Top 10: Tablets for e-Reading

2024. Barnes and Noble Nook Tablets can no longer buy ebooks



In a move that might be considered the technological equivalent of an elderly librarian locking the doors and sighing into eternity, Barnes and Noble has announced that its venerable series of tablets, released during the ancient epoch of 2011 to 2013, can no longer perform such vital functions as purchasing digital audiobooks and ebooks, registering new accounts, or even logging into existing ones. These devices, now over a decade old and presumably surviving on the digital equivalent of borrowed time and caffeine-deprived batteries, have been quietly retired from relevance. Next week, the company plans to dispatch emails brimming with more details about this rather terminal situation. Meanwhile, any urge to acquire these relics from the eBay museum of unwanted gadgets should be tempered with the knowledge that they’ve been consigned to the realm of “quaintly decorative but functionally useless.”


2024. Barnes and Noble Nook Tablet 9 by Lenovo available for pre-order



In a curious twist of fate that could only be described as “completely expected,” Barnes and Noble has re-entered the Tablet Universe with the Nook Tablet 9—a device no doubt capable of startling revelations, such as allowing you to read more books. In collaboration with the technological conjurers at Lenovo, this $149.99 slab of advanced circuitry is now open for pre-order, inviting customers to imagine reading their way through life with Dolby Atmos speakers, TÜV Rheinland-certified eye protection, and a glorious array of settings like Grayscale, Chromatic, and Immersive Reading modes, all wrapped in a fingerprint-resistant surface for those who wish to leave no trace. Its 9-inch IPS LCD screen displays 1340 x 800 pixels at a density of precisely 173 PPI, presumably just enough to read the fine print but not enough to detect individual atoms. Running on the mystical power of Google Android 12 and pre-equipped with the NOOK app, it offers access to over 4.5 million eBooks, magazines, newspapers, manga, and more, daring you to remember what paper once felt like.

2023. Guoyue K3 Color e-note comes with 10.3-inch Kaleido 3 display



The Guoyue K3 Color, a delightful slab of electronic wizardry, makes its grand entrance sporting a 10.3-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display, a technological marvel capable of conjuring up 4096 colors and delivering a crisp 300 PPI resolution in good old monochromatic Black and White mode (a resolution that any self-respecting pixel would be proud of). Tucked within its sleek, metallic confines is xReader, a rather clever little engine that juggles five pen types, sixteen handwriting colors, five width settings, and four different ways to scatter your scribblings across the digital ether. For those inclined to meticulous organization, the device boasts an intimidating arsenal of over 100 note templates—enough to satisfy even the most demanding organizational whims. Security, as always, is paramount, and this cunning contraption ensures it with a fingerprint scanner neatly embedded in the Power button, as if to say, "Nothing gets past me." All of this runs on the reliable Android 11, because why not, and comes paired with a pen so precise—thanks to its 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity—it might just rival the finesse of a caffeinated artist. The price for this portable marvel? A mere $500, which is surely a small sum for a device so thoroughly steeped in the realm of improbable functionality.


2022. Onyx Boox launched big e-Ink tablet with keyboard and stylus



Onyx Boox has introduced a new tablet—Tab10—that serves as both an e-note device and features a 10.3-inch display with a resolution of 1872 x 1404 and a density of 227 PPI. Under the hood is a 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm processor paired with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage, which can be expanded up to 512 GB via external means. The device operates on Android 11 and is powered by a substantial 6,300 mAh battery, which should last at least a couple of weeks. The Tab10 supports dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4G and 5G) and includes a USB Type-C port. The power button also features a fingerprint unlock mechanism for added security. It has an integrated microphone and the included Boox Pen2 comes with an eraser and attaches to the device magnetically. The e-note weighs a convenient 470 grams and is priced at $468.


2022. Amazon’s new 2022 Fire tablets get improved battery



Amazon has introduced a new generation of Fire HD 8 tablets, which includes the standard Fire HD 8 and the more premium Fire HD 8 Plus models. Amazon claims that the new tablet series is thinner and lighter than its predecessors, as well as more powerful. Additionally, the battery is expected to last longer, with 13 hours of use compared to the 12 hours of the previous model. The device charges through a USB Type-C port and comes with a 5W charger, which Amazon says will fully charge the battery in 5 hours. Amazon also states that the tablet has twice the durability in drop tests compared to the iPad Mini. The Fire HD 8 is priced at $99.99, which is $10 more than the previous model, while the Fire HD 8 Plus is priced at $119.99.


2022. Amazon’s $60 Fire 7 tablet finally gets USB-C



Amazon has unveiled a new edition of the budget tablet Fire 7 — as well as its kids-oriented counterpart — now equipped with a USB-C port and boasting a 40% improvement in battery life, reaching up to 10 hours. The updated 7-inch tablet is priced at $60 and comes with an enhanced quad-core processor and double the RAM, now 2GB. While these specifications aren’t cutting-edge, they are likely sufficient for basic activities such as web browsing and video streaming. Amazon notes that the 7-inch model is its top-selling tablet, largely due to its very low price.


2021. Onyx Boox refreshed 3 its Android eReaders



Onyx introduced three new enhanced Boox models: the 13.3-inch Max Lumi2 and the 10.3-inch Note5 and Note Air2 models, all featuring Android 11 and some new software capabilities. The new models come with minor hardware improvements, including increased RAM and storage and now utilize a faster and more efficient processor. They also include a couple of new and refined stylus pens and have upgraded the magnet that secures the stylus along the side. Additionally, the device now features a new type of pre-installed writing film to enhance the feel of the screen, similar to the Nova Air released a few months ago. Onyx’s previous generation models are expected to receive the 3.2 update in November. While they usually incorporate most of the new software features, they rarely update Android versions, so don’t anticipate any of the older models getting Android 11.


2021. Onyx BOOX Nova Air - 7.8 inch E Ink tablet



The Onyx BOOX Nova Air is a new E Ink tablet featuring a 7.8-inch, 1872 x 1404 pixel E Ink Carta display, support for both finger and stylus input and software based on Android 10. Available for pre-order at $350, the Nova Air can be used for reading eBooks, taking notes, or running third-party applications from the BOOX Store (or sideloading other Android apps from different sources). Onyx claims the BOOX Nova Air supports over 10 different text file formats, as well as JPG, PNG, TIFF and BMP images and WAV and MP3 audio. It also includes text-to-speech functionality, enabling the system to read books aloud through the device’s speakers or headphone jack.


2021. Remarkable Update Improves eBook Layout and Adds Pinch Zooming (Video)


A new software update (2.6) has been released for the Remarkable paper tablet that introduces the ability to use pinch zooming, which functions with PDFs, ePubs and note documents. Once zoomed in, you can use two fingers to navigate around the page and you can write and use the selection tool while zoomed in. The tablet has also finally added hyperlink support to PDFs, allowing you to follow embedded links and they even included a link to return to the previous location, though it frustratingly disappears after a few seconds. Another enhancement in the 2.6 update is improved eBook formatting for ePub files. Text is now justified by default (with an option for left-justified text as well) and margins are more consistent. Book covers have also seen improvements.


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.


2020. Amazon launches faster Fire HD 8 tablets with more storage



Amazon has revamped its range of Fire HD 8 tablets, featuring quicker processors, increased storage and extended battery life. There's also a new version designed specifically for children. Starting at $89.99, the Fire HD 8 includes 2GB of RAM and a 2.0GHz quad-core processor that is 30 percent faster than its predecessor. For internal storage, you can choose between 32GB or 64GB (which raises the price to $119.99). Additionally, there is a microSD card slot for expandable storage of up to 1TB. In terms of battery life, the Fire HD 8 can last up to 12 hours and includes a USB-C port that can fully charge the tablet in under five hours.


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.


2016. B&N and Samsung released Galaxy Tab A Nook tablet



Barnes and Noble introduced another Samsung-branded tablet - Samsung Galaxy Tab A NOOK. Priced at $139.99, it features a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 and 216 PPI. This is a basic tablet, not intended to rival high-end devices like the iPad or Surface. You can access the Samsung App Store and Google Play on this device, which operates on Android 5.1.1, relatively outdated by late 2016 standards. This tablet also includes a range of customized Nook Android Apps, such as an e-reading app, library management, magazine reader and more.


2015. Barnes & Noble and Samsung unveiled new tablet Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK



Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK is a new 8-inch tablet combining Samsung’s sleek design and multi-tasking capabilities with NOOK’s exceptional reading and entertainment features. It’s the slimmest, lightest and fastest device from the two companies, priced at $399.99. An ultra-fast octa-core processor allows users to swiftly switch between books, movies, apps and the web without delay. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK provides access to a vast array of digital content from Barnes & Noble. The extensive NOOK Store offers a range of reading and entertainment options, including over 4 million books, such as bestsellers, new releases, classics and enhanced editions with exclusive content.


2014. The new Nook is almost all Samsung Galaxy Tab



Barnes & Noble has unveiled "the first ever fully-featured Android tablet designed for reading" - the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, a 7-inch tablet primarily manufactured by Samsung. It features something known as the “Barnes & Noble Advantage,” a deeply integrated app that facilitates book downloads as well as tech support. To clarify, this is a Samsung device being sold in B&N stores with some branding. While the partnership is a clever move, it indicates that dedicated Nook hardware may no longer be a focus. The Galaxy Tab 4 Nook is available today in stores and online for $179 after a $20 rebate, matching the price found on Amazon and other retailers.


2014. Samsung to make next Nook Tablet based on Galaxy Tab



As Barnes & Noble struggles to stay relevant in the ebook market, it’s turning to Samsung in hopes of increasing digital content sales. The company revealed a partnership with Samsung that will introduce co-branded Galaxy Tab 4 Nook tablets by early August. The co-branded devices will merge popular Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 hardware with tailored NOOK software to provide customers with powerful, fully-featured tablets designed for reading, offering easy access to Barnes & Noble’s extensive digital collection of over three million books, leading magazines and newspapers.