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B&N’s New Nook eReader Cleared the FCC

nook fcc bnvr500aBarnes & Noble has had a troubled history with hardware development, sometimes releasing a device that was ahead of the market (Nook Color) and sometimes releasing gadgets no one wants to buy (Nook HD) but that hasn’t stopped them.

Their latest gadget cleared the FCC last night and it looks to be an ereader.

B&N has taken the cautious step of hiding all the images and the more interesting details, so all I know at the moment is that this device, the BNRV500-A, was tested for Wifi and has a rectangular shape. According to the tests it has 4GB of storage and a 1.5Ah battery.

nook fcc bnvr500a

I can’t find any mentions in the test reports of screen size or resolution, frontlight, or card slot, but one report does include a diagram which suggests that the new device has the same general proportions as the Nook Touch and Nook Glow. The model number is the same as that of the Nook Touch, which is a sign that we are looking at an ereader.

B&N is probably going to replace the existing Nook Touch with the new model, and they are probably going to launch it in the next few days or weeks.

I am also expecting to see a new tablet from B&N. I have seen numerous leaks including listings for a BT keyboard, a new Nook for Dummies book, and new accessories, and I also have numerous inside sources that say that a tablet is coming. The latest info is that this time around B&N’s tablet will have at least one camera.

There’s no new info on when the gadgets are going to launch, but my sources had told me that it was supposed to have happened already.

FCC (XHHBNRV500-A)

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Comments


Tyler October 21, 2013 um 8:47 am

Plus they just put the Nook HD on sales again for this week.

Nate Hoffelder October 21, 2013 um 8:52 am

And everything else.


uihz October 21, 2013 um 9:10 am

A reader with Bluetooth would be nice. I found the lack of a camera in the Nook tablets to be an advantage, actually, but sure, they’re going with the trend. I wonder who actually uses a tablet to make videos and pictures. As if it weren’t enough that each smatphone already comes with one or two of these crappy mini cameras.


steve October 21, 2013 um 10:38 am

Nice find, Nate. Looking at this story, I remember another story about a rumor you passed along awhile back (although I know you didn’t put much faith in it at the time) about BN working on a firmware update that would add functionality to their NOOK Touch line of readers, basically turning them into low end tablets.

Well, that update hasn’t materialized, at least not yet, but maybe there was a grain of truth to the rumor, and that’s this device in the works now.

Nate Hoffelder October 21, 2013 um 12:23 pm

I doubt that older rumor has anything to do with this device. It had a specific time frame and involved last year’s hardware.

it also didn’t come true.

steve October 21, 2013 um 1:36 pm

I would argue that it might. It’s too soon to say anything definite, but that story about a NOOK Touch tablet was from May; they could have been kicking around a few prototypes then, contemplating their options.

Then the news got leaked, but garbled, and people got the idea that BN was releasing a firmware update, when actually they were going to upgrade the NOOK Touch line instead. Maybe.


wayne leong October 21, 2013 um 1:12 pm

Roaming thru a Target store yesterday, and noticed they had a secret clearance on some Nook HD cases for $12.00 .

Richard Lerner October 26, 2013 um 9:58 am

Desperation. B&N is seriously underperforming the sector.


Fbone October 21, 2013 um 1:32 pm

They’ll wait until the afterglow of Apple’s event passes to announce it.


kib2 October 21, 2013 um 3:43 pm

Let me dream:

– under Android 4 for using whatever reader you like (Moon+, Mantano, Aldiko, etc.);
– better dictionary support, that shouldn’t be too difficult as there was only one English;
– a better frontlight with a nice contrast;
– HD resolution 1024×768;
– keeping the physical buttons;
– you can buy it anywhere in Europe
– same price as the new Kindle.

Jeremy October 24, 2013 um 1:05 pm

CHEAPER than the new kindle!

Richard Lerner October 26, 2013 um 9:57 am

Ya gets what ya pays for.


fjtorres October 21, 2013 um 4:39 pm

Any idea what the bumps on the perimeter might be?
It’s ergonomically odd.
(A snap on cover?)

Nate Hoffelder October 21, 2013 um 4:47 pm

No idea. I wish i knew.

Name October 21, 2013 um 4:57 pm

Might be cover clip, since the device seems to be a little smaller than the current model.

Nate Hoffelder October 21, 2013 um 5:00 pm

You don’t need that many clips, I don’t think. Also, the Nook Touch has a simiar setup only with notches in the shell instead of things sticking out.


Richard Lerner October 26, 2013 um 9:57 am

I just had a bad experience with Nook customer service. It sort of stinks of desperation, going for the short money as if they expect to be out of business in the not-too-far future. I’m bailing on this device.


Neuer Nook eBook Reader bei der FCC May 22, 2015 um 10:38 am

[…] können, gibt’s ein neues Lebenszeichen des Nook SW (Simply White ?) eBook Readers. Wie The Digital Reader herausgefunden hat, hatte die amerikanische Telekommunikationsbehörde FCC das Gerät mit der Bezeichnung BNRV500 […]


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