Google Play Books vs Nook

2024. Nook eReaders and Apps Can Sync Sideloaded eBooks Now



Some users on the Nook subreddit have discovered that Nook ereaders and apps can now sync sideloaded ebooks between devices and apps, although it's unclear how long this feature has been available or which models support it. Given Barnes & Noble's history with sideloading, this capability is surprising and might even seem like an unintended bug. There’s no mention of this feature for non-B&N content on the Barnes & Noble website or in their help section. To use it, simply sideload the same ebook file on your Nook devices and apps and your reading position will sync automatically. It works with EPUBs and possibly PDFs, though this hasn’t been confirmed yet.


2024. Google Play Books offers hundreds of free eBooks for children



In the grand tradition of mildly chaotic yet charming announcements, Google Play Books has unveiled a mind-bogglingly generous expansion of its kids’ collection—over 300 free non-fiction titles with a snazzy "Read & Listen" feature that lets children read and listen simultaneously, presumably leaving no excuse for confusing “their” with “there” ever again. But wait, there's more! To sprinkle a bit of intergalactic joy on the whole reading affair, Google has rolled out digital Reading Rewards stickers, guaranteed to thrill kids into reaching reading milestones faster than a Vogon could butcher poetry, available on Google Kids Space or the Play Books Android app. As if that wasn’t enough to make you raise your towel in approval, Google has also decided to toss thousands of audiobook previews onto its YouTube channel—because why shouldn’t books get their moment in the spotlight among cat videos and conspiracy theories? And just when you thought the galaxy couldn’t get any more bookish, they’ve added an "Upcoming" section to the app's "Library" tab, offering book pre-orders and recommendations to keep your reading queue as endless as Zaphod Beeblebrox’s ego.


2024. Google Play Books to offer audiobook previews on YouTube



Google Play Books has been provided an update that introduces several new features to the app. That includes integration with YouTube where users will be able to listen to audiobook previews for free. This would be in addition to the audiobook previews that are already available via the Play Books app for Android, iOS and the web. As it is, YouTube enjoys a huge userbase and it is only natural Google will like to leverage it to seek better exposure for its audiobooks as well. In any case, Google has been restructuring its media business of late and several of its services such as Play Music and Podcasts have been brought under the purview of YouTube. Among the other changes introduced to Play Books include the addition of the new Upcoming tab at the top of the Library section. So, you will now have Your books, Shelves and Series along with the newly added Upcoming tabs at the top under Library. This, as Google explained, will show “all your pre-orders in one location on a calendar that can be filtered based on specific series or authors.” You will also be provided updates on authors and series that you might have shown interest in, which can be like titles that you may have searched or viewed.


2023. NOOK Reading App for Windows is discontinued



In a move that seems as inevitable as the end of a Vogon poetry recital, Barnes and Noble has, with a flourish of indifference, waved goodbye to the NOOK reading app on the Microsoft Windows Store. The app’s listing has vanished into the digital void, and new downloads have been firmly placed in the category of things that will never happen again. Existing users, however, may continue to cling nostalgically to their NOOK apps for now—though Barnes and Noble has offered no promises, prophecies, or even mildly reassuring shrugs about the long-term fate of the service. Instead, they encourage the hopelessly optimistic to explore their “more expansive” reading options through NOOK apps for Android, iOS, or even the grand and lofty NOOK for Web. But the tale grows darker still: as announced earlier, those still clutching their trusty Nook Simple Touches and Glowlight devices are soon to find themselves as cut off as Arthur Dent from tea. By April next year, the Nook Store will close its metaphorical doors, and syncing additional digital content will become as impossible as surviving a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster without a hangover.


2023. Nook iOS app adds Trends to track reading progress



Barnes and Noble's latest enhancement to their Nook reading app for iPhones and iPads involves a novel aspect. They are infusing an element of gamification into the act of reading ebooks through the introduction of an innovative feature labeled as "Trends." Within this fresh section named Trends, users can effectively monitor their monthly reading and listening advancements. The section encompasses a dynamic wheel dedicated to tracking the consecutive days during which individuals engage with digital content or partake in audiobooks. The bookselling company has expressed its intention to introduce forthcoming attributes and incentives tied to the Trends concept. Parallels can be drawn between Barnes and Noble's Trends and the Kindle system for iOS, both of which monitor the uninterrupted streaks of digital reading days. The Kindle's reading progress has spawned a substantial community, with enthusiasts readily sharing their achievements on social media platforms—instances of individuals boasting multi-year streaks of daily reading are not uncommon. Barnes and Noble aspires to leverage this notion of progress in reading. An added personal wish is for this feature to extend beyond the Nook app and encompass their ebook readers as well.


2023. Google Reading Insights allows to track your kid’s reading habits



Google has introduced a new feature in Google Play Books called Reading Insights, which serves as a tool for parents to monitor their children's reading activities. This feature, conveniently integrated into the Family Link app along with other parental control tools, enables parents to track their children's book choices and their progress in specific titles. By using Reading Insights, parents can access various information, such as the recent books their children have read, their most frequently read books, their reading frequency and the extent to which they have progressed in a particular title. This comprehensive overview allows parents to gain a better understanding of their children's reading habits. Furthermore, the Reading Insights feature also supports tracking audiobook titles.


2023. Google Play Books app adds new book management feature



Google Play Books app has recently introduced a significant enhancement to its redesigned library management system, with the aim of making the organization of your book collection simpler. One notable improvement is the ability to handle multiple books at the same time, allowing users to easily select and manage numerous titles together. Now, actions like adding books to shelves, marking them as finished, or removing downloaded copies from devices can be done in bulk. To aid in efficient book discovery, Google has implemented various filtering options. Users can now filter books by genre, author, reading age (particularly beneficial for children's books) and family library status. These filters make it effortless to quickly identify specific books based on personal preferences.


2023. Google Play Books now offering new Reading Practice tool for kids



Google Play Books is introducing a new feature called Reading Practice in the United States, which aims to assist young readers in improving their comprehension skills using children's e-books. This feature will be accessible through the Google Play Books Android app and Google Kids Space. With Reading Practice, children will be able to enhance their vocabulary by tapping on words to hear their pronunciation and child-friendly definition. For early readers, a text tracker will highlight the words as they read aloud, allowing them to practice any missed or mispronounced words at the end of each page. The majority of books on Google Play Books will include Reading Practice, ensuring easy access to this valuable tool. Google Play is committed to creating family-oriented products and services that support children in learning and exploring technology safely. The goal is to provide parents with the necessary tools and flexibility to encourage reading in their children while fostering healthy and positive digital habits.


2022. Google Play Books adds a Wish List



Google Play Books is rolling out a new update for its Android app that introduces a wish list feature on the main navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. This is alongside the Home, Library and Shop buttons. It is a dedicated feature specific to Play Books, allowing you to add titles you wish to purchase later to your wish list, which you can view at any time. Tapping on a title in the wish list will direct you to the Google Play Books entry for it, where you can download a sample or make a purchase. Most users who buy books are using the Play Books app for this purpose, as it allows both purchasing and reading within the app. However, in recent months, the company has updated its billing policy, imposing a 30% fee on each in-app transaction. This has led Audible, Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble to remove the ability to purchase content, turning their apps into consumption-only platforms.


2021. Nook released a new cheap Tablet for e-Reading



Barnes & Noble has launched a new Nook Tablet created by Lenovo. It’s another budget ($129) model similar to the previous Nook Tablet, featuring an even lower resolution screen (1280 x 800). On the positive side, the new Nook Tablet operates on Android 10 and includes Google Play support for installing Android apps. It is equipped with an octa-core CPU, a USB-C port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, an FM radio, 32GB of storage and a microSD card slot. It also has an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera and is slightly lighter than other 10-inch tablets at 420 grams.


2021. Google Play Books now has new tools to make reading easier for kids



Google Play Books has unveiled a suite of new tools designed to make it easier for even young readers to start enjoying books. The Read & Listen feature will narrate a book to your children. You can either turn the pages manually or allow them to turn automatically. The Tap to Read feature will read aloud any word that you tap on. This helps kids learn the correct pronunciation of the word and provides a description, often accompanied by an illustration, to ensure a complete understanding of the term. Additionally, the Kid-Friendly Dictionary offers simple explanations of words, further supporting the learning process.


2021. Google Play Books will help kids to learn to read



Google Play Books has introduced several new features designed to assist young readers. Firstly, it now allows children to hear books read aloud and they can tap on individual words to hear them pronounced. Additionally, kids can read or listen to thousands of child-friendly definitions, many of which include illustrations to aid in understanding and learning. Google states that most of their children's books come with these new reading tools. Parents can also download a free sample of any children's book to check if the reading tools are available for that title before making a purchase.


2020. Barnes and Noble improved author sorting in Nooks



Barnes and Noble has released a firmware update for many of their Nook e-readers. Software update 52.0.78 is being rolled out and includes several bug fixes and improvements. One of the most notable changes is that author names now consistently display as their first and last names. This feature is helpful if you enjoy reading ebooks by the same author, making it easier to organize them in your library. Additionally, a progress bar has been added to your library, indicating how far you are through various ebooks. There are likely other aspects of this update, but Barnes and Noble no longer publishes detailed changelogs.


2019. Barnes and Noble will continue to support the Nook e-Reader



The new CEO of Barnes and Noble, James Daunt, has announced that the bookseller will continue to back the Nook e-Reader. He emphasized that his primary focus will be on enhancing B&N’s physical stores. “If you enhance the stores, everything else will improve,” he said. However, we can anticipate new Nook models being released every year or two for the foreseeable future.


2019. Google Play allows to rent ebooks



Google Play has introduced a new system for renting ebooks. A small section that quietly went live last week features around 200 titles from Open Road Media. The rental prices range from $1 to $2, with a rental period of 3 days, which should be sufficient to voraciously read most of the romance, thriller and science-fiction novels available. The Google Play rental system is currently available only in the United States. It is not yet clear whether this is a pilot program to assess consumer interest or part of a larger strategy to enter the rental market with additional publishers.


2019. Google Play Books adds custom shelves, shelf icons



Google Play Books has introduced Beta Features, offering users early access to experimental functionalities. The initial features include customized bookshelves, allowing you to arrange them however you prefer. Search and Sort options are also available, enabling you to swiftly find a specific book or organize your library using various criteria. The final beta feature is Ready to Read, a new shelf that displays the books you haven't completed yet to help you easily pick up where you left off. Currently, these beta features are available for your desktop browser and will eventually be rolled out to Android and iOS.


2019. Google Play Books gets redesign on Android



Google has refreshed Play Books with a new material design that gives it a more minimalist and streamlined appearance. The update is primarily focused on visuals, with hollow iconography, predominantly white backgrounds and a switch to Google/Product Sans fonts. The carousel on the home screen has been made smaller and more compact, a change that also applies to the bookstore. The reading experience within the app hasn't been significantly altered, although the minor adjustments may not favor those looking for enhanced accessibility. Some of the text on the screen has been reduced in size and certain interactive elements have been minimized. However, as this is an ebook reader, you can still customize font sizes to suit your preferences.


2018. Barnes and Noble releases Nook Tablet 7 2018 Edition



Barnes & Noble has introduced a second-generation NOOK 7 tablet with increased storage to accommodate your digital library and an enhanced reading experience, just in time for holiday shopping. It is available today in stores and online for $49.99. The NOOK 7 provides twice the storage capacity of the previous model at 16GB (expandable up to 128GB), along with front and rear cameras, Bluetooth connectivity, a headphone jack, a speaker and a microphone. The new NOOK is a fully-equipped tablet featuring a stunning LCD screen, access to the Google Play Store, a soft-touch finish and upgraded NOOK software for a better reading and browsing experience.


2018. Barnes & Noble released new Nook tablet



Barnes & Noble introduced a new Nook 10.1 tablet priced at $130. Aside from the screen size (a modest 224 ppi), there isn’t much to highlight about what will likely be a standard budget Android tablet with 32GB of storage, two cameras and a headphone jack—though this does count as a feature in 2018. The soft-touch finish and lightweight build make it an ideal holiday present for readers who want to immerse themselves in their favorite books for extended periods. Barnes & Noble is dubbing it a “game changer.” This is the first Nook since 2016, when the once-popular bookseller offered an extremely affordable $50 model.


2018. Google Audiobooks gets Trim Silences feature



Google Play Books is the sole platform where you can listen to audiobooks bought from Google and they have just introduced a new feature called Trim Silences. This feature will automatically eliminate long pauses between words or sentences. While most audiobooks are professionally produced and remove these pauses by default, some small publishers and indie authors may have pauses, making Trim Silences a helpful tool.