This weeks free book from Barnes and Noble is Northfield.

On September 7, 1876, the James-Younger gang attempted to rob the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota, with disastrous consequences. In a unique, compelling approach, author Johnny D. Boggs shifts perspectives from one first-person account to another to describe the bloody robbery, as well as the events leading to it and its aftermath.

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When Barnes and Nobel started offering the $50.00 gift card for Fathers Day, you had to think that a price drop was in the works, I suspected it was to soften the blow for the release of the nook Lite (non-3G version).

This is even better, the full blown 3G nook is now selling for $199. and they have released the nook Lite at $149.  Wow this is a lot of reader for the money and the falling prices may not be done yet, Amazon answered with at price drop to $189  for the Kindle.  I think that the nook is worth the extra $10, check out this former post for the reasons.

In fact I would seriously look at the nook Lite as I have not used the 3G to down load anything as of yet.

The release also includes an update to software rev. 1.4 with added access to all of the AT&T hot spot, a go to page feature and a new extra extra large font, here are the details that B & N sent to nook owners.

Dear NOOK Owner,

We’ve heard what you’ve had to say, and we’re excited to announce some new features and improvements now available for your NOOK.

Enhanced Wi-Fi®: Automatically connect for free to AT&T’s entire nationwide Wi-Fi® network including restaurants, hotels and additional locations – all of which can be found at http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=13540.

Go To Page Feature: Now you can jump right to a specific page number in an open eBook – it’s one of the enhancements most frequently requested by NOOK owners.

Improved reading experience: With a new “extra extra large” font size you now have 6 font sizes to choose from.

Plus, we’ve made some performance enhancements that will allow you to open your eBooks even faster. Learn more about the new NOOK 1.4 Software Update.

Ready to start enjoying these new features? Just connect your NOOK to any Wi-Fi® connection and tap ‘Check for new B&N content’ via the My Library section. It will automatically update for you. You can also manually update to version 1.4 in seconds – find out how.

Thank you for being a loyal NOOK owner. We hope all these new features make you love your NOOK even more. Let us know what you think – email your comments about these features and more to nook@book.com.

The Barnes & Noble NOOK team

Now is the time to jump in with a new nook eReader, check out Barnes and Nobel for all of the latest

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Great news today from Barnes & Noble they will be throwing in a $50 gift card with all new Nook purchases for the next 30 days so hurry and order your nook today (CLICK HERE TO BUY A NOOK).

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In a recent article at Engadget the FCC has apparently approved a second nook that does not include the AT&T 3G connection but would still have WiFi.  This confirms the earlier report that we posted, that also predicts a price point of $199 but we will see as continued pressure from competitors heats up the market.

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Barnes & Noble announces the release of a new iPad app that will allow you to read all of your nook books on the Apple device.  This looks pretty solid from the start and will probably get better as time goes on.  Check out he press release here.

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Nook software version 1.3 was released today with some real improvements.

1. Read In Store (Beta) experience where you can browse complete eBooks (and soon periodicals) in your local Barnes & Noble store at no cost!
2. Enhanced Wi-Fi® connectivity so you connect to even more hotspots and rolled out a basic Web browser (Beta).  This will allow you to connect in places like Panera Bread that require acceptance of terms and conditions before you can use thier Wi-Fi.
3. Android apps, play chess against nook or play Sudoku.
4. Improved page turn speed.
5. Faster access to previously opened eBooks.
6. Enhanced color touch screen navigation and more, including new icons, Games, Wi-fi, Audio, and Web, use a finger swipe to see them all.

You can wait to get the download pushed to you by turning off the Airplane mode, or you can go to Barnes & Noble, download it to your PC and side load it directly to your nook.  This link also includes a video on how to install the software and a separate one on the new features.

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It looks like Gizmodo has once again hit the web with the latest plans from Barnes and Noble.  The story predicts a “nook Lite”, a “nook 2″ and a software release next week with a built in browser.  No details on nook 2 but nook lite is supposed to be release by end of Q2 and would be a nook with no 3G wireless, only the built in WiFi, and a price point of $199.

In the past Gizmodo has been right on the money, they must have a pretty good source in side B&N.  Check out the complete story here.

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Engadget is reporting that the Nook will be available at BestBuy, starting April 18th, and that Target will be carrying the Kindle, this should heat up the ereader wars.  The real question is will the iPad be competing with these devices or are they separate markets.

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Engadget posted early this morning, an internal memo from Barnes and Noble that says the much anticipated software release 1.2 will be out this week.  Dated Feb. 4th (Thursday)  this week is almost over so they could be talking next week.

The other revelation in the memo is that the B & N stores will be receiving stock in the stores next week and they will have the release 1.2 software on them.  As we reported yesterday the delivery delays for online orders are now gone and it looks like the stores will also be able to sell you a nook after you touch it, no more walking out the door with your head hanging and a longing feeling in your stomach.  Take a look at the memo here, it is a pretty bad picture but can be read.

My wife’s nook shipped on the Feb. 3rd and is in Hodgkins, IL as of 12:00 am this morning, it is scheduled for delivery Monday and it will be interesting to see if the new software is installed.  If it is not it could take a few days before we start seeing the over the air updates start to happen.

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The shipping delays for nook are pretty much over,  I just ordered one for my wife on the Jan. 29th and it shipped yesterday, 5 days, not bad.  A second report on the B & N help pages has a Feb 1 order shipping yesterday so I think we can safely say the nook is available to all with no delays, now is the time to order.

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