Barnes & Noble's uber-popular Nook Color e-reader (which also doubles as a better-than-average Android tablet) is getting its official upgrade to version 1.2.0 this week. It's pushing out over the air, or you can install it manually. Here's what's new:
- Access to shop a broad collection of popular NOOK Apps™ to enjoy great games, stay up to date on news and weather, and more
- Full-featured free email to check and send web-based email (i.e., Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, AOL) all from one in-box
- NOOK Color’s update to Android OS 2.2/Froyo offers system improvements, browser performance and a more complete Web experience giving customers access to enjoy even more video, interactive and animated content. NOOK Color now includes support for Adobe® Flash® Player
- NOOK Kids™ exciting new Read and Play titles that bring animation, activities and stories together
- NOOK Books Enhanced offer in-page video and audio in a growing number of titles
- Enhancements to magazine navigation making it easier to enjoy even more of the growing selection of magazines in NOOK Newsstand
- NOOK Friends™ (beta) to see your friends’ reading activities, swap books with LendMe™, share recommendations and discover new titles
So the big things here? Froyo, of course, and apps. But don't mistake this update for bringing Android Market access. You'll be downloading apps from Barnes & Noble. Market access is still going to require some hackery, which we're more than happy to show you in the Android Central Forums.
So look for the update to push out this week. Or if you want to install it manually (we just did), instructions are after the break. [Barnes & Noble] Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
How to install the Nook color v1.2.0 update
- Download the update here. Save it to your computer.
- Plug the Nook Color into your computer. (Make sure it has at least 20 percent battery.)
- Copy the file you downloaded to the root directory of the Nook Color, which should now appear in your file explorer. (See picture below.)
- Sit back, and the Nook Color will initiate the update. It takes just a couple minutes, and it'll delete the file when it's done.
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