Barnes and Noble have just discontinued Nook Readouts, the popular Nook service with blog posts, ebook excerpts, and serial reads. Barnes and Noble Nook e-Readers have just received a firmware update, 6.6.4, which has wholly removed Nook Readouts, while older devices will see messaging regarding Readouts ending on April 1, 2024.
B&N Nook Readouts launched in 2015. B&N Readouts was refreshed daily with book excerpts in popular genres and topics, including Fiction, Romance, Mysteries & Thrillers, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Teen & Young Adult, Lifestyle, Books & Ideas, Science & Tech and Business & Innovation. B&N Readouts also offers customers sneak peeks of upcoming books and unique bonus content from authors and publishers. My Picks allows users to customize selections to reflect their interests.
It is a shame that the platform has completely shut down on modern Nook e-readers. This exciting feature gave them a competitive advantage over the Amazon Kindle and Kobo. What does Barnes and Noble plan to do now that Readouts is gone?
The bookseller claims they are working on a modern equivalent of Nook Readouts. In a help file, they state, “Please know that we are working on future features to continue serving our reading community. Look for announcements and updates in the coming months.” When users install the new firmware update, it says, “Every good story must come to an end. As of March 2024, Nook Readouts has closed its covers and will no longer be available. Much like your “to read list,” we have a list of great new features in the next few months.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.