Software Update Released for Barnes & Noble nook

Barnes & Noble has begun sending out an over-the-air update to its nook e-book reader. This includes a wide variety of improvements, both increasing the performance of this device and removing a few bugs.

There isn't an official list of the changes in this this system software update, but according to unofficial sources:

• Page turning and formatting of downloaded e-books has been improved.
• Start-up time for My Library, The Daily, and Setting has been improved.
• Barnes & Noble in-store content and promotions roll-out is fully supported.
• Launches reader immediately on Select from The Daily and My Library for books and subscriptions that have already been downloaded.
• Reading Now takes customer straight into the last book page read without reformatting the content.
• Displays the correct time on the status bar.
• No longer unprompted to the home screen when pressing the arrow or the select button.
• Displays correct error-message for pre-ordering books that are not yet available.

Automatic Installation
The new software for the nook is being sent directly to the nook; it doesn't have to be manually updated.

Going forward, new units will have this new version already installed.

An Overview of the Barnes & Noble Nook
B&N's e-book reader has much in common with the Amazon.com Kindle 2. It differentiates itself by allowing users to lend books and connect to Wi-Fi networks.

This device has a 6-inch, grayscale E-Ink screen for displaying the contents of books, newspapers, and magazines, and below that is a smaller color touchscreen that is used to shop for items, as a keyboard, and to perform other actions.

Users are able to purchase and download e-books directly on the Nook, either over a Wi-Fi connection or over AT&T's 3G network. Those who want to access hotspots in B&N stores can do so for free.

The nook supports documents in a variety of formats: eReader, the open ePub standard, or Adobe Acrobat (PDF), and users are  able to move files onto this reader -- they don't have to come from B&N.

This device has 2 GB of internal storage -- that's room for about 1,500 books -- plus it includes a microSD card slot for additional capacity.

The most unusual feature of the nook is the ability to "lend" books; users are able to loan a text to one of their friends for up to 14 days for no charge. The receiver must have either a Nook or a compatible device -- iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm, PC, etc. -- with the free B&N eReader software installed.

Physically, this device is 7.7 inches by 4.9 inches by 0.5 inches (196 mm by 126 mm by 13 mm). It weighs 11.2 ounces (317 g).

Source: nookDevs