Database Develop

To anyone awaiting official 2.2 update from B&N and/or access to the android market

To anyone awaiting official 2.2 update from B&N and/or access to the android market
If you want a full-fledged tablet, you should probably just root your nook.
Over the past few days, I've seen a lot of people wondering whether they should root their device or wait for B&N's update, as if that will automatically make it a full tablet. Unfortunately, that is not true in the slightest.
The official update, which has not been assigned a date of roll-out yet (sometime Q1/2011, but I've heard end of January), will not change much about your nook. It will still look and feel exactly the same, and still have many of the same limitations. It will not be running the standard android 2.2 UI.
It will not have the android market either. It will only have a handful of apps, if any, from those developers who take part in the NOOK developers program (http://nookdeveloper.barnesandnoble.com/). All of the applications will be "reader-centric".
It does appear that it will be possible to sideload applications that conform to the Android API 7 (no FroYo love) but this will only be available to those people who sign up and register the SN of their NOOKcolor to a developer account.
If you poke around on the website (particularly the developer forums) you can find lots of interesting tidbits about the upcoming update (NOOKcolor 1.1) and what it will include.
Hopefully this helps.
Source: Me - Digital Sales Manager at Barnes and Noble
Edit: (for the record, I am in no way an official B&N spokesman. I just am a wee bit more privy to stuff than others)

Thanks for the official update. I can't imagine many official b&n apps. There's only so many sodoku variations you can make.

I will say that the froyo base brought a lot of improvements over eclair, but I do agree that a lot of people will probably be let down when they see the update and wonder where their new launcher is. I for one am happy with my rooted NC, and look forward to the 2.2 update.

I get the impression that the 1.1 update is not the B&N Froyo update. I think it just adds the framework for approved apps and "developer mode" to permit sideloading apps for testing. Probably some stability/usability issues as well. Have they said anything "official" regarding what 1.1 will contain?
Homer

Barnes and Noble doesn't say anything official until the day it becomes official.
It is probably a 50/50 chance that the forthcoming update it will be the much talked about FroYo B&N update.

But if you were to root after the 1.1 update, would you get a 2.2 android?

Hey if I may ask will there be an official bluetooth in 1.1. ?
Pavlos

Some people are waiting to root only because they don't have to worry about doing it twice. My understanding is that you have to restore your device to original form to get the update, then root it. I might be wrong.

[Q] When will Froyo 2.2 officially come to NC?

Does anyone know when Barnes and Noble will drop the official Froyo update for the Nook Color? Back in December every tech site was saying it was due in January, but that obviously did not happen. I am trying to decide whether to root mine now or wait for the official OS update before I start messing with my NC. Thanks

brendan6q66 said:
Does anyone know when Barnes and Noble will drop the official Froyo update for the Nook Color? Back in December every tech site was saying it was due in January, but that obviously did not happen. I am trying to decide whether to root mine now or wait for the official OS update before I start messing with my NC. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldnt ever expect it officially. Most of these rumors started with nameless sources, and employee talk. They also made the claim that we would have the appstore but we know how that went. As many have stated, the nook is an E-Reader first. It doesn't need anything past what it has now, to do what its designed to do.

I still think B&N is working on their app store. It's an opportunity to make more money. How long it will take to get released, who knows.

Ultimately I think it depends on what you're looking for in the software. Even if B&N updates it to 2.2 it won't be the same look and feel you get on other android devices. I don't think it's going to happen that they release a software update that upgrades this thing from an e-reader to a tablet pc. The talks are they'll incorporate some customized market for software in an update, so maybe we get the android market, but probably just some bastardized form of it. I think if you want a true tablet experience with the NC, you'll never get that without rooting it. Don't think of it as a Froyo update, but rather a NC update, if it comes from B&N. Just the same e-reader with a different foundation.

there is no consequences of rooting your nook. you can always flash your nook back to stock. thay being said i would suggest you try nookie froyo. even if froyo DOES come out from B&N there is no gurantee it will give the full tablet experience that AOSP froyo does.

I realize the update was never intended to bring the full 2.2 experience to the NC, but i had heard that it would offer more or less the homescreen experience along with a curated B&N app store. I just think this thing has so much more potential then B&N is currently offering on it. I think it is in dire need of more basic stock apps such as email, a calendar, calculator, etc. I bring my NC with me everywhere... classes, on the subway. I think the addition of these apps would make it a complete device rather than just an e-reader. And it is not just an ereader... that designation went out the window the second it got that beautiful color display. Also, I think 3rd party apps like dropbox, instapaper, and an rss reader that syncs to google reader would be amazing on the NC. I realize I can get all of this by rooting, but I would feel much more comfortable if they were eventually offered by B&N

brendan6q66 said:
I realize the update was never intended to bring the full 2.2 experience to the NC, but i had heard that it would offer more or less the homescreen experience along with a curated B&N app store. I just think this thing has so much more potential then B&N is currently offering on it. I think it is in dire need of more basic stock apps such as email, a calendar, calculator, etc. I bring my NC with me everywhere... classes, on the subway. I think the addition of these apps would make it a complete device rather than just an e-reader. And it is not just an ereader... that designation went out the window the second it got that beautiful color display. Also, I think 3rd party apps like dropbox, instapaper, and an rss reader that syncs to google reader would be amazing on the NC. I realize I can get all of this by rooting, but I would feel much more comfortable if they were eventually offered by B&N
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look, if I burn the desk I'm sitting at and I find that it burns well, that doesn't mean the company that makes it actually makes firewood. If by "complete device" you mean a tablet pc, then B&N could have released it as such when it first came out. But what you're refusing to acknowledge is that this thing wasn't created for that, however capable it may be. At this point all I've heard is we may get some form of a software market, which doesn't need a kernel update from 2.1 to 2.2, so even with that, we may not get an android update. Like I said, just stop thinking that, because this can be an effective tablet, B&N will go out of their way to make it one. For that matter, you shouldn't expect it to have the look of an android device any more than it currently does. It seems to me that B&N would be pretty particular about the appearance of their software.
Listen, just wait it out if you don't want to root the thing. Maybe they will give us a decent app list, and maybe it won't take forever and a day to get to us. But don't expect them to offer any software from a competitor, or book/magazine/newspaper reading software that doesn't require you get the material from them.

At the end of the day, BN would be insane to release a full fledged version of the market onto the NC. The absolute last thing they want is Amazon, Borders and others competing with them on their own platform. I think we will see a market of some sort released down the road. When I don't know, but I'd be surprised if we never see one. BN intends for this thing to just be an e-reader. They don't want people to buy it and use it as a tablet. They want it to be an e-reader because it's then basically tied to their store for content. That is what they want.

Second Tuesday in the first week of June
March 7th. Note no year specified.
February 31st
How would we know?

Nobody knows. Just speculation and guesses out there.

"When it's ready."
That's the only answer I would actually believe, and even then I'm not inclined to accept it as truth.

What if they are planning to go straight to HoneyComb?

Holy ****! It never ends

V.A.T.Juice said:
What if they are planning to go straight to HoneyComb?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In what ways will Honeycomb make the NC a better ereader for B&N-purchased ebooks?

The only reason I believe they would even go to an underlying 2.2 is for Flash. I could imagine them coming out with some very cool eReader applications for it such as in-magazine videos and other book/magazine related media features like that. It's a very capable little device and I positively love mine, but I feel like there are many people buying it as a $250 Galaxy Tab competitor, and it's simply not. The community here is great and tons of people are doing absolutely outstanding work unlocking a wealth of potential, but at the end of the day we will never get fully featured android support from B&N and it would be silly to expect it.

miemens said:
The only reason I believe they would even go to an underlying 2.2 is for Flash. I could imagine them coming out with some very cool eReader applications for it such as in-magazine videos and other book/magazine related media features like that. It's a very capable little device and I positively love mine, but I feel like there are many people buying it as a $250 Galaxy Tab competitor, and it's simply not. The community here is great and tons of people are doing absolutely outstanding work unlocking a wealth of potential, but at the end of the day we will never get fully featured android support from B&N and it would be silly to expect it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly right, it won't be supported as a tablet. If/when someone cooks up a rom for this thing based on honeycomb, it'll be the same as autonooter and nookie froyo now. What I mean is we'll get a device that reports itself as some other device, the xoom or some other thing, just so the market has an idea of what apps we should have available. But they'll have such higher powered tablets with better cpu's and more ram, better screens, and they'll have nifty docks and bluetooth attachments, and we'll be luck if someone just gets our bluetooth runnning smoothly.

Once they get the textbook thing straightened out, do you think they might need flash for streaming classes? I know some unis have classes where you can either attend virtually or at least replay lectures.
Homer

BN Update 1.2

These are two transcriptions found on the web. They seem to be authentic. You can decide what BN update 1.2 means...
Perhaps the CM7 developers were not "wasting their time" as some were suggesting? It also appears that the update is a "few weeks" away regardless of when you ask.
start transcription
===================
a conversation with a B&N rep April 14, 2011. read and weep
10:31:02 : Ron: Initial Question/Comment: when in April will software version 2.2 be available?
10:31:07 : System: Welcome to the Barnes & Noble Digital Chatroom.
10:31:07 : System: Jason has joined this session!
10:31:07 : System: Connected with Jason. Your Reference Number for this chat is 16712.
10:31:12 : System: Thanks for joining us.
10:31:12 : Jason: Hi Ron. Thanks for joining Barnes and Noble Digital Chat Support. One moment while I review your question.
10:31:47 : Jason: Our software developers are hard at work on the latest software update. You can expect your version of 1.2 to be sent Over-The-Air (OTA) within a few weeks. All you?ll need to do is to have your NOOK Color connected to any Wi-Fi hotspot and the update will install automatically.
10:32:35 : Ron: 1.2 in a few weeks?
10:33:22 : Jason: Yes, that is right Ron. The current software version of the NOOK Color is 1.1. And it will be upgraded to 1.2.
10:34:52 : Ron: WOW. B&N should do a better job managing expectations. The web is saying 2.2 in April, and all they will get is 1.2!
10:35:14 : Ron: in a few weeks.
10:35:32 : Jason: Maybe you are referring to the Android version.
10:35:41 : Ron: YES
10:36:07 : Jason: Currently, the Android version of the NOOK Color is 2.1. Barnes & Noble policy to refrain from commenting on any specific features of any yet-to-be released software updates.
10:37:30 : Ron: the current version, available for download from the B&N website is 1.1.
10:38:27 : Jason: Yes, that is right Ron. We haven't released the version 1.2 software update. It will be released in the next few weeks.
10:38:32 : Jason: Is there anything else I can help you with?
10:38:59 : Ron: No. Thanks.
========
start transciption: Wed 4/20
=================================
14:52:26 : Customer: ME Initial Question/Comment: Hi there, I was just wondering when the big update will be available for the NookColor? Also, will NookColor be able to use Nookstudy?
14:52:26 : SystemSystem: Welcome to the Barnes & Noble Digital Chatroom.
14:52:36 : SystemSystem: Emely has joined this session!
14:52:38 : SystemSystem: Connected with Emely. Your Reference Number for this chat is 17601.
14:52:38 : SystemSystem: Thanks for joining us.
14:52:42 : AgentEmely: Thank you for contacting Barnes&Noble Chat Support! My name is Emely!
14:52:52 : AgentEmely: Hi! One moment while I review your question...
14:53:28 : AgentEmely: As I understand you are inquiring about NOOK Color update?
14:53:32 : CustomerME: yes
14:53:44 : AgentEmely: Our software developers are hard at work on the latest software update. You can expect your version of 1.2 to be sent Over-The-Air (OTA) within a few weeks. All you’ll need to do is to have your NOOK Color connected to any Wi-Fi hotspot and the update will install automatically.
14:54:23 : CustomerME: will it be available for manual download?
14:54:51 : AgentEmely: Auto install as long as wifi is available.
14:55:14 : CustomerME: and will it be possible to use NookStudy with NookColor?
14:55:47 : AgentEmely: For Nook Study, that we still have to wait for the latest update so we would know if it's already included.
14:56:45 : CustomerME: ok. And is there a more specific date in mind? I've been told "a few weeks" since January...
14:57:19 : AgentEmely: No definite date yet but within the month. I'm quite sure.
14:58:00 : CustomerME: thank you very much! have a good day.
14:58:16 : AgentEmely: Is there anything else I can help you with?
14:58:40 : CustomerME: No, thank you.
14:58:52 : AgentEmely: I am glad I was able to help you. Thanks once again for joining the Barnes & Noble Chat.
15:00:00 : SystemSystem: The session has ended!

Conclusion - most people, like Ron, are morons who "want" things that they do not understand...

lets see if i get what this means.
there is an update coming... that is good.
other then that they didn't say anything except it will be called 1.2 (which would be the next update following 1.1).
so there is nothing new here at all.

At this point, unless B&N release CM7 itself disguised as 1.2 they're not going to win me over.
I was on the fence with the whole "Nook-specific" app market, but it's been months now.

at first i was very interested in the 1.2 update, would make my nook "complete" as i saw it, having market, froyo (for flash, jit, etc) but after trying cm nightlies and mad-murddock putting the mad fixes on it i honestly care very little, i might try it when it hits but i would do so out of curiosity, i am at the point now where i am hoping for the sleep bug to be fixed and a bit better wifi speeds as all the rest is taken care of in cm7
stock nook reader apps/bn store would be nice in cm7

I LOL at ron and his brilliant questions =D. I'm assuming ron is much smarter and the reason he said that, was merely to catch the representative off guard and trick him into giving up some more info about the android version.

I'm still waiting for the B&N update. I don't want to mess around with custom ROMS on the internal memory until they are settled down. I have too much hardware and software maintenance already in my house.
I'm still on nootered 1.0.0 firmware
I'm vaguely hoping for B&N to have BT baked into the update, but the odds of that happening aren't great.
If the update is underwhelming or difficult to root, I'll go a custom ROM. Still waiting for deep sleep + CM7.

I have a rooted nook color, will the automatic update remove the rooted content?
Also all I was looking for in the update was the flash player, as i needed to access various websites. I wish there was another way to get the flash running.
I heard that there are individuals who managed to run bluetooth on the nook color, how is that possible since it seems that a hardware component needs to have been already pre-installed in the device? Is it?

I'm not holding my breath for anything special with this update. I'm still stock and patiently waiting for CM7 to mature.

s52m3 said:
I'm not holding my breath for anything special with this update. I'm still stock and patiently waiting for CM7 to mature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to.. 3 weeks ago? Run CM7 off an SD card (you have to have a good card) and try it out free of risk. Just pick up a 4G Sandisc and you'll be fine, some other brands will work okay too.

NewZJ said:
at first i was very interested in the 1.2 update, would make my nook "complete" as i saw it, having market, froyo (for flash, jit, etc) but after trying cm nightlies and mad-murddock putting the mad fixes on it i honestly care very little, i might try it when it hits but i would do so out of curiosity, i am at the point now where i am hoping for the sleep bug to be fixed and a bit better wifi speeds as all the rest is taken care of in cm7
stock nook reader apps/bn store would be nice in cm7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still interested in the update for one simple reason: eventually, I'm going to buy a dedicated Android tablet with Honeycomb, gobs of storage and a screaming CPU. When that time comes, my Nook Color will mostly be used as an e-book reader (though I'll probably still keep it rooted). So it interests me to see Barnes and Noble updating the device and improving on its native capabilities.

How do you find the chat option on B&N? I could not find it. All I could find was phone or email support.
Thanks

Alexpride said:
I have a rooted nook color, will the automatic update remove the rooted content?
Also all I was looking for in the update was the flash player, as i needed to access various websites. I wish there was another way to get the flash running.
I heard that there are individuals who managed to run bluetooth on the nook color, how is that possible since it seems that a hardware component needs to have been already pre-installed in the device? Is it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
will it removed rooted content...most likely.
yes, the chip that runs the wifi is a combo chip...wifi and BT. It goes through a switcher chip to share the antenna. BT works, but with limited range in most cases. Once(if) someone figures out the driver for the switcher chip we may see better ranges.
edit: BTW you need to be on a custom ROM like CM7 for BT to work...doesn't on stock.

[Q] Official ICS Build Incoming?

I have a cousin who works with B&N, and he says that they are rushing to get the 3.0 kernel on the NC to accompany their locked-down skin. He says that there are some incompatabiliies, but that they have made progress. What are your thoughts? Is he crazy? Are we ever going to get a proper ICS OTA?

If B&N drops 3.0 kernel source for the Nook Color, the devs here will be quite happy because the current old kernel is the major impediment to ICS on Nook Color.
You sure they aren't doing this just for the Nook Tablet?

3.x is honey comb, not ICS. They'll prolly skip that all-together.

gallahad2000 said:
3.x is honey comb, not ICS. They'll prolly skip that all-together.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Talking about the linux kernel.

It makes little sense to me for them to update the core Android OS and Linux kernel if their reader, custom apps, and the apps in their store work fine with Froyo. But if they're going to keep selling the NC as the budget media tablet model for a while longer then a more up-to-date Android version makes sense in avoiding any possible compatibility issues down the road that could prevent them from seamlessly bringing the latest and best versions of Android apps across to the B&N market. Their separate B&N market wouldn't be very sustainable or a good selling feature if they had to only offer older versions and/or ask developers to add backporting compatability fixes for a two year old version of Android. Then again, that's just a lot of speculating on my part

I don't have hope for that, in fact, I doubt it.
They just released v.1.4.1 and it still is Froyo, I don't think they implement ICS for NC.

I could actually see them doing this just so that it will be easier for devs to convert their already tablet friendly ICS apps for the BN market.
---------------------------------
Sent from my LG Optimus V using Tapatalk

I would think they would like to keep the operating environment the same across units (if possible). This will cause less customer confusion/dissatisfaction and fewer support issues. Apple IOS is a good example of this IMO.

gmanvbva said:
I would think they would like to keep the operating environment the same across units (if possible). This will cause less customer confusion/dissatisfaction and fewer support issues. Apple IOS is a good example of this IMO.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple allows old devices to upgrade to newer iOS versions (my gf's 3g is running iOS 5). They just cripple the features they don't want those devices to have (siri, folders, etc). Apple's relative lack of issues comes from controlling the hardware (no powerVR, tegra, qualcomm incompatibilities, short driver list), OS (no carrier or manufacturer modifications) and app store (too many bugs and your app is gone).
I doubt B&N would drop the full functionality of ICS on their customers (especially when they've fenced them in from froyo). ICS would open the door to tablet-centric apps which would help them compete with Amazon. It will most definitely come to the Tablet but I wouldn't expect it to come to the Color (since they need to differentiate the models to justify the price difference).

Would be great if they did release it, but lets face the truth, its unlikely.
If you guys want ICS your best bet is buying dalingrin and / or fattire a beer.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

MrColdbird said:
Would be great if they did release it, but lets face the truth, its unlikely.
If you guys want ICS your best bet is buying dalingrin and / or fattire a beer.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe true, but if this works it would certainly give dalingrin and fattire some help with the issues they're having, not to mention speed up the entire process.

Limvot said:
Maybe true, but if this works it would certainly give dalingrin and fattire some help with the issues they're having, not to mention speed up the entire process.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If what works? I'd love to have official ICS on my NC, but as others have said, they're still using a fluffy coating on Froyo. No GB and no HC means ICS is highly unlikely.
Now what would be very nice would be an updated kernel, as well as some direct contact with B&N techs about drivers for the chipset and other hardware. But I find that to be unlikely.

The newer Nook Tablet is based on Gingerbread, isn't it? Perhaps they're working on this first and foremost to crank out a third future device that supports APIs from ICS such as fragments. The updated code would then trickle down to Nook Tablet and possibly eventually NC.
Sent from my Nook Color!

zombieflanders said:
If what works? I'd love to have official ICS on my NC, but as others have said, they're still using a fluffy coating on Froyo. No GB and no HC means ICS is highly unlikely.
Now what would be very nice would be an updated kernel, as well as some direct contact with B&N techs about drivers for the chipset and other hardware. But I find that to be unlikely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No HC doesn't mean anything as it was not open source... This is not completely unthinkable. Remember the NC was on 2.1 before the 1.2 release where they upped it to 2.2.
Sent from space

votinh said:
I don't have hope for that, in fact, I doubt it.
They just released v.1.4.1 and it still is Froyo, I don't think they implement ICS for NC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, 1.4.1 came out just before ICS source was released, so maybe B&N figured they do a quick patch of the existing ROM, rather than go through all the work to do a rebuild on GB and then to ICS...

any news/rumors about this?

speedfreak007 said:
any news/rumors about this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other than slow but steady progress on the CM9 build (and no new releases for now), no.
traumadog said:
Of course, 1.4.1 came out just before ICS source was released, so maybe B&N figured they do a quick patch of the existing ROM, rather than go through all the work to do a rebuild on GB and then to ICS...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have more faith in the B&N corporate staff than I do, but your optimism may be warranted, given that the NT doesn't seem to be totally ignored by the press in the same way the NC was.

zombieflanders said:
... You have more faith in the B&N corporate staff than I do, but your optimism may be warranted, given that the NT doesn't seem to be totally ignored by the press in the same way the NC was.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder how much other integration B&N is looking for with other content providers to match what Amazon is doing. I would think upgrading to ICS would make some business sense, in that with a fresher underlying OS, you might be able to keep app developers in the fold working on the NT.

cmstlist said:
The newer Nook Tablet is based on Gingerbread, isn't it? Perhaps they're working on this first and foremost to crank out a third future device that supports APIs from ICS such as fragments. The updated code would then trickle down to Nook Tablet and possibly eventually NC.
Sent from my Nook Color!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I understand... The new Nook Tablet has a locked bootloader, more or less precluding it from easy rom replacement.
Though, perhaps I have been misinformed.

Yoinx said:
From what I understand... The new Nook Tablet has a locked bootloader, more or less precluding it from easy rom replacement.
Though, perhaps I have been misinformed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Difficult if not impossible for 3rd parties providing roms but not for B&N. They have the security keys allowing them to provide whatever rom they choose within the hardware limits.

Anymore Nook updates? [ANSWERED] [READ POST FOR ANSWER]

I had a nice chat with B&N. The new Nook Tablet 10.1" will probably getting Android 9.0 (Pie) in the future (they were not too sure though). And the same for our Nook HD & Nook HD+ (but not Android 9.0 (Pie)).
" secretwolf98: Will it be getting the Android P (Android 9.0) update in the future? Or no?
B&N: Let me check it for you.
B&N: As of the moment, there is no assurance for that upgrade.
B&N: It is not yet determined.
secretwolf98: And one last question,
B&N: Sure.
secretwolf98: Will the Nook HD and the Nook HD+ being getting anymore updates in the future? or was the last update the last update?
B&N: It might have an update in the future."
Any questions? Don't be afraid to ask me.

Mmm....we interpret that conversation a little differently.
In any case, the main reason my husband finally gave in to flashing a new OS on his HD was that even after a minimal rooting we had no way to stop B&N repeatedly pushing the apps that came with it (most of which he did not want/use and had therefore uninstalled) and eventually there was very little space for apps that he actually did want. It was like he was renting or leasing the tablet and at the mercy of the provider.
So...it might be nice, but maybe not nice enough to pry him away from an occasionally cranky CM 13 install, unless B&N changes its model of how an owner can determine what apps will be installed and which will be deleted.

Thx!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Although I would love to think B&N will release an update for the HD/HD+ line, I don't see them doing that. The device is too old for them to invest any more time into it. Adding TLS 1.2 support was great, but it's beyond its support life for any new features.
As for the future with the new Nook10.1, it currently supports Oreo/8.1, and I'd be surprised if they actually update it to Pie/9 support. Most of the times these tablet vendors update their custom ROM, it's to fix bugs in the current OS version, not upgrade to a new OS.