Barnes and Noble has finally launched its Android version of its digital book reader app. The company has moved away from its branding and named the digital reading platform as Nook. Sources say that the B&N eReader apps on other platforms will be rebranded in the future in the same name as this.
The app is compatible with devices running ion Android versions 1.6 or higher. Quite similar to the kindle app by Amazon once the app has been installed on your device or PC, the B&N library can be accessed from any of our devices. The app offers a similar functionality as in an iPad version. The version of the app for the Andoid comes after a year of the release of the bookseller’s eReader app for iPhone and BlackBerry phones. The Android reader was available by other companies such as the Amazon, Kobo and Borders a long while ago and it was high time that B&N caught up with it.
The latest app for Android will have all the feature as same as the version of the iOS version of the same company. The app allows us to launch the e-book store from within the app itself. Even lending of book among friends is also possible; the feature is named as the LendMe feature. This feature allows you to share e-books for up to 14 days with friends; however a book can be shared just once to a friend. These tiles can then be read by the friends on any of their devices like the Nook e-reader, iPad, iPhone, iPhone touch, a windows PC or even a Mac enabled with free B&N eReader software.
The programs sport a much similar and familiar look as we have seen before, it eases the use for a extent. Firstly an opening screen lists the e-books in our library and also provides us easy and quick access to a Web store where we can order more titles or go through the other available there. Going to the next page we have to just flicker the screen with our fingers and here the Nook offers a better view, the screen curls back when we turn it. The Nook app lets you customize your e-reader with eight fonts and five text sizes which is very good enough but the app lacks in brightness and background controls.
The creation of the Nook brand by Barnes and Nobles seems to be in the same taste as the creation of Kindle brand by Amazon.
Android market is fast growing and attracting many developers and devices.