B&N no longer supporting Nook 1st Edition
 

I got an email today that B&N will no longer be supporting the original nook that came out 8 years ago. Here's the heart of the message:

Because of advancements in our eReader technology, we wanted to let you know that, unfortunately, we are unable to continue to support the NOOK 1st Edition.

Please note that as of June 29, 2018, you will not be able to purchase new content, register with a BN.com account, or sign in using a NOOK account on your NOOK 1st Edition.

Why 'advancements in ereader technology' brought about this decision isn't explained, but I can't imagine there's any real truth behind the statement. I also wonder if this typical, do other vendors put their older ereaders out to pasture?

Well, there was always the possibility that a device isn't backwards compatible. I've a Simple Touch (2011), so still good, I guess. I've been holding my breath on my Nanos and Itouch's for the same reason.

Maybe a factory reset and refresh is in order? That way, you can reregister, get everything operational so that you can continue to sideload and use your device for several more years. It's only really a problem if your device crashes - you won't be able to use it if you can't do a factory reset in the future. I don't think it makes any difference for removing DRM for anything purchased at the Nook Store since you download that to your computer, not your device.

In other words, "we haven't upgraded our web- and content servers for 3 years after a critical vulnerability was discovered, and your personal and billing data have been in danger all that time."

It could mean that their software has advanced (or is going to) to a point where the hardware of the device can no longer run it well, so keeping it updated may not be feasible or economical.

Just a guess, though, I know nothing about Nooks and their software.

Most probably they blocked the vulnerable TLS 1.0 protocol from their servers, and they no longer update the firmware for the older readers.

My wife has received the same email for her Nook Color. She has better than 300 ebook on her machine and I likewise have a similar number on my Nook HD+. I am concerned that B&N will lose our books somehow and I would like to know how to save them onto our computers. I have checked the internet for help on this but all responses are from 2016 at the latest and I am afraid that information is sadly outdated. Any help out there? Pretty please. Thanks, Vince

Your best bet is the Apprentice Alf blog.

There's another thread about a software update for TLS security on the later Nooks, also needed by June 29. I guess they can't update the older code any more, could be a technical limitation of the old hardware or they just don't think it's worth spending time and money on the old devices.

You need a copy of Nook for PC. Download that. Do a refresh (it might upgrade, mine did about a month ago or so). Then download each book. It creates a folder in your Documents area called My Barnes&Noble eBooks. Inside that will be a folder marked with your email address. Inside that will be all your downloaded books.

Note: I'm not sure where to get Nook For PC. I read in this forum that it was taken off Windows Store earlier this year.

For DRM issues, you need to visit Apprentice Alf to add the plugin on Calibre. We can't help you here with that.

Now, we are waiting to see if they are going to cut off Nook for PC. If that is done, then be sure to have your wife contact customer service and complain that she is now unable to print recipes to cook from. These folks that make platform decisions seem to forget that lots of ebooks are cookbooks and patterns and the only way to be able to work from them is to PRINT. The last time, lots of us called and said, "fine, give me my money back and I'll buy it from Amazon." They fixed the Kindle for PC.