Amazon is not the only book retailer stepping into tablet-infested anymore-- Barnes & Noble launches a Nook Tablet, a similarly priced low-end offering upgrading on the Nook eReader series.
It has a 7" IPS laminated display, a dual-core 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage (expandable via microSD cards) and pre-loaded Netflix, Hulu and Pandora apps.
Comparisons to the Amazon Kindle Fire abound-- the Nook tablet has twice as much storage as the Fire, and, more crucially, free in-store support through Nook kiosks in Barns & Noble retail locations.
It will also provide customers with access to 250 magazines and comics from Marvel and other publishers.
Android Gingerbread powers the device-- but the retailer doesn't offer open access to the Android Market.
Will Barnes & Noble managed to rival an Amazon-powered cloud infrastructure? Maybe not (although in-store kiosks could be a draw) but either way the low-end tablet race is heating up.
Go Nook Tablet