Microsoft's Surface Nook: What if?

[Anthony112409p]

Paul Thurrott has written an excellent speculative article on his website winsupersite.com on what almost came to be when Microsoft (after a lawsuit was involved) invested in Barnes and Noble's Nook last year. Of course, Barnes and Noble later completely and inexplicably reversed course and left Microsoft out in the cold, leaving us to speculate about what could have been. To be honest, I agree with Thurrott. This could have been a very fruitful partnership for the both of them and Nook could have been a very nice addition to Microsoft's services. The devices would likely have been unique, tailored specifically for e-reading and a new Barnes and Noble ecosystem. It really could have benefitted both companies in the long run. However, in my opinion what we now have with nook issomething less than what it could have been. Samsung's new Nook tablet looks to be a completely generic, low-end Galaxy tablet with some Barnes and Noble apps pre-installed.

What do you all think? Did they make the right choice to continue with Android and this new partnership with Samsung? What would the tablet Microsoft tablet have been like?

http://winsupersite.com/mobile-devices/samsungs-nook-tablet-interesting-case-what-might-have-been

 

[Laura Knotek]

I really don't care either way. I never use Barnes & Noble, since I like Amazon better, mainly because I have Prime, and Amazon sells everything not just books. I really don't buy books. I borrow ebooks from the library. However, I buy just about anything one can think of from Amazon. Since I use Amazon so much for everything else, in the rare occasion that I buy a book, it'll be from Amazon.

 

[Anthony112409p]

I really don't care either way. I never use Barnes & Noble, since I like Amazon better, mainly because I have Prime, and Amazon sells everything not just books. I really don't buy books. I borrow ebooks from the library. However, I buy just about anything one can think of from Amazon. Since I use Amazon so much for everything else, in the rare occasion that I buy a book, it'll be from Amazon.

That's understandable. Amazon is an insanely convenient one-stop shop. However, I have a somewhat emotional attachment to Barnes & Noble since I have loved physical books practically ever since I was born. They are now the last remaining major brick-and-mortar book retailer and they're falling hard and fast because of places like Amazon. I do find it odd that it seems people will sooner order a book online and wait for days to receive it then just go to a bookstore and have it immediately. But then that's where Kindle and Nook came in. Barnes & Noble has made some bad decisions recently, like ignoring the Kindle trend for many years and then entering the e-reader game waaaaaay too late, when they were basically forced into it. This whole deal with Samsung seems like another bad decision to me. They're becoming more and more generic when they used to be singular and distinctive.

But anyway, like I said... emotional attachment :smile:

 

[Laura Knotek]

That's understandable. Amazon is an insanely convenient one-stop shop. However, I have a somewhat emotional attachment to Barnes & Noble since I have loved physical books practically ever since I was born. They are now the last remaining major brick-and-mortar book retailer and they're falling hard and fast because of places like Amazon. I do find it odd that it seems people will sooner order a book online and wait for days to receive it then just go to a bookstore and have it immediately. But then that's where Kindle and Nook came in. Barnes & Noble has made some bad decisions recently, like ignoring the Kindle trend for many years and then entering the e-reader game waaaaaay too late, when they were basically forced into it. This whole deal with Samsung seems like another bad decision to me. They're becoming more and more generic when they used to be singular and distinctive.

But anyway, like I said... emotional attachment :smile:

I never really bought books except for textbooks for college. I used to go to the library to borrow books. Now I borrow ebooks, so I don't have to makes a trip to the library to pick up books or remember to return them.

I remember Borders. People used to give me Borders gift cards. I used the gift cards to buy coffee, since I didn't want any books.

 

[unstoppablekem]

I don't understand why Microsoft invested SO MUCH in B&N, and all we got was a Nook app for W8. THAT'S IT, after all those millions or billions Microsoft spent on them...

 

[Anthony112409p]

lol it kinda seems like B&N pulled a fast one on MS... took the money and ran...