Quote:
Originally Posted by tubemonkey
That would be to B&N's disadvantage. They'll lose sales over the holidays. But then again, maybe they want out of the ereader business and only want book sales through apps - nook for Android, nook for Kindle, NOOKstudy, etc.
I haven't see one ad for a nook; yet, I see ads for their apps all over the place. That says a lot about what B&N considers to be important.
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I'm not so sure the lack of a new device will be so bad for Nook. I strongly suspect most new buyers over the holiday season will not be as tech-savvy as folks here on MobileRead. The differences between a Pearl screen and older e-ink screens, etc. will be lost on them. They may order a Kindle because that's the Kleenex of ebook readers. But many will like being able to walk into a store, try out a reader, and buy from a live human being.
That's where B&N could shine if they get their associates properly trained. Most Best Buys aren't going to spend time to train their associates to market the ebook readers. Most--like my local BB--simply will have a few models on display for customers to try out. But no one will pay much attention if the battery goes dead, the unit freezes, etc., and many customers may simply shrug and walk away. Yes, I've read the stories of B&N employees being less than helpful, but most newbies to ebook readers will find them more helpful than an unmanned display with readers that may or may not work.
I won't argue the relative merits of the various ebook readers. I suspect most new buyers will get what's most convenient to get either in person or online rather than methodically comparing specifications. Unless their ebook reader develops problems, most of them will be happy with their purchase. Look at the forums here, composed of mostly well-informed people: whichever reader they got is the one they'll defend as best.
