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Specs and Android Market access matters to geeks: what the average consumer looks for is content. Here, B& N is lacking compared to Amazon but its not hopeless.
*It has just as much access to magazine content as Amazon
* Its app store is small but Amazon's is not all that large either
* It has a partnership with a video game company so it might be able to take a lead in the rapidly growing mobile gaming industry
* It can leverage its B&M presence. Now techies may not think that's an advantage but its a HUGE advantage when it comes to selling stuff. When you walk into a B&N, the Nook display is front and center, complete with a smiling salesperson ready to answer your questions.
When you walk into the Best Buy, if you can get anyone to notice you at all, you get pointed to some stand heaped with e-readers, some of which are Kindles. God help you if you have a question, the sales staff certainly won't.
Now for geeks, this may not matter: but for non-geeks, this is major.
The big gap is in video , mp3sand cloud services. If B&N can get Netflix, that advantage is negated but B&N doesn't have a prayer with cloud services or mp3s.
Amazon has set the bar pretty high but B&N has some cards to play. It can roll out an NC2 that's a little better than the Fire and a cheapo Nook ereader too. But, let's face it, they have a hell of a hill to climb.
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