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B&N Launches a ReBranded Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Nook 8″ Tablet, Now Selling it for $400

As I predicted two weeks ago, Barnes & Noble has announced a new Nook device today.

Samsung and B&N have just launched the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Nook. This $400 tablet features an 8″ screen and runs Android 5.0 Lollipop. It’s available today at Nook.com, and in B&N stores (just like I said it would be).

samsung galaxy tab s2 nook

As you can see from the above image, the Galaxy Tab S2 Nook is in many ways an iPad Mini clone.  The 8″ screen has the same screen resolution as on the iPad Mini (1536 x 2048 pixels), and the Galaxy Tab S2 Nook also bears a more than superficial resemblance.

Under the hood, obviously, the difference are many. It runs not quite the latest version of Android on an 8-core CPU (Quad 1.9GHz + Quad 1.3GHz) with 3GB RAM. It has 32GB of storage and a microSD card slot, two cameras (2.1MP and 8MP), and a bevy of sensors.

feat_GalaxyS28_pod4_DMThis tablet packs in a 4Ah battery which is specced to last for up to 14 hours of video usage, and it also runs Samsung’s special blend of software, including multi-window mode that is bound to increase productivity.

You can find the complete specs of the original Tab S2 over on GSMArena, or on the B&N website.

Samsung announced this tablet in July and is just beginning to ship it to retailers. That’s both good news and bad news for B&N in that no one else has the tablet in stock, but it also means that B&N is competing with other retailers for the first rush of sales.

Best Buy, for example, has the original Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 in stock this week, and they’re promoting the tablet by offering a $50 to $100 trade-in deal. Bring in your old tablet, and you can get a credit towards the new Galaxy Tab S2.

If I were in the market for a new premium-priced tablet, that is what I would go for.

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Comments


Liz September 3, 2015 um 10:31 am

32G is decent storage and being able to add an SD card certainly makes it worth considering. I hope B&N runs a trade in deal similar to what they did last year.


B&N launches Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 NOOK tablet for $400 – Liliputing September 3, 2015 um 10:36 am

[…] via B&N and The Digital Reader […]


ucfgrad93 September 3, 2015 um 10:39 am

I thought for sure that B&N would use Samsung’s A8 tablet. Good to see that they went with the S2.

Nate Hoffelder September 3, 2015 um 10:44 am

So did I. I was surprised by the news.


fjtorres September 3, 2015 um 12:06 pm

$400?

I dunno.
I rather favor this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011TVF5QC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

It also comes in a 4/64 configuration.


Jon Dough September 3, 2015 um 12:17 pm

They only way you are getting 100 bucks off at Bestbuy is if you trade in an ipad. If you don’t have anything to trade in, you can at least get 40 bucks off as a barnes and noble member.

Nate Hoffelder September 5, 2015 um 7:08 pm

I got the $100 credit in exchange for a junky old tablet this afternoon.


Barbara September 3, 2015 um 12:34 pm

I was hoping for an 8-inch e-ink reader, not a tablet. Any chance of that?

Nate Hoffelder September 3, 2015 um 12:36 pm

That’s what I was secretly hoping for, but it won’t happen. It would require guts and inspiration that B&N is sadly lacking.


Gbm September 3, 2015 um 1:58 pm

@fjtorres // 3 September, 2015 at 12:06 pm //

Yes, if you were to get a wired usb keyboard case you can very possibly do a dual boot with win 10 or Linux.

Intel Atom Z3580 Super Quad-Core, 64bit, 2.3GHz


Syn September 3, 2015 um 2:01 pm

I think this will flop when you can buy a ASUS ZenPad for half the money. Samsung couldn’t sell Galaxy Note 8’s at the 399 price point and they could do a heck of a lot more stuff then this tablet can.

Then you have to stop and think. Its Barnes and Noble. Do people still trust this company enough to fork out 400 dollars? I wonder if you can side load. If its not locked to them then its not as big of a deal but I still think its over priced. A Surface 3 is 499 without the keyboard.

Nate Hoffelder September 3, 2015 um 2:09 pm

@Syn

That high price tag was why I thought that B&N would go with the $240 Tab A, which launched in May. That tablet wasn’t nearly as nice but it cost so much less that it would have sold better.

This tablet could sell in small quantities, but even that will be difficult. It’s cursed with the Nook name.


Basem September 3, 2015 um 2:39 pm

It’s over-priced Samsung; the Amoled display is great but there are far better options for a Nook tablet e.g. the Zenpad noted above + nice options from manufacturers like Lenovo and LG. The Tab 4 was under-specced and I don’t think going premium is the right direction. There are plenty of options of HD and HD+ tablets with nice contrast and IPS displays that would’ve worked better.


Basem September 3, 2015 um 2:41 pm

Of course a 9.7 inch (initially in low quantities) and 6 inch e-ink readers would’ve been something different but as Nate stated, this is B&N.


LoganK September 3, 2015 um 3:30 pm

I haven’t seen the S2, but if it’s anything like the Tab S I doubt the less expensive offerings are truly competitive. The number one factor for me on a reader is the screen, and the Tab S was above and beyond the competition. I recognize that not everyone cares about the difference in quality (or for the AMOLED "look"), but for night reading alone I wouldn’t consider anything but a Tab S.

I didn’t pick up the last Nook-branded Samsungs, but there were lots of problems with them. I may have to take a look at these…


Paul September 3, 2015 um 4:35 pm

If you try and trade in a Nook HD at Best Buy to get this they offer exactly $0 for it.


Frank September 3, 2015 um 4:48 pm

Nate, this tablet should be running Android 5.0.2, which is an older version of Android. The current is 5.1

Nate Hoffelder September 3, 2015 um 5:16 pm

Ichanged it, thanks you.


Steve September 4, 2015 um 9:32 pm

Any updates from your B&N sources about an ereader release date?

Nate Hoffelder September 4, 2015 um 9:49 pm

Sadly, no, but I’m expecting it to happen fairly soon.


Tammy September 22, 2015 um 11:38 am

Will B&N release a 10″ Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Nook? If so what is the expected release date

Nate Hoffelder September 22, 2015 um 11:54 am

There’s no mention of it in B&N’s SEC filings, so I would say no.

In any case, the current Tab S2 costs $400, and it is a hard enough sell as it is. The larger model would cost more and sell even fewer. B&N would be wise to avoid it.


Steve September 24, 2015 um 9:35 am

B&N now has the S2 discounted by 20%, for B&N Members, through Sunday:
http://barnesandnobleinc.com/press_releases/9_24_15_member_double_discount_days.html

Nate Hoffelder September 24, 2015 um 11:26 am

Thanks!


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