Microsoft Invests $300 Million in Nook to Take on Amazon and Apple in E-Book Market

[keiths29]

No kool-aid, just facts

Someone call 911, this guy just OD'd on Apple flavored Kool-Aid

Kool-aid (it was actually Flavor-aid, but that's besides the point)? Seriously, was the Microsoft / Nokia deal a good one? No. Apple is the largest company in the world, Amazon is growing and Google is just as plain scary big. This isn't just about Apple, its about companies who innovate. Tell you what, go invest your paper route money in Microsoft, you'll do just fine.

 

[Plutonius]

The Nook isn't a great device, it's over priced, and the bookstore is under-welming. I guess it makes logical sense for MS to put their money there instead of, say, doing it right and build a decent product. Sometimes they amaze me on their moves. I had already thought the nook was dead; now I'm sure of it.

iPad or Kindle for book reading, those are the standards.

I couldn't disagree more. E-INK is what you want for an e-book reader and both the basic Nook and Kindle e-book readers with E-INK do a great job.

 

[TMar]

Guys save the money. Hire a bunch of engineers and industrial designers and try something new, not now that there is a third generation of iPad.

Sometimes I wonder if some of you know that Microsoft is a software company...

 

[Renzatic]

Kool-aid (it was actually Flavor-aid, but that's besides the point)? Seriously, was the Microsoft / Nokia deal a good one? No. Apple is the largest company in the world, Amazon is growing and Google is just as plain scary big. This isn't just about Apple, its about companies who innovate. Tell you what, go invest your paper route money in Microsoft, you'll do just fine.

The MS/Nokia deal has done nothing but net them profits. In the US at least, the Lumia 900 has been selling pretty damn well, to the point it can actually be a little difficult to find them in some places. It hasn't exactly set the smartphone record of sales or anything, but it's a new entry into an already well established market. People won't be rushing out to replace their currently-on-contract Android/iPhones with it overnight.

Anyway, it's hard to take anyone who says MS isn't "relevant" or MS is dying seriously. Anyone who claims such obviously hasn't...you know...read the internet.

 

[gagaliya]

blind leading the blind...

 

[bushido]

ARE YOU SARCASM, SIR?

Okay, if you really don't know, a Nook is sort of like a Kindle Fire, but supposedly a bit better and smoother. I haven't used one myself, but those who have seem to prefer it over the other eBook focused tablets.

i honestly didnt know, is that an US only thing? we have Kindle here but never heard of a Nook

 

[cube]

The MS/Nokia deal has done nothing but net them profits. In the US at least, the Lumia 900 has been selling pretty damn well, to the point it can actually be a little difficult to find them in some places. It hasn't exactly set the smartphone record of sales or anything, but it's a new entry into an already well established market. People won't be rushing out to replace their currently-on-contract Android/iPhones with it overnight.

Anyway, it's hard to take anyone who says MS isn't "relevant" or MS is dying seriously. Anyone who claims such obviously hasn't...you know...read the internet.

What profits? Symbian was doing quite fine. Abandoning Symbian/Qt for Microsoft is what destroyed Nokia, nothing else.

 

[Renzatic]

i honestly didnt know, is that an US only thing? we have Kindle here but never heard of a Nook

I guess it is. I always thought B&N sold Nooks overseas.

Basically, think of it as a Kindle with a hook for a keyring (I don't know if that's what that little ring on the edge is used for, but that's what it looks like to me). They've got two revs of it: the eInk reader, and a proper 7" tablet that's roughly akin to the Fire. In fact, I think their tablet predated the Fire by a good year or so.

Like I said previously, I haven't used one before, but I hear they're stout little machines. Easily on par with Amazon's offerings.

What profits? Symbian was doing quite fine. Abandoning Symbian/Qt for Microsoft is what destroyed Nokia, nothing else.

Destroyed? As in past tense? I thought they were still around.

And wasn't everyone claiming Symbian/Qt a dead product just...like...not even a few weeks ago. I guess it was until it became a talking point to contrast against WP7 and Micro-dollarsign-oft.

 

[*LTD*]

Microsoft is a pretty big company. They do a decent amount of innovation. There's a lot of tech they work on too that doesn't quite make it to market. Some of it is pretty cool, even if people are to caught in their own delusional apple world to admit for a second that other companies can actually think up some cool ideas. You have to remember too, Apple has bought a lot of tech themselves to fold into their products or product lineup.

I don't see why everyone is hating on Microsoft for investing in the Nook. They probably could have created their own ebook reader, and probably have something cooked up in their labs. I think it'd be better for them to invest in the ebook market though rather than trying to launch another ebook reader. The Nook is a product that is out there, that is currently being used, that has market share. It's better for consumers too I imagine, because instead of just stuffing another reader in the market they're working to improve one of the existing ones.

It isn't hatred so much as it is amusement + sarcasm.

Both of which Microsloth has earned in spades.

A lot of of what they've been doing for the past few years seems to provoke a lot of laughter and pity, from consumers and pundits alike. If this doesn't sit well with folks they should inquire with MS' board and have them figure out why they're still letting Ballmer T. Clown run the show.

----------

What profits? Symbian was doing quite fine.

http://mashable.com/2011/02/09/nokia-burning-platform/

Nokia's laziness and stupidity is what destroyed them. Has anything changed?

 

[cube]

I guess it is. I always thought B&N sold Nooks overseas.

Basically, think of it as a Kindle with a hook for a keyring (I don't know if that's what that little ring on the edge is used for, but that's what it looks like to me). They've got two revs of it: the eInk reader, and a proper 7" tablet that's roughly akin to the Fire. In fact, I think their tablet predated the Fire by a good year or so.

Like I said previously, I haven't used one before, but I hear they're stout little machines. Easily on par with Amazon's offerings.



Destroyed? As in past tense? I thought they were still around.

And wasn't everyone claiming Symbian/Qt a dead product just...like...not even a few weeks ago. I guess it was until it became a talking point to contrast against WP7 and Micro-dollarsign-oft.[

Nokia's laziness and stupidity is what destroyed them. Has anything changed?

What many people claim and spin has nothing to do with the truth.

Before committing suicide, Nokia was growing revenue, profits, ASP.

It is true that it's the Nokia board who had the brilliant idea of hiring an ex-Microsoft as their CEO.

----------

You can't honestly believe this.

http://mashable.com/2011/02/09/nokia-burning-platform/

Exactly I can't believe Symbian was a burning platform from an ex-Microsoft, when Nokia was growing revenues, profits, and ASP.

 

[Renzatic]

Before committing suicide, Nokia was growing revenue, profits, ASP.

Wow, they must be stupid. All going about dumping a hugely profitable line of phones and risking the well being of company on a whim. All because MS showed up.

Exactly I can't believe Symbian was a burning platform from an ex-Microsoft, when Nokia was growing revenues, profits, and ASP.

Yup. Kinda makes you wish they thought things through.

A lot of of what they've been doing for the past few years seems to provoke a lot of laughter and pity, from consumers and pundits alike. If this doesn't sit well with folks they should inquire with MS' board and have them figure out why they're still letting Ballmer T. Clown run the show.

I don't know if WP7 will ever truly catch on. As been oft stated, it is a latecomer to an already saturated market. MS has it's work cut out for it self. But if it doesn't, it won't be due to lack of quality. I mean hell, even good ole Steve Wozniak likes it, and he's one of those picky geeky types. He even compares it favorably to iOS (which is still his favorite, so don't go jumping the gun with all the wailing and gnashing of teeth just yet).

Edit: In before "Steve Wozniak is no longer relevant, so his opinion doesn't matter".

 

[Rogifan]

The reason is simple, "hating Microsoft" is the favourite hobby of a lot of people on these forums.

Seems to me there's plenty of Apple hating here too...

 

[Renzatic]

Seems to me there's plenty of Apple hating here too...

Don't know if it's Apple hating so much as not knee-jerk bashing every other product under the sun.

Remember, people. These companies aren't clubs. You don't have to pick and choose just one. You're allowed to like the stuff the other people make, too.

 

[gkarris]

I know people with Nook's - great devices...

I say MS will use the Nook for its Apps...

and there is a reason for this partnership:

because as far as the B&N Stores, the "Fat Lady" is warming up...

 

[TeamMojo]

Classic Microsoft. How dumb are these guys? That ship set sail about two to three years ago. They missed the boat. Why dump millions in to something that won't work? Just like the Zune, this too shall fail. This isn't the 1990s anymore, but apparently Microsoft likes to throw away money.

 

[davidgrimm]

I welcome MS's efforts in this market, but I doubt it will lead to anything.

- Currently Amazon's the market leader by a huge margin in the ebook biz. You can read a kindle book on just about every thing with a screen (but a TV), but you're hard pressed to do anything more than words on a page.

- Apple's got some neat features and allows the embedding of multimedia content, but you can only use it on an iPad. I know of people that created an iBook and wasn't able to view the finished work because he didn't have an iPad. Apple needs to come out with a reader software for at least OSX.

- B&N's effort is like Amazon, but B&N is too fearful of hurting their full retail book sales to go all in with ebooks.

Either Apple needs to broaden out the iBook reader's base or Amazon needs to allow for easy embedding of multimedia content. If Amazon makes changes to its platform, Apple is in trouble.

 

[sha4000]

Why are ppl always saying MS needs to innovate? So they can knock when they try to innovate? By the way I just picked up a 15' 2008 macbook pro for $75

 

[Renzatic]

By the way I just picked up a 15' 2008 macbook pro for $75

I'll buy it from you for $150. Comeon, man. That's 100% profit!

 

[Navdakilla]

we'll see what happens.

 

[Terrin]

Smart move by Microsoft. Microsoft comes out with another Android license, which shows other Android manufacturers they have to pay Microsoft. This pressures manufacturers to support Windows' Phone. It dispenses with lengthy litigation. Further, it is investing in a legitimate competitor to Amazon's Kindle. In my view, despite the hype, the Nook is a much better product then the Kindle Fire. In addition, if Barnes and Noble is successful in competing with Amazon and to a lessor extent Apple, Microsoft will make money off of its investment in Barnes and Noble. This is practically the same thing Microsoft did to settle Apple's last lawsuit against it. Namely, Microsoft invested 100 million in Apple. It made a pretty penny on its investment. Finally, Microsoft gets a needed product for its ecosystem.

 

[sha4000]

I'll buy it from you for $150. Comeon, man. That's 100% profit!

Ha ha I'm going to give it to the misses. She is currently using a 2006 macbook and keeps looking at my 17' pro I'll give the macbook to my daughter who is a freshman in college and currently working on a 05' ibook. Then the ibook goes to my 14 year old son and I'm done for now.








'

 

[Terrin]

I strongly disagree with this comment. If you go into any Barnes and Noble Store, the Nook area looks like an Apple Store within a Store area. It takes up a good portion of the front of the store. Go to Barnes and Noble's website. What do you see? The Nook takes up almost the whole website. Moreover, Barnes and Noble was one of the few companies that refused to take a Microsoft license initially. Barnes and Noble is actively trying to sell the Nook.

Further, the Nook is actually a really good product. Compared to the Fire, its OS works better, it is faster, and you can do all the same types of things as the Fire. Moreover, Barnes and Noble is actually trying to innovate in the space it's new product with a LED lightening built into the frame is pretty cool.

I am an iPad guy, but if I had to choose between the Fire and the Nook, I'd go with the Nook.

- B&N's effort is like Amazon, but B&N is too fearful of hurting their full retail book sales to go all in with ebooks.

 

[Liquorpuki]

The Nook was successful because it somehow won the female market. What the hell is Microsoft gonna do with that?

I would've rather they took that $300 Million and resurrected the Courier

 

[inreasonsimage]

Steve Wozniak Likes Windows Phone

I don't know if WP7 will ever truly catch on. As been oft stated, it is a latecomer to an already saturated market. MS has it's work cut out for it self. But if it doesn't, it won't be due to lack of quality. I mean hell, even good ole Steve Wozniak likes it, and he's one of those picky geeky types. He even compares it favorably to iOS (which is still his favorite, so don't go jumping the gun with all the wailing and gnashing of teeth just yet).

Yea, I was surprised to discover that there wasn't an article on Macrumors about Steve Wozniak's comments. Last weekend his comments were all over the tech blogs.

 

[scorpio1973]

In my opinion the Nook Touch is a much better device than the Kindle Touch and I love my Kindle and Amazon (have over 150 books purchased through Amazon). I recently purchased a Nook Touch with glowlight to completment my Kindle Touch and the Nook Touch easily bests it from a hardware perspective.

I think this is a good move by Microsoft because competition is a good thing. I jusst hope B&N and Amazon keep innovating with e-readers. I love these devices!

Have to agree with you! I have a Kindle Touch 3G and a Nook Simple Touch. (I have pre-ordered the new Nook Simple Touch w/Glowlight also.) For reading, I love the eInk screens. They are much easier on my eyes. I never use my iPad for reading. They are great little devices, IMO.