Hasta La Gadget!

So, the iPad mini is here at last! Smaller tablets have already carved out a real niche for themselves, and if you’ve always wanted an iPad but were scared off by its size, then maybe this is the day you’ve been waiting for. More »

Kobo announced today via its company blog that the Kobo Glo and Kobo Mini e-readers are now on sale at Canadian retailers Indigo, Future Shop and Best Buy, and in the U.K. at WHSmith. The $80 Mini and $130 Glo were announced in September, just ahead of the unveiling of Amazon’s new Kindle lineup. Kobo also announced today that its Arc 7-inch Android tablet will be hitting store shelves in November.

The Kobo Mini is the company’s entry-level e-reader, with a 5-inch touch screen and 2GB of onboard storage, while the Glo is a larger 6-inch device that also offers expandable, microSD storage and what Kobo calls a ComfortLight touch display, essentially the same thing that Barnes & Noble’s Nook with GlowLight offers. It’s also similar to Amazon’s Paperwhite technology, with which the Kobo Glo will go head to head – though not in the Canadian and UK markets just yet.

Amazon’s latest e-reader isn’t yet available outside of the U.S., except in its basic form as the latest generation non-touch Kindle. That will give Kobo a running start in both of these markets, and one that could last into the new year, according to some reports. The Arc could also beat the latest Kindle Fire to Canadian customers, though UK shoppers already have access to the Fire and Fire HD.

Kobo, which was acquired by Japanese e-commerce mega-company Rakuten in 2011, is doing a good job of finding success in markets where Amazon has limited or no reach, and is seeking out additional partnerships like the one it has with WH Smith via new office openings this year in Dublin and Luxemberg, according to Publisher’s Weekly. The company also boasted a 50 percent market share of France’s e-book market, the company shared back in April. Addressing gaps in the global market is a great strategy for a relative upstart like Kobo when going against someone with the U.S. e-reader market dominance that Amazon enjoys.

With Microsoft bringing on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 later this month, it’s no wonder why they’re looking to team up with as many partners as possible for the launch – and it appears that Barnes & Noble is next on the list. Today Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have announced a new joint venture – a subsidiary, even – called NOOK MEDIA LLC. This group will include Barnes & Noble’s NOOK Digital and College Businesses and the Microsoft Investment to Advance Digital Reading Experience group.

This new conglomeration begins with a $300 million dollar investment from Microsoft directly into NOOK Media LLC. They’ve announced – or re-announced, for some – the NOOK reading application for Windows 8, and Barnes & Noble’s CEO William Lynch has made it clear that they’re ready to bring their reading experience to “millions of Windows 8 users.”

Microsoft President Andy Lees noted that they’d be bringing “one of the world’s largest digital libraries” to Windows 8 devices galore with a new Windows 8 app. It would appear that Microsoft was impressed by Barnes & Noble’s recent launches in the UK and hopes to continue to work with them as they spread across the planet.

This investment, once approved, would make Microsoft’s $300 million investment in NOOK Media LLC a $1.7 billion post-money valuation in exchange for a stake in the company. With Barnes & Noble owning the remaining shares, Microsoft would control a 17.6% equity stake in the company. This deal has not yet been approved and requires review before any final decisions are made.

NOTE also that this is the continuation of a deal announced earlier this year when the original $300 million amount was first revealed.

Microsoft joins Barnes & Noble for NOOK Media LLC subsidiary is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Welcome to Tuesday evening, everyone. The afternoon brought us a number of interesting stories, including brand new shots of what appears to be the long-rumored iPad Mini. Speaking of devices with the word “Mini” in their name, some are thinking that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S III Mini next week after German press invitations suggested something along those lines. iOS 6 adoption has hit 60% of Apple’s user base, and we found out today that Motorola has dropped its ITC lawsuit against Apple, but we don’t why just yet.

After announcing its new 4G LTE service last month, EE made headlines a few times today. First, the company put a handful of 4G LTE capable devices up for sale, then brushed aside negative comments from its LTE rivals, and finally, we got to take the iPhone 5 through an EE 4G LTE speed test. One analyst is saying that the problems with Apple Maps aren’t having an effect on iPhone 5 demand, while we learned that most of Microsoft’s temporary retail stores will be opening on October 26. We heard today that Samsung Galaxy S III sales took a jump around the time the verdict in its case against Apple was delivered, as well as when the iPhone 5 was announced, which is interesting to say the least.

The BBC is working on its own music streaming player, and Barnes and Noble has updated its NOOK apps for iOS and Android. AT&T and Time Warner are saying they want the same Kansas City benefits Google received when it launched its fiber network there, while Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was spotted telling both Apple and Android fans to calm down. Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Windows Phone 8 device of its own, and in the wake of the HTC One X+ announcement, we compare HTC’s new flagship side-by-side with the Samsung Galaxy S III.

Lenovo announced today that it will soon be building a plant here in the US, while we got a funny story about Steve Jobs and the opening of new Apple stores today as well. HTC said that the One X and One S will both be getting Jelly Bean updates later this month, while Valve announced that not only has the Left 4 Dead franchise reached 12 million sales, but also that non-game software is now available to purchase from Steam. Finally tonight, Chris Burns has a new interview Genndy Tartakovsky, who directed shows such as the Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory, while Chris Davies examines if HTC is about to make a big comeback. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, enjoy the rest of your night folks!

SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: October 2, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The Nook’s $20 price drop is more than the whim of a few major retailers — it’s Barnes & Noble’s new MSRP. Following Walmart and Target’s recent discounts, the company’s own website is now listing the glowing e-reader at its new $119 price. The reduction is almost assuredly in preparation for Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite, as B&N’s announcement makes a point of bragging about the Simple Touch with Glowlight’s included AC adapter and aversion to built-in ads. See the punchy press release for yourself after the break.

Continue reading B&N makes the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight’s $20 price drop official

B&N makes the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight’s $20 price drop official originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 13:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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