. “And that has to do with sweetening the deal and adding value for the consumer. Amazon has always had a greater variety of movie and video content, and I think Barnes & Noble is hoping to erase part of their entertainment deficit.”

Barnes & Noble’s seven-inch Nook HD sells for $199, and the nine-inch Nook HD Plus for $269.

Mr. Lynch said that Barnes & Noble executives had considered a deal with Google for two years, but stepped up those discussions in the last four months.

To date, Barnes & Noble has sold more than 10 million Nooks in the United States; it introduced the product in 2009 as e-book sales took off.

What We Want in a PlayStation Store Redesign

It's been a whirlwind week of PlayStation news. As if a new model of the PS3 wasn't exciting enough, PlayStation Australia followed it up by teasing that a new look was coming to the PlayStation Store. Then, PlayStation promoted its new web portal and got everyone talking about what the humble store might become.

We don't have any definitive answers as to what's happening or when it's happening, but we do have lots of PlayStation Store ideas Sony should listen to. Below are five seemingly simple things the PlayStation Store should be doing.

PRELOAD THE DOWNLOADS

You know what the kids love? Steam, Valve's PC gaming platform. One of the coolest things about Steam? The ability to preorder a game, download it, and then have it unlock at 12:01 a.m. the day of release so you can get to playing.

PlayStation's getting better about this -- Borderlands 2 launched on the PlayStation Network Tuesday -- but it's still far from perfect. IGN reader Jaime Escalera wrote in to Podcast Beyond this week lamenting that his friends planned on downloading Borderlands 2 at midnight, but were "super disappointed" to see it not go up until the next day. Of course, even if the PlayStation Store had published the game at 12:01 a.m., Jaime's friends would've had to sit there while 5.8 GB downloaded.

Adopting the preorder/preload model solves this problem. Get Borderlands 2 on the PlayStation Store the week before launch, let me download it, and then unlock it the moment mobile people can pick it up at GameStop. The future is now. Interestingly, IGN fan Stephen Roche said that this PSN model exists in Australia, so let's get it together, Sony.

ONLINE PURCHASES

“

The PlayStation Store's model is a dinosaur.

It sounds simple -- if you want to buy something on the PlayStation Store, use the PlayStation Store -- but it's so archaic. In a world where I can login to Xbox.com, buy a game and have it waiting in my download queue, the PlayStation Store's model is a dinosaur.

If the PlayStation Store is getting redesigned, it's time for PlayStation to embrace a ubiquitous experience -- a store that looks and feels the same on my PC or iPad as it does on my PS3 or Vita. Aside from the simplicity of use, you have to imagine it would increase PSN sales. How many PS3 and Vita games become impulse buys if you can read the review on IGN and then click over to the PlayStation Store to pick the title up in a few seconds? Right now, if a consumer hears about a cool PSN game, he or she has to keep that game at the forefront of his or her mind until they get home, turn on the PS3 and get to the Store.

PUSH DOWNLOADS

Now, Automatic Downloads are already a perk of PlayStation Plus, but if we're building a smarter PlayStation Store, let's give everyone the ability to have their PS3 wake up and start downloading. First and foremost, it works well with the idea of a web version of the PlayStation Store. If I download Lumines Supernova at work, I want my PS3 at home to turn on and download it so that I can play as soon as I walk through the front door. Secondly, getting this infrastructure in place would knockout the No. 1 thing people like to bitch about with the PlayStation Network: firmware.

If you're one of the people who uses the PS3 for the occasional exclusive, chances are you're forced to download a new update each time you turn on your PS3. With my revamped PlayStation Store, everyone would have the option for automatic downloads and push downloads -- and I'd make firmware default to this option. Any time PlayStation released an update, your system would boot up and get to installing.

MAKE AN EVENT OUT OF PUBLISHING

Busses get misses, kids get sick and cars breakdown -- I understand that not everything will be on time all the time. However, there's really no rhyme or reason to when the PlayStation Store updates on Tuesdays. Sometimes it's early in the San Francisco afternoon, other times it's just before Tuesday becomes Wednesday. Each week, it's a game of Russian roulette as to when you can get games.

This has to stop. YouTube has this thing called the Creator's Playbook. Basically, it's this huge document about how to be successful on the platform, and it stresses regularity and timing. "Frequency of uploads and other platform engagement keeps your channel feed active and retains audience interest," the playbook reads. "To build an audience, 'A consistent audience requires consistent content.' "

Let's be frank here -- the PlayStation Network audience isn't that "active." Yes, plenty of people downloaded Journey and have used the PlayStation Store, but the number of people saying "Oh, it's Tuesday! I have to see what's new on the PlayStation Store!" is a tiny one.

If Sony can get it together and say "Every Tuesday, we're publishing the store at 3 p.m. Pacific," it can become an event. It'll have people refreshing the store to the get new COD DLC and talking about what's to come. Tuesdays will become synonymous with the PlayStation Store to the masses. Add first day discounts, exclusives and surprises, and you'll build an audience that wants to be there as the Store update happens. All eyes would be on PlayStation.

FIX THE DOWNLOAD LIST

This is probably the nerdiest suggestion on the list, but if you've ever tried to use the PSN's Download List, you understand. Basically, the PlayStation Network rocks because it lets you download your content multiple times (there are system activations to worry about) in case you got a new console or whatever. Everything you've ever downloaded is added to the Download List, which is available in the PlayStation Store and Account Management.

The trouble is that there's no way to sort the Download List other than what it defaults to (date downloaded, and sometimes even that gets goofy). When you have DLC and games and more fighting it out on the list, this gets to be a big mess. If we're rebooting the store, let's toss a few options at the Download List. Stuff like sorting alphabetically and grouping content by type.

What do you think? If the PlayStation Store's getting revamped in October, what do you hope it means for the platform? Let us know in the comments below.

A Major Death in Store for Thor 2?

Major Death in Store for Thor: The Dark World? - IGN var IGN = IGN || {}; IGN.pagetype = "article"; var igndrones = igndrones || {};igndrones.async = igndrones.async || [];igndrones.async.push(function() { igndrones.init({"audience":{"csid":"C07583","property":"ign","object1_id":107503,"pagetype":"article","topic_movies":"yes"},"chartbeat":{"uid":"21105","domain":"ign.com","authors":"Jim Vejvoda","sections":"Desktop Web,articles"},"comscore":{"c2":"3000068"},"exelate":{"p":"373","g":"001","c":"901810","ctg":"movies"},"ga":{"account_number":"UA-23541058-1","_setDomainName":".ign.com","custom_vars":[[1,"pagetype","article",3],[2,"object-id","107503",3],[3,"article-id","50537d30e20c47c84a52c960",3],[4,"content-title","Major Death in Store for Thor: The Dark World?",3],[5,"author","Jim Vejvoda",3],[6,"publish-date","2012-09-14",3],[7,"article-type","news",3],[12,"categories","comics.ign.movies",3],[13,"tags","anthony-hopkins.characters.marvel.movies.odin-marvel.people.thor-the-dark-world",3],[15,"action","articleview",3],[16,"controller","v2articles",3],[17,"module","default",3],[18,"resource","articles",3],[20,"is-community","no",3],[21,"signed-in","no",2],[22,"subscriber","no",1],[30,"object-name","Thor: The Dark World",3],[31,"object-type","movies",3]]},"linksmart":{"site_guid":"e8001434aabca750c585a401b7ccebf4adefde9ccece2151f848d46543c18009"}}); igndrones.fireTop();});SugarAds.adsData = {"adsDisabled":"false","dfp_network":"5691","dfp_adunit1":"IGN","resource":"articles","pagetype":"article","tags":["anthony-hopkins","characters","marvel","movies","odin-marvel","people","thor-the-dark-world"],"article_types":["news"],"categories":["comics","ign","movies"],"route":"articles","year":"2012","article_id":"50537d30e20c47c84a52c960","object1_id":[107503,912248,14300618]};SugarAds.renderAds(["prestitial","728x90","300x250","featured","side300x250","s728x90","2x2"]); Prime Newsfeed Latest View My Newsfeed » Pick Your PlayStation Representative Xbox 360 PS3 Wii U PC Vita 3DS iPhone Tech Movies TV Comics Reviews Wikis & Cheats Upcoming News Videos Boards IPL Blogs Podcasts Blu-ray Games Sites Stars Major Death in Store for Thor: The Dark World? Rumor has it that the Grim Reaper is headed to Asgard. by Jim Vejvoda September 14, 2012

Marvel Comics fans learned this week of the death of a superhero in the comics. Now it appears that death is also coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

We're putting a big ol' SPOILER ALERT here in case this rumor pans out.

Still here?

You're sure, right?

OK, well, don't blame us then.

Bleeding Cool reports that the All-Father himself, Odin (played by Sir Anthony Hopkins), might very well perish in Thor: The Dark World, which is now filming in England.

Obviously, this is just a rumor for now, but considering Odin was killed off in the comics then the film following suit shouldn't be that shocking.

by Jim Vejvoda Latest IGN Videos Borderlands 2 Multiplayer Gameplay - Local Co-Op Mode Commentary #dsq-content #dsq-topbar{ display:none !important; } #dsq-content a.dsq-bar-reply{ display: none !important; } #dsq-content #dsq-new-post.dsq-unauthenticated{ display:none; } You must be logged in to post a comment.

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App Store Update: July 27

Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.

Bar Oasis 2 – ($2.99)

Bar Oasis is one of those games that absolutely shouldn’t work, but somehow does. The experience is one part virtual cocktail maker, one part interactive novel. Players will meet and interact with a variety of characters while learning to master more than 100 (virtual) cocktails. The highly-anticipated sequel is finally here, offering up a new bar adventure.

 

Total Recall Game – ($0.99)

Movie fans that can’t get enough of Total Recall’s 2084 future vision can now dive in even deeper with this on-rails shooter tie-in game from Jump Games.

Bitless – ($0.99)

Bitless represents platforming distilled down to its most elemental state. Gamers not bothered by Atari-age graphics should get a kick running and jumping through the game’s 50 stages.

 

Brickshooter Egypt – ($2.99)

Playrix is back with another promising casual puzzler. If it’s anywhere near as good as the company’s surprise-hit Royal Envoy, it’s worth a spot on your iDevice.

 

LostWinds – ($0.99)

Frontier’s whimsical 2D platformer can once again be nabbed for $0.99. If you’ve missed its previous sales, don’t put it off any more. LostWinds is fantastic.

 

LostWinds 2: Winter of the Melodias – ($0.99)

Frontier’s season-switching sequel can also be grabbed for $0.99 for a limited time.

Sid Meier's Pirates! for iPad – ($0.99)

The star of 2K’s big App Store sale is undoubtedly the Pirates! iPad port. This is a ridiculously large amount of swashbuckling available for just $1.

 

Civilization Revolution – ($0.99)

If Pirates! is the star of 2K’s big sales, Civ Rev is a very close second. The franchise’s deep turn-based strategy is a perfect fit for touch-screen play.

 

Around the World in 80 Days – (Free)

Playrix’s classic puzzler is available for free – no catch!

 

Galaxy on Fire 2 HD – ($4.99)

Some gamers skip Fishlabs’ incredible Galaxy on Fire games due to their (relatively) high price. But for $5 GoF 2 is a steal. It’s the best space sandbox game on the App Store.

 

Remember to subscribe to the App Store Update via email for extra convenience:

Justin is Editor of IGN Wireless. He has been reviewing cell phone games since the dark days of Java flip phones. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN.

App Store Update: July 23

Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.

Price Drops

Paper Monsters – ($0.99)

It's a rare day when no new games debut in the App Store, but that's what's happened today – so we're jumping straight into our Price Drops section. First up here is Crescent Moon Games' colorful Paper Monsters, which has dropped back down to its debut price of 99 cents after spending a while up at the three-dollar level.

Hotel Dash: Suite Success Deluxe – (Free)

One of the many spin-offs of PlayFirst's popular Diner Dash franchise, Hotel Dash: Suite Success Deluxe is available for free for iPad owners right now.

Mutant Storm – ($1.99)

The iOS edition of this twin-stick shooter debuted last month, and now it's had its first drop – a buck knocked off its asking price.

Superman HD – ($0.99)

Also getting its first ever price drop right now is Chillingo's Superman HD, one of the better adaptations of the Man of Steel into the video game medium.

The Rise of Atlantis HD (Premium) – (Free)

Here's a severe drop worth paying attention to – Playrix's mythical puzzler has jumped around in price quite a bit before this, but it was sitting at $6.99 before falling all the way down to free. Saving seven bucks isn't too shabby in the App Store.

Warm Gun – ($0.99)

Developer Emotional Robots' first-person shooter taking you through a futuristic vision of the Wild West has matched its lowest ever price again, once again hitting the 99-cent mark.

Call of Mini: Zombies – (Free)

It wouldn't be a proper App Store Update if we didn't point you toward a potential fix for your zombie-slaying addiction, and today's is both free and overly cutesy. (As cute as zombies can get, I suppose.)

Monster Soup – (Free)

Also free – and also cute – is the Kieffer Bros.' Monster Soup. Look how whimsical those little guys are, floating around dodging the encroaching ice!

Lumi – (Free)

And you know what, let's just finish things out on the same note with Lumi, an action/platformer dealing with manipulation of light and magnetism. It is, of course, both free and cute.

App Store Update: July 16

Every day hundreds of new apps make their debut on the App Store, and hundreds more are updated or reduced in price. We have sifted through the noise and highlighted those select few that might be worth your attention.

Game Debuts

Goal Defense – ($0.99)

Kicking off our new week of Game Debuts is Dynamic Pixels' Goal Defense, a new goofy take on the tower defense genre that uses silly-looking football players for its theme.

Price Drops

Great Little War Game – (Free)

This week in Price Drops is starting strong as well, as indie hit Great Little War Game can now be yours for free. We had a chance to interview Paul Johnson of Rubicon Development last summer, and it's exciting that Rubicon's work will now have another chance to expand its audience. Check out the game's trailer right here:

Adventure Bar Story – ($0.99)

This JRPG that splits its time between traditional questing and an entirely untraditional sim of running your own restaurant has put itself on the Dollar Menu for the summer.

Cooking Dash: Thrills and Spills Deluxe – (Free)

If you don't have the dollar to spend to get into restauranteuring, though, PlayFirst is offering a free option with this spin-off of Diner Dash.

Pizza vs. Skeletons – ($0.99)

And the food connection just keeps rolling with Riverman Media's ridiculous Pizza vs. Skeletons. A whole pie can be yours for just 99 cents, with free delivery too. Check out its crazy trailer:

Starbounder – ($0.99)

Breaking free of the eating theme, we find ourselves breaking free of gravity itself out in the depths of outer space – where Studio Radko's high-speed 3D racing platformer Starbounder is available now for just 99 cents.

Jurassic 3D Rollercoaster Rush – (Free)

Digital Chocolate's mash-up of prehistoric animals and modern theme park attractions can be yours for no admission price right now.

Gamebook Adventures 7: Temple of the Spider God – ($0.99)

Tin Man Games' modern update of the old "Choose Your Own Adventure" book series normally requires a five dollar investment for a read, but you can take home your own copy for 80% off right now.

Swords & Soldiers HD – ($0.99)

And finally we have the iPad edition of Chillingo's 2D side-scrolling RTS, which has dropped to the one-dollar mark as well. This one has been one of our favorites across its many editions over the years, most recently earning itself an 8.5 and an Editor's Choice Award in last year's review.

That's all for today! Remember to subscribe to the App Store Update via email for extra convenience:

Lucas M. Thomas is IGN Nintendo's longtime champion of downloadable titles across the Wii, DSi and 3DS. He's happy to now be helping Justin round up the best options for App Store shoppers. You can follow him on Twitter.

by Lucas M. Thomas Latest IGN