The Next Nook Will Be a Samsung Galaxy Tab

Barnes & Noble finally found a home for its collapsing hardware business: Samsung.
The Korean hardware giant will build Nook software into Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 tablets and sell them in Barnes & Noble retailers as Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nooks.

The announcement comes roughly four months after Barnes & Noble CEO Mike Huseby promised new hardware by late this year. Now, in a partnership with Samsung, he seems to have delivered on his promise, while mostly exiting the hardware business.

The 7-inch Tab 4 will be a co-branded Android device, but will offer the Barnes & Noble's Nook reading experience.

The 7-inch Tab 4 will be a co-branded Android device, but will offer the Barnes & Noble's Nook reading experience. The Nook HD tablets were notable for a consumer-friendly interface that allowed users to configure profiles for each family member.

“Standing behind these great new devices will be the power of our 40,000 Barnes & Noble booksellers combined with our deep bookselling and retail expertise to provide sales support and personalized in-store customer service for our lineup of new Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook products," Huseby said.

The current Galaxy Tab 4 costs $199.99, runs Android 4.4 (KitKat), features two cameras (1.3 megapixel on the front and 3 megapixel on the back) and boasts a 1280 x 800 screen, which is actually a lower screen resolution than Barnes & Noble's last 7-inch Nook HD (1440 x 900). No word yet on whether or not the Tab 4 Nook's will also offer access to Google Play.

Barnes & Noble will continue to sell its own GlowLight e-readers alongside the Tab 4 Nooks starting this August, and confirmed to Mashable that it will build new e-readers as well. Late last year, Barnes & Noble delivered an ultralight, 6.2-oz. e-reader with e-ink, but did little to market it during the holiday buying season.

Samsung unveils curved UHD TVs

Las Vegas: Korean electronics giant Samsung today launched its most talked-about product, the curved ultra high definition (UHD) TV, and a range of products including tablets at the 2014 International Consumer Electronics Show.

The company unveiled a 105-inch screen UHD TV, which it claims is the world's largest curved UHD TV. The U9000 series includes 65-inch and 55-inch curved TVs. Besides, the 12.2-inch Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO tablets present mobile users with a display that offers a resolution of more than 4 million pixels.

The Galaxy NotePRO and TabPRO line is completed by the Galaxy TabPRO 10.1-inch and 8.4-inch as well. The New Year also marks the debut of Samsung's Chef Collection, a range of premium kitchen appliances. It includes refrigerators, stoves, ovens, over-the-range microwaves and dishwashers that can clean without missing corners. Samsung also showcased a new washing machine and washer dryer with a maximum laundry capacity of about 25 kg.

The company did not reveal prices and global launch dates of these products. "Four trends are shaping the technology demands of consumers: connectivity, urbanisation, aging and new environmental and societal risks," Samsung Electronics co-CEO Boo-keun Yoon said. The home of the future has to protect, be flexible and be responsive and needs technology that will connect all the digital dots in the lives of consumers, he added.

"Samsung is in a better position to deliver solutions for the 'Home of the Future' than anybody else - helped by our broad product range, integrated development and manufacturing and our large global network of partners," Yoon said.

Samsung's Smart Home service puts consumers in control of devices and appliances in their homes with a single application. With a single application on a smart TV, digital camera, smartphone or wearable device like the Galaxy Gear, consumers can control home devices – ranging from washing machines to lights to air-conditioners – both at home and on the road.

The controlling device also responds to voice commands. Smart Home will initially offer three main services: Device Control to manage devices at home; Home View, to monitor homes in real-time through built-in cameras on appliances or a digital camera from their smartphone; and Smart Customer Service, which provides service alerts and assistance in servicing.

Samsung woos users with upgrade plan

New Delhi: To push its mobile sales, Samsung on Monday launched a scheme under which customers can buy a phone on installments and after six months upgrade to a new handset.

"We are targeting a significant number of new users joining the Samsung family. This not only offers an 18-month EMI programme but also an Easy Buy Back, which will help users upgrade to newer models," Samsung Mobiles and IT's Country Head Vineet Taneja said in a statement.

The smartphones covered under the 'Stay New' scheme are Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note 2, Samsung S4, Samsung S4 Mini, Samsung S3, Galaxy Tab 3 and Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The company has tied up with HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Citibank and Standard Chartered for this program.

Customers can buy any of these smartphones through these banks' credit card and avail of 18-month instalment scheme, at applicable interest rates.

The scheme will be rolled out in stores across the country from January 1 to March 31.

Ingram Micro, distributor of Samsung gadgets, has facilitated the buy back scheme for upgrading mobile device.

Under this scheme, users can sell their Samsung devices by calling up Ingram Micro within 6-12 months of purchase so as to upgrade their phones.

Samsung launches Galaxy Grand 2

Mumbai: South Korean mobile handset-maker Samsung today launched its latest offering 'Galaxy Grand 2' in a price range of Rs 22,990 to Rs 24,990.

The dual-SIM smartphone will be available in the market from first week of January next year.

"This new Samsung Galaxy Grand 2 delivers an improved HD viewing experience, more powerful multi-tasking features, a premium experience through design and entertainment on the go," Samsung India Country Head, Mobile and IT, Vineet Taneja said.

The device runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean and is a dual-SIM device with support for GSM+GSM. It also features a 5.25-inch HD TFT display with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels.

Samsung has also introduced a single destination - Club Samsung - for its Indian infotainment content, company's Director, Mobile, Manu Sharma said.

"The Club Samsung digital entertainment store features 4 lakh songs, 5,000 movies, 500 gigs and live TV with over 90 channels all optimised for high-quality display on Samsung devices," he said. The device will be available in black, pink and white colour variants in select regions.

"The device will be launched across the country through its dealership network of 1.2 lakh dealers," Sharma added.