If you want easier bedtime reading, the backlit model is down from £109 to £69 ($107). The system works well in our experience; our review is here.

Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble’s tablet-ereaders are also discounted. The NOOK HD is priced from £129 ($200), down from £159, for instance – you can find our review of it here – while the NOOK HD+ is priced from £179 ($278), cutting £50 from the previous price.

Multiple retailers should be offering the new prices, though we’re already seeing some stock wobbles in some online stores. Exactly how long the promotion will last is unclear, and whether it will be followed up with an all-new range is questionable.

We’ve had a peek at the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 very recently in our full review, this showing off how you’re not just getting an ereader with this package, you’re getting a full tablet. But not just a full tablet, mind you, an Amazon window into their full content library – don’t expect an Android tablet here, it only runs the software under the hood. This device has a full-color display as well, nothing like the Barnes & Noble offering. The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 has been discounted by $50, this making the price closer to $250 USD in its least expensive iteration.

The Nook Simple Touch on the other hand is an ereader in every sense of the word. Here you’ve got an eink display and a size that’s much tinier than the comparatively massive Kindle Fire HD 8.9. This machine has “16 levels of gray” and is made for reading text-based-books from start to finish. The hardware here is 6.5 x 5 x 0.47 inches and weighs in at a tiny 7.48 ounces, and the discount is permanent, it seems: $79 USD total, down from the $99 it was previously.

Have a peek at our lovely 2012 holiday gift guide for tablets as well to make sure you’re up to date on all of the best-of-2012 action for the holidays. It might be time to decide between the ereader and the full tablet experience here at the dawn of 2013 – perhaps time for a switch?

Barnes & Noble says that the Nook Simple Touch is available for the new price in Barnes & Noble retail stores, online, and through other retailers including Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. This reader has 6-inch touchscreen that uses E ink technology. The screen offers 16-levels of grey and is designed to be easy to read in bright sunlight.

The screen resolution of 800×600 and the device promises over two months of battery life per charge based on reading for half an hour each day. The tablet is 6.5-inches tall, 5.0-inches wide, and 0.47-inches deep and weighs 7.48 ounces.

The device has integrated Wi-Fi and is able to connect for free Wi-Fi networks and Barnes & Noble stores and 24,000 AT&T hotspots nationwide. The Simple Touch has 2 GB of internal memory and a microSD card slot for supporting up to 32 GB.

Retailers such as John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, and if course Barnes & Noble‘s own Nook.co.uk site are now officially stocked up on NOOK Simple Touch ereaders. The regular model is priced at £79, while the Glowlight model (which has a front-lit display) will cost you £109. Those who purchase the device will have access to Barnes & Noble’s 2.5 million ebooks.

The company is also bringing their NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ over to the UK starting in late-November, but they’re available to pre-order online right now. The NOOK HD is a 7-inch tablet, while the NOOK HD+ comes with two more inches of screen real estate for those who want a bigger display. The NOOK HD will cost £159, and £229 will get you the NOOK HD+.

If you’re looking for a cheap, simple ereader, the NOOK Simple Touch is about as basic as it gets. We really like the Glowlight model, but the regular $99 model is a steal. It can store around 1,000 ebooks, but the microSD card slot makes it easy to upgrade storage space. Plus, the battery can last for up to two months.

In fact, the bookseller would rather you look at exactly what you get for your money – and what you don’t get. The NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, for instance, includes an AC adapter, whereas Amazon only includes a microUSB cable for recharging the Kindle Paperwhite; adding the official Amazon adapter is $9.99 more, though of course the Kindle should work with most generic USB chargers.

Meanwhile, B&N’s ereader doesn’t have any sponsored adverts, unlike the $119 Kindle. Amazon offers the option to do away with ads, but that will cost you another $20. Whether they frustrate you – the promoted content shows up on the lock screen, but not within ebooks themselves – depends on how willing you are to give up space in your home for commercials.

Of course, those upgrading from an existing Kindle or NOOK probably already know which model they want: they’ve likely bought into an ecosystem of ebooks already. Books purchased on Amazon’s store won’t work on B&N’s ereader hardware, and vice-versa. You can find our review of the Kindle Paperwhite here.

Of course, one of the biggest differences between the Paperwhite and the Nook GlowLight is that the Paperwhite will show you “special offers,” which is just fancy PR talk for “advertisements.” In order to banish the advertisements from your Paperwhite, you’ll have to pay a fee. The Nook GlowLight doesn’t show any advertisements, and now that Barnes and Noble has brought the price down to match that of the Paperwhite, it might be able to steal some sales away from Amazon.

This doesn’t look like a limited time promotion either – Target’s ad says that the Nook GlowLight’s price has been cut, rather than saying that it’s merely on sale or that this is a special offer. It’s worth pointing out, however, that Barnes and Noble’s own listing for the Nook GlowLight still shows a $139 price tag (as does Target’s online listing – only the in-store ad shows a price of $119), so it’s possible that Walmart and Target are just bringing their prices down to move some units quickly before the Paperwhite arrives. One thing is certain, however: if you’ve been waiting to pick up a Nook GlowLight, now is the time to buy.

That’s especially true when you consider that Amazon won’t be shipping new Paperwhite orders until near the end of October. Demand is apparently so high that Amazon had to push the ship date for new orders back to October 22, but whether that’s because of sheer popularity or a component shortage is unknown. Whatever the reason, this shipping delay should allow Barnes and Noble to net a few extra Nook GlowLight sales now that the eReader is sporting a lower price tag at some retailers.

[via CNET]

Both models use a 6-inch epaper display with a zero-pressure touchscreen, and rely on WiFi for connectivity to the NOOK Store. Inside there’s 1GB of storage – good for up to 1,000 books – with a microSD card slot tucked under a cover for adding to that.

The GlowLight version, meanwhile, has an optional illumination system that can gently light up the screen for easier reading in bed. The level of lighting can be adjusted, and B&N says that users will still see a month of battery life (with WiFi turned off) even if the GlowLight is active continuously. Without the backlighting, and with WiFi deactivated, both models will run for up to two months.

The two ereaders are up for preorder in the UK now, and as well as each hitting shelves in time for Christmas, B&N says its free NOOK apps for iOS and Android will arrive in the UK in the autumn. UK stores John Lewis, Argos, Sainsbury’s, Dixons, Waitrose, Blackwell’s, and Foyles will be stocking each model.

There’s more on the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight in our full review.

A video has turned up on YouTube that shows a Sega Genesis emulator running on the Simple Touch. Not only is the emulator running a Sonic the Hedgehog game, it appears to be impressively smooth and playable as well. Granted the screen on this tablet is a simple black and white E Ink unit.

I think it would get old playing video games on a black-and-white screen very quickly. The person who uploaded the video goes by ndncnbvcuyuys and points out that the controls have a slight delay. Another caveat to installing the emulator on the eReader is that you have to jailbreak the device.

You also have to install another app called the NoRefresh app to prevent constant refreshing. The Nook Simple Touch runs Android 2.1. I think this is probably one of those projects for people who just like to tweak their hardware rather than someone looking for a portable game device.

[via E-reader-info.com]

This move will have the UK being the first location outside of the USA where Nook e-reader devices have been sold. With Barnes & Noble making it clear that their last financial year brought in $933 million for the Nook lineup alone, it’s no wonder they’re expanding out beyond the shores of the United States. The Amazon Kindle lineup is already sold throughout the UK, and this book retailer is gnawing at the bit at a chance to join in on the fun.

Be sure to check out our Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight review to see what you’ll be grabbing very soon!

The Nook Simple Touch as it exists today is a tablet device with a 6-inch display working with e-ink technology for easy reading both indoors and out. This device is currently out only in the USA and also has 2GB of flash memory, build-in wi-fi connectivity, and 2GB of RAM. You also get a microSD card slot for memory expansion and easy movement of files to and from other devices.

We’re expecting this device to be released in essentially the same price range as the original and will be working with nook.co.uk as well for digital content. You’ll be able to both download new reading material from the web and load 3rd party content with the microSD card slot once this device heads your way soon!

For the full year, NOOK saw revenues of $993 for the digital business overall: including the ereader hardware itself, any accessories for it, and digital content. Revenues in Q4 2012 were $164m. Overall segment sales increased 1-percent in Q4, thanks to stronger performance of content, and increased 45-percent for the full year.

Content sales rose 65-percent in the last quarter and by 119-percent for 2012, year-on-year, for a total of $483m. That consists of ebooks, digital newsstand content and apps sold through the NOOK App Store.

What can’t be avoided, though, is that sales of hardware are dwindling. “Device sales declined during the fourth quarter due to higher third-party channel partner returns, lower selling volume and lower average selling prices” Barnes & Noble explains. “In order to optimize the supply chain for new products, the company took back NOOK Simple Touch inventory following the previously announced holiday sales shortfall.”

B&N is pinning its hopes on strong sales of the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, which hit retail in Q1 2013. It “has quickly become the highest rated eReader in the market” the company says, though no specific sales results have been shared.

Hardware

GlowLight display aside, the Simple Touch is generally unchanged from its non-frontlit predecessor. Its dimensions are identical – 6.5 x 5.0 x 0.47 inches – but it’s actually 5-percent lighter, despite the new hardware additions. Inside there’s an 800MHz TI OMAP 3621 processor paired with 256MB of RAM, 2GB of storage (with a microSD slot for up to 32GB cards) and WiFi b/g/n.

If you’re an existing Simple Touch owner, you may notice a couple of changes side by side. The GlowLight version has a paler bezel, more of a grey than the charcoal of the regular model, and the 6-inch display – which still uses an infrared-based touchscreen system – has a different feel to it, slightly more textured.

GlowLight

That leaves the big change being the screen, with B&N’s GlowLight taking center stage. Rather than pushing light out through the panel from a backlight, as with an LCD-based tablet, an LED light source at the upper edge is spread out using the new top panel. The result is, in theory at least, a screen that’s more comfortable to read over extended periods.

NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight Demo

In practice, it’s certainly far more comfortable than reading a regular tablet display for an extended period when in a low-light environment. Holding the “n” button below the screen down turns GlowLight on, and then a second tap opens up a settings menu where brightness can be adjusted. Hold down the “n” again and the frontlight shuts off. With a little adjustment to suit the ambient lighting, we were soon comfortably reading.

The new light diffuser on top of the screen does come with a cost for regular reading, however. As with any display, when you start stacking layers you lose out on clarity of the panel itself, and there’s a dip in crispness noticeable when you’re reading in regular light. Again, it’s not a dealbreaker, but if you’re never planning on using your Simple Touch in low-light situations, it might be worth opting for the non-GlowLight model, which remains on sale alongside this new version.

Battery

With the same battery in place as the regular Simple Touch, the new NOOK promises up to two months reading with GlowLight shut off. That’s based on B&N’s estimate of 30 minutes reading per day; read more frequently than that and you’ll see less, of course. It also assumes you have the WiFi turned off; leave it powered on, and you’re looking at a three week estimate instead.

With GlowLight turned on, B&N’s estimates are chopped in half. One month of reading, with the frontlight active but WiFi off, for 30 minutes per day. Figure on less than half that if WiFi is enabled. We’ll be reading hard over the next few weeks to figure out how accurate B&N’s numbers are, but experience with the regular Simple Touch suggest the NOOK is capable of achieving them.

Wrap-Up

Barnes & Noble asks a $40 premium for the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, over the regular model. $139 puts it on a par with rival touchscreen ereaders also using E Ink displays, though for the moment the GlowLight system is unique.

There’s no doubting GlowLight works. What’s really impressive is that it does so without adding to the bulk of the existing NOOK Simple Touch: no clunky clip-on lights, or eye-searing backlighting. The slight loss of some crispness thanks to the diffuser layer may frustrate some, but in our experience it – like with the momentary refresh delay inherent to e-paper screens – you soon come to ignore it.

Is the GlowLight the best NOOK so far? The NOOK Tablet still offers more flexibility with its LCD screen and broad app supports, and the regular Simple Touch is, at $99, arguably better for those on a budget. If you’re a dedicated reader though, then the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight delivers the best of e-paper and LCD: a paper-like reading experience with self-sufficiency in its lighting. That’s enough to make it a winner in our book. [Barnes & Noble]

These phones are obviously meant to reflect the NOOK lineup with their already headphone-equipped facia, and has no less than a lovely combination of comfortable material on top, plastic sides, and metal adjustment bars to solidify the experience. These phones are likely of high quality and will likely be released with a discount when purchased with a NOOK Tablet of any kind.

What do you think, NOOK fans, look like something you’d pick up if it were marketed as optimized for the NOOK tablet lineup? Will you be e-reading with audio from now on, now that Barnes & Noble wants you to listen to music at the same time? Do you expect a music store to pop up via Barnes & Noble? We’ll see soon!

[via Barnes & Noble]

Note here that the Nook Simple Touch is still going to remain on the market as a $99 offering while this model with the GlowLight feature will cost you $40 more. Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch spoke with CNET today noting that the display’s lighting is absolutely key to the success of this device – imagine that! As Lynch noted: “It was really hard to get the lighting just right so it displays uniformly across the display. We think people are going to be really happy with how it looks.” As it turns out, it looks like people very much will if the following publishers have anything to say about it.

First as CNET’s David Carnoy noted with device in hand, the light is great, but the idea that a consumer will think it’s worth the extra cash might be up to debate:

“The big question, of course, is whether that integrated light will be worth the $40 extra to consumers. Barnes & Noble thinks it will be and presented a slide as part of its presentation, laying out the numbers and value proposition. Cases with integrated lights generally cost over $40 and while clip-on lights typically cost only around $20, they aren’t as an elegant a lighting solution. Barnes & Noble is also throwing in a full-fledged AC adapter for charging the new Nook along with an antiglare screen protector.” – Carnoy

Next hear what Laptop Magazine’s Anna Attkisson found most important to reflect on here in the GlowLight-laden slate, complete with a comparison to the iPad for good measure:

“The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight solves the sleep problem because the light, while helpful, isn’t bright enough to rouse your partner. During our hands-on time, we noticed no glare, and the Nook’s screen shone brightly with the fairly well distributed GlowLight feature activated. In contrast, reading on the iPad with the brightness turned all the way up was a less enjoyable experience that ended up hurting our eyes.” – Attkisson

Over at Computer World Barbara Krasnoff noted that she was “impressed” as she went through the motions that activated the new feature:

“The Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight ($139) illuminates the reading surface with 8 LEDs embedded in the upper inner edge of the bezel, just above the display. You turn these LEDs on by pressing on the button just below the display for a couple of seconds. A quicker press brings up a menu along the bottom; tap on the selection labeled “GlowLight” and you can adjust the intensity of the light via a sliding control. … People who really enjoy reading — and who don’t mind spending a little more in order to read comfortably in bed — may find that the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight is well worth the slightly higher price.” – Krasnoff

Over at Engadget, Brian Heater noted that the light created a wholly pleasant reading experience.

“The light is actually quite well distributed on the display. You’ll notice a bit of a gradient at the top, near the light source, but after reading for a bit, odds are you’ll completely forget about it. We used it for a bit in a darkened room, and it’s really a pleasant reading experience, staying true to most of the benefits of e-ink.” – Heater

On The Verge Ross Miller noted that though they had limited time to inspect the unit, there was a bit of non-uniformity to be seen:

“Barnes & Noble calls it a patent pending technology that consists of scattering LEDs up top that work with an anti-glare screen protector to uniformly spread light across the screen. There might be some other tricks at play to make it uniform, specifically along the sides and bottom, but they wouldn’t tell us anything more. Alas, we only had limited time with the device and weren’t allowed to break it apart and explore further.” – Miller

Gizmodo’s Kyke Wagner spoke briefly on the impressive fact that this new device is not heavier, but lighter than its predecessor:

“And maybe most impressively, the improvements don’t add any extra heft. The frontlit Nook is the exact same dimensions as the old Nook, and 5 percent lighter. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s absolutely noticeable.” – Wagner

Finally Lauren Goode of All Things D noted some of the interesting conditions present at the actual New York City event which lead to some of the comparisons above:

“At a New York press event today, Barnes & Noble executives invited journalists to literally hop into bed with them in a dimly-lit room in a Manhattan hotel, where the new device was propped up against Amazon’s Kindle Touch and Apple’s new iPad. … The iPad and Kindle Fire tablet were also displayed alongside the hotel’s outdoor rooftop pool, in direct sunlight. (When asked what the contingency plan was if it rained today, a Barnes & Noble exec said, “Lots of lighting.”)” – Goode

Catch the rest of our coverage of the whole Nook lineup in the timeline below, and let us know if you’ve got any questions in the mean-time!