Barnes & Noble is getting back in the tablet business, announcing Wednesday that it has teamed up with Samsung to release a new tablet.
The device, called the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, comes with a 7-inch HD display, and was introduced by the two companies at a media event in New York, according to BusinessWeek.
The book chain had previously given up on selling 7-inch tablets after not being able to sell its hardware division.
The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook also features a quad-core processor, 8 gigabytes of storage, Android 4.4 Kit Kat and the option to add more storage through the microSD card slot. The device is available in black or white and weighs 9.74 ounces, which is lighter than its Nook predecessors. Another difference between the Galaxy Tab 4 and other Nook devices is that the tablet also includes a 1.3 megapixel front camera and a 3-megapixel rear camera, USA Today reported.
Barnes & Noble is adding a new customer support service called "Barnes & Noble Advantage" to its 660 physical stores, with representatives available to help customers set up new devices, troubleshoot problems and give users recommendations for books to read next.
The Samsung Nook is the first Nook to be created by a third party, and the first Nook to be released since the Nook HD+, which was made available in stores two years ago, USA Today reported. The tablet will include a "Nook Shop" app that gives users access to books, movies, TV shows, apps and magazines. Barnes & Noble is also providing several offerings, such as "$200 in free content" with a purchase of the new Nook, and 14-day free trail subscriptions from Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated, US Weekly and other magazines. Barnes & Noble will also give five dollars to each buyer toward a purchase in the Nook Store.
eBook fans can buy the Galaxy Tab 4 Nook at Barnes & Noble's stores and online for $179 after a $20 instant rebate.
