Last month, CEA reported that tablets would be the most requested holiday gift item in the consumer electronics category for 2011. So gift buyers are scrambling to find good tablet deals so they can get their favorite friend or family member a gift they actually want this year without busting the holiday budget. High on the list of most requested items are the new more compact, more affordable 7-inch tablets such as Amazon's Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble's NOOK Tablet. Each of these tablets is Android-based, so there are a good selection of apps, and each serves as an excellent e-reader for those with a voracious appetite for reading. But because they've been so popular, it has been difficult to get a discount on either tablet.
But for one day only, Barnes and Noble is offering a $25 discount on the NOOK Tablet, lowering the net price from $249.99 to $224.99 including free shipping. The discount comes in the form of a Barnes and Noble eGift Card, so it's applicable toward any future purchase from Barnes and Noble. Use it for yourself, or give it as a bonus with the NOOK so the recipient can load it up with a few books, apps or magazine subscriptions. This deal is available online only, and expires tonight (12/12) at 11:59 PM Pacific Time (or 2:59 AM on Tuesday, Eastern Time). The only catch? You have to pay for the NOOK using a MasterCard. By the way, for those only interested in e-reader capabilities, you can also get that $25 gift card with purchase of the NOOK Color or NOOK Simple Touch e-reader.
Find out more or take advantage of this deal here:
At $99, the NOOK Simple Touch offers a, well, simple (not to mention affordable) way to bring a whole library of books with you, wherever you go. The NOOK Simple Touch uses e-Ink technology so the text is easy on the eyes, and the battery last for days -- even weeks -- between charges, with normal use. As with any NOOK, the device lets you browse and select from over 2.5 million books through the NOOK store or even from your public library. And with built in Wi-Fi support, you will be able to load up your NOOK without needing access to a computer (you will need access to a WiFi network, of course). As a bonus, you can browse this extensive catalog from within any B&N store location, to "try before you buy" so to speak.
If you're looking for something that's a little more colorful (and media friendly), check out the NOOK Color at $199 (before gift card). Although you won't get the longer battery life of e-Ink, you do get a nice bright full-color 7-inch LCD touch-screen, which makes magazines and color books come alive. Besides all of the same books, magazines and other titles available to the NOOK Simple Touch, the NOOK Color offers access to select apps, such as "Angry Birds" and other games, music, and more. You can even check your e-mail, browse the web and access video. According to B&N, a future upgrade will enable video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu Plus, so it's a nice upgrade if you're looking for an eReader with a little something extra.
Ian White put the NOOK Color through its paces earlier this year and said it's "a best buy and the eReader to beat." Read his entire NOOK Color eReader Review for more information on this model. By the way, the loading time and page-turning delays from earlier versions have been greatly improved since we first published the review, and are all but eliminated in the new NOOK Tablet.
Speaking of which, at the very top of the NOOK heap is the brand new NOOK Tablet at $249.99. This one is nearly identical in looks and in form factor to the NOOK Color, but the Tablet offers a more powerful processor that can make the most out of Android apps, including games and multimedia. The NOOK Tablet comes with access to Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and the Android app market so you can deck it out with the features, apps and content you want as you go. It's also got access to the same extensive catalog of books (over 2.5 million) including a number of free and low cost titles.
If you've had your eye on a NOOK this holiday season but have been waiting for a deal, we expect this will be as good as it gets so whip out that MasterCard and pick one up today for yourself or someone you love.
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