From the Barnes & Noble Blog!!

New to NOOK: Version 1.3 Available Now!
from Unbound: The eReading Blog articles by Paul_Hochman

We’re extremely pleased to announce Barnes & Noble is expanding the overall NOOK eBook reader experience with the addition of new firsts and features.

Included in NOOK Version 1.3 software (available now) is the breakthrough Read In Store (Beta) experience where you can browse complete eBooks (and soon periodicals) in your local Barnes & Noble store at no cost! NOOK automatically connects to the fast and free Wi-Fi® and you’re free to read any parts of any available eBook for up to an hour per day! You’ll find lots of great titles, from the current bestsellers to classics, as we have more content available from more than 200 publishers including all the major publishing houses.

We’ve also enhanced Wi-Fi® connectivity so you connect to even more hotspots and rolled out a basic Web browser (Beta).

Plus, we’ve added some fun and challenging games — our first android apps. Sudoku anyone? Or, how about chess — pit your knight, queen, or rook against NOOK!

We’ve also made additional reading and device performance enhancements including improved page turn speed, faster access to previously opened eBooks, enhanced color touch screen navigation and more.

You can see how these enhancements — combined with access to more than one million titles, free 3G wireless, an easy to read E-Ink® screen, exclusive LendMe Technology, free shipping, and the convenience of being able to try NOOK in any Barnes & Noble store — make it the “#1 pick for e-readers” (Money Magazine).

The new features and additional enhancements are available with the updated NOOK software now available via manual download at www.nook.com/update. If your NOOK is registered and has Wi-Fi® connectivity (Airplane mode should be OFF and Wi-Fi® should be turned ON and connected to a hotspot), the device will automatically download the software and install it on your NOOK within the next week. If connected to Wi-Fi® and you’d like to get the update sooner, you can tap ‘Check for new B&N content’ under My Library. However, if the update does not start automatically, please try again in a couple of hours.

The process takes approximately 5-7 minutes via Wi-Fi® or 4-5 minutes for the manual download (depending on your connection). You should NOT turn your NOOK off while the new software is being downloaded. Once the software update is completed, your NOOK will automatically restart and display the Home screen. The software update will preserve your personal settings, including your registered account information, content, display settings, and Wi-Fi® settings.

Then visit your local Barnes & Noble store, grab a comfortable chair and your favorite beverage and enjoy our exciting Read In Store experience and download exclusive More In Store content too.