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| Nook GlowLight 4 .. the new e-book reader |
Bookseller Barnes & Noble has announced the release of the new Nook GlowLight 4 e-reader. This $149 e-reader has an updated design, more storage space, and USB-C charging.
The latest Nook dedicated e-reader, GlowLight 3, was released 49 months ago on November 1, 2017, though Barnes & Noble did wake up the Nook brand a bit with the Nook 10 laptop earlier this year. Lenovo tablet price $130.
The new Nook GlowLight 4 doesn't look much different from the 2017 model. The screen is the same 6-inch screen with built-in 300-dpi backlighting and an adjustable color temperature feature, though the company has lowered the bezel and overall size of the new model.
The battery life is also extended and can be used for up to 50 days on a single charge. Storage has quadrupled from 8GB to 32GB.
These new improvements also increased prices by $30. Nook GlowLight 4 is now $149, $119 more than the Nook GlowLight 3.
Barnes & Noble didn't add any other major features like waterproof materials or better materials.
Barnes & Noble was one of the first to add these features with its 2015 GlowLight Plus, which introduced a sleek aluminum design long before Amazon entered the Oasis.
Before Amazon and Kobo made it a standard for most product groups, the Nook was also water-resistant.
The e-book reader costs $150
Given its $149 price tag, the Nook GlowLight 4 is more expensive than Amazon's new Paperwhite model. It starts at $139, and has a larger screen, water resistance, and a larger interface for e-books.
It also matches Kobo's Libra line of products, starting at $159. But it does offer a bigger and better screen, water resistance, and easy access to borrow library books.
The only real feature that the Nook GlowLight 4 has is the actual page rotation button. This makes it the cheapest flagship e-reader that provides such functionality.
However, GlowLight 4 appears to be just the beginning. Barnes & Noble CEO James Dawn promised in the accompanying press release that Barnes & Noble will now invest heavily in the Nook series, indicating that he plans to revive the Nook in the coming months and years.
While Barnes & Noble still has a long way to go to catch up with Amazon or Kobo, having an outside competitor in the e-reader space can help.
Nook GlowLight 4 will be available at Barnes & Noble and in stores December 8th.