barnes & noble

After a long wait, Barnes & Noble has finally unveiled a browser-based platform, allowing users to explore and read the company's e-books from a Mac or PC.

Dubbed Nook for Web, the platform requires no sign-in, software download, or Nook account for users to start reading. According to Barnes & Noble, the service allows users to search for books and sample them, as well as read entire titles after purchase. Barnes & Noble says that Nook for Web comes with the same "Nook-like reading environment" found in the company's applications and e-readers.

Barnes & Noble took … Read more

Barnes & Noble's Nook business had a mixed fiscal year, the company reported today.

During the 12-month period that ended April 28, Barnes & Noble's Nook business, which includes e-reader, accessories, and digital content sales, posted revenue of $933 million, representing a 34.3 percent gain over the $695 million it posted in the prior year. However, the segment's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) fell from a loss of $209 million in the 2011 fiscal year to a loss of $262 million.

Barnes & Noble had other financial details to share as well. The … Read more

Hope you're sitting down for this: Jeff actually has positive words about a movie he saw this weekend! Without giving away the surprise, suffice it to say that Jeff's complaints about the lack of creativity in film and his disgust with the movie-going experience disappeared for two hours on Friday.

In advance of Microsoft's mysterious press event today, we'll speculate what's in store for the software giant and how it could fit into the 56-page road map document that leaked over the weekend.… Read more

You can scratch a Nook-inspired tablet as the product Microsoft is unveiling at its mysterious event today.

Dow Jones Newswires initially reported that Barnes & Noble will not be a part of Microsoft's event. Business Insider, which initially picked up the Dow Jones report, independently confirmed with book retailer that it isn't participating the event.

CNET has also confirmed that Barnes & Noble will not be a part of the event.

A report over the weekend had Microsoft unveiling an entertainment-focused device alongside Barnes & Noble.

It contradicted several other reports that Microsoft was unveiling its own tablet … Read more

Microsoft's mysterious media event scheduled for tomorrow has generated a lot of speculation about what the software giant has up its sleeve, with many bets being placed on a new tablet to challenge Apple's iPad.

Now we are hearing that while the tech titan is indeed expected to unveil a tablet, the new product is being developed in conjunction with Barnes & Noble and will focus on entertainment, according to a TechCrunch report. Another source says Xbox streaming is also on tap for the tablet.

If true, the report suggests that a new Microsoft tablet would be aimed … Read more

week in review We now know what investors will spend -- at least for a few seconds -- to get a piece of what is likely the most anticipated tech IPO ever.

Facebook is seeking to raise as much as $13.6 billion in its IPO, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange commission, which would value the company at roughly $88 billion. The company is aiming to price its shares between $28 and $35.

This paves for the way for Facebook and its bankers to begin the road show on Monday, with shares to start … Read more

Barnes & Noble has a plan to attract more in-store use of its Nook e-readers, and it involves near-field communication chips.

The technology -- known mostly for allowing consumers to use their phones to make payments -- will soon be embedded in the bookseller's Nook devices, Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch revealed during an interview with Fortune magazine.

"We can work with the publishers so they would ship a copy of each hardcover with an NFC chip embedded with all the editorial reviews they can get on BN.com," Lynch said in the interview. "And if you had your Nook, you can walk up to any of our pictures, any our aisles, any of our bestseller lists, and just touch the book, and get information on that physical book on your Nook and have some frictionless purchase experience." … Read more

The announcement that Microsoft & Barnes and Noble are going in together on what essentially amounts to a spin-off of B&N's Nook business could prevent an ugly divorce in my household. For those who know me personally, don't worry, my wife and I are getting along just fine, but I can't say the same for me and my Nook Tablet.

Shortly after the Nook Tablet -- an updated version of the popular Nook Color e-reader -- was released in November, one showed up on my doorstep as an early holiday gift from a family member.

At first, I was swept off my feet -- as a writer, I'd resisted the temptation to buy an iPad or comparable Android tablet, holding firm to the close relationship I've developed over my career with hard-wired keyboards, so this was essentially my first relationship with a touch screen. … Read more

Quite a lot has already been conjectured in the wake of Microsoft's decision to invest $300 million in a new joint venture with Barnes & Noble. Is a Windows Nook on the way? Are we witnessing a sly move to poke Google in the eye by fostering Android fragmentation? Or is this part of a longer range effort to help users e-books and articles across myriad devices?

Yes to all of the above. But there's not much sense in overthinking this. If you're Steve Ballmer, there's no way that you don't do this deal.

First, … Read more