Very exciting news from Nook Devs. They managed to hack the Nook to get a browser to work.
Perhaps it forces B&N to add a browser and match the Free Internet you get on the Amazon Kindle.
NookDevs had managed to hack the Nook and get root access earlier. Yesterday they had two breakthroughs -
- They got Pandora streaming music service to work - it plays in the background as you read.
- Later in the day they got a full-fledged browser to work including accessing Google Reader, Facebook and Twitter.
Some of the pictures are really sketchy – However, this Google Reader in the browser picture seems legitimate.
All the updates are courtesy NookDevs on Twitter.
The instructions for hacking the Nook and then getting the browser to work are at the NookDevs Apps page, and Chris Davies at SlashGear first covered the update.
Does this mean Nook will have a Browser?
Well, it’s a hack and not an easy one at the moment.
Also, the connection to the Internet only works over WiFi and not over 3G (that’s my understanding from reading their wiki).
B&N can approach it in four ways -
- Officially add a browser that works all the time.
- Add a browser that only works over WiFi.
- Let people hack their Nook and use Internet over WiFi.
- Do a fix and disable this browser hack.
The big issue is bandwidth which means B&N will almost certainly not enable browsing over AT&T.
If B&N don’t fix the hack or if they add a browser that works over WiFi then you get to browse the Internet whenever you have a WiFi connection available.
What if you aren’t technical enough to hack the Nook or don’t want to take the risk?
Why not get the Kindle which has free Internet built-in?
If you prefer the Nook -
- You can hope that NookDevs create an easy software hack. Then, if you’re willing to risk your warranty, you can use the hack.
- You can hope B&N add in a browser officially. It’ll probably only work in WiFi mode – However, that’s better than nothing.
The browser and Pandora are probably the first of many Android Apps that hackers enable on the Nook.
It would not be a surprise if B&N decide to open up the Nook to 3rd party apps. That would be one way to increase the value proposition.
Will the Nook lose its effectiveness as an eReader with Android Apps?
You have to wonder.
Soon there will be games and other diversions. B&N have to strike a balance between allowing 3rd party developers (or hackers) to add value and keeping the focus on reading.
One thing’s for sure – Unless B&N close down the hacks, the Nook vs Kindle contest is going to get a lot more exciting.
Filed under: Barnes Noble Nook Tagged: | nook ereader, nook vs kindle
