Barnes & Noble will open up a new chapter in the development of its Nook Color next month with a firmware update that includes Adobe Flash playback support and email plus an App Store , features displayed exclusively on a Home Shopping Network segment this morning. The segment, recorded by a fan and posted on YouTube, outlines those additions. (See grab below.) In a press release , Barnes& Noble acknowledged adding email, but didn’t mention Flash. Though the Nook was introducedas a pure play e-reader, the new functionality puts it more in the direction of a tablet, a market dominated by Apple’s iPad and iPad 2, which don’t support Flash. Other Android-based tablets are beginning to support the platform though, including Samsung’s redesigned 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab , which is due in June, and Motorola’s Xoom, which will get full Flash support “in a matter of weeks,” according to a recent report . On HSN, the updated Nook was listed at $299 with $11.95 for shipping and handling. On the segment, the device boasts a$504 retail value and a normally listed price of $379.95 on HSN. HSN plans to offer other sneak peeks at 5 PM and 9 PM today. The upgrade comes after Barnes& Noble offered a “minor” tweakin January that added better Wi-Fi connectivity, improved performance and the ability to pinch and zoom the text.
via http://mashable.com/2011/03/26/nook-color-flash/
