Possible future NOOKcolor Timeline (Updates, development and NOOK App store)

[rico2001]

Possible future NOOKcolor Timeline (Updates, development and NOOK App store)

Another interesting development from the Nook Developer forum.
This is what Ted Patrick, the community manager, wrote regarding timelines -

1. Enable developer mode in 1.1 and new SDK – Jan 2011
2. Create ingestion, approval, merchant support for developer with backend systems – Feb 2011
3. Deliver Android 2.2+ Flash/AIR support – Feb 2011
4. Launch application support on NOOKcolor – March 2011
​

This seems to suggest that –

1. In January 2011, we’ll see Nook Dev team add the ability to test Nook Color Apps on the Nook Color. This should really help.
2. In February 2011, developers will be able to upload their apps for testing. Also, backend systems and the store pages will be setup.
3. In March 2011, the first Nook Color apps will come out.

March, 2011 would mean the very end of Q1, 2011. However, given that the Nook Color was released in November 2010, this is very impressive.
Since there are 25 developer partners working on launch apps, and since there is a decent amount of interest in making Nook Apps amongst developers at the Nook Developer forums, it’s possible that the Nook App Store debuts with 50 to 100 apps.

Source

This info is not confirmed, so take with grain of salt.

 

[rico2001]

http://connect.nookdeveloper.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/207

ronan_mandel

Community Manager
nookdevelopers.com

03-08-2011 03:33 PM
Folks,

I realize that I've asked for your patience on these pages more than once, and that you've been most gracious. I hear the frustration and can appreciate the sarcasim in this thread (deserved or not...).

That said, we are committed to launching downloadable apps on the Nook Color in 'early 2011.' I know that's not really a date, but it is all that we've ever said, and we do really mean it.
Early 2011 < mid 2011 && early != 2012.

We do also monitor the email address that are posted on this site. If you've got a technical problem that you don't feel comforatble posting the details of in the forum, you can send it to [email protected].

The other address we've posted is [email protected]. If you do have an app already built and commercially available that you’re already deploying on other Android devices, or have a successful iOS/RIM/Symbian/PalmOS/other mobile app that you’re ready to port and sell, we are open to hearing from you directly via that address. If you send a mail to that address asking the same questions that are being posted here, you're not going to get a response.

With regards to technical questions, we've shared answers where we can. If there something specific (other than specific API access...) that we've let slip, please surface it and I'll get back to you promptly on it.

Thanks again,

Ron (hoping to duck from rotten fruit headed my way now...)

Source:
General Discussion - Support

 

[rico2001]

Mark_O
nookdevelopers.com

That's a big part of the problem. No one knows what the "Plan" really is. So all we can do is speculate.

Since B&N publicly announced, early on, that there would be a Dev Forum, and both information and resources would be provided to assist 3rd-party devs to create Apps to be made available in an upcoming Nook App Store, the logical assumption was that the support would precede the Store. This Forum was opened, almost 4 months ago now, to fulfill that promise. Unfortunately, the information and resources have never materialized.

When Bill Lynch (CEO) made the big presentation introducing the product (the B&N 'Very Special Event', Oct26'10), he committed at that time both to the App Store and a 3rd-party developer program. He just didn't say exactly when they would arrive. That was almost 5 months ago. Unfortunately, we have neither a video of that event, nor a transcript... just reporting by Engadget:

Live from Barnes & Noble's 'Very Special Event' -- Engadget

However, you can refer to their press releases from that same day for some pertinent information. Most of the details of that announcement are here, but without the followup Q&A, where Bill answered some questions:

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

though it did claim,

"More extras coming: Get ready to discover more engaging content and applications in the coming months. Barnes & Noble invites content providers and application developers to create innovative reading-centric experiences through the just-announced NOOKdeveloper™ program. More information is available at www.bn.com/NOOKdeveloper."

However, the Press release from Jamie Iannone, the President of their Digital Products Division (i.e., the top person in charge of the Nook family) had more pertinent details on the NOOKdeveloper program.

"Over the coming weeks, developers will be able to access a software development kit (SDK), tools, documentation, product specifications and marketing resources through a dedicated portal. NOOKdeveloper will also offer developers unprecedented access to a wide variety of BN.com content and data through Web APIs. Starting in early 2011, developers will be able to submit their applications for sale to millions of readers."

And perhaps they have. They simply didn't say which developers they would provide this to, and that it would be restricted to a handful of selected launch partners. The full release is here:

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

B&N did a lot of things right. They put together a great hardware platform, with solid software. They set up a development center in Silicon Valley, with a 10,000 sq.ft. office for a team of top developers (including Ted and Ron) in Palo Alto. They shipped hardware not only on time (unusual in this day & age), but actually a bit early. It's been a big hit. They articulated a good plan to include 3rd-party devs in supporting the platform, to insure that NC owners would have a lot of options to choose from.

Unfortunately, apparently a decision was made to focus their priorities on developers with existing Android apps that could be quickly ported to the NC platform. With those developing apps or content specifically tailored for the NC to come later. And it does make sense that existing apps can be made available in less time that those starting from scratch. What doesn't make sense is telling the 3rd-party devs they initially encouraged, to sit tight and "be patient" for 4, 5, or 6 months! That's a huge mistake, in my opinion. And it's one that will hurt B&N in the long run.

In a fast-moving marketplace, you want to seed devs as early as possible, and give them what they need to get the ball rolling. Not say, hey wait half a year and some day we'll get around to you. The sad fact is they have irrevocably thrown away at least a 4-month opportunity to have a much larger group working on content and apps that are unique to the NOOKcolor... not just retreads brought in from the A-market. The logic of that eludes me.

What all these public announcements did was generate an expectation... that a large amount of content and apps would be available "early in 2011". Which had an influence on product buyers, investors, as well as developers who registered here with an expectation of support that we're still "waiting patiently" to receive. If that expectation isn't met, there are going to be unhappy people all up and down the food chain. And those in management will be asked the question of why they excluded their Registered Developers from the information they were promised. I.e., what was the rationale or justification for that? Because I certainly can't see it.

Additional information can be found in an interview in Androinica, with Claudia Romanini, who heads their NOOKdeveloper Program, back on Oct28'10:

http://androinica.com/2010/10/barnes-noble-opens-nook-developer-program-were-not-building-app-store-...

"many manufacturers make extensions to the SDK that enables them to target specific features on a device. That’s exactly what we’re doing..."

"B&N reaches millions of readers online through its bookstore, and these same people will eventually discover that they can purchase apps as well, which opens up developers to a sizeable mass-market audience."

"The submission process for apps is going to be as streamlined and easy as we can make it."

Other 'notes from the conversation' not directly quoted were:

- Barnes & Noble will soon release more details about what apps are likely to sell well and work with developers to help them build their apps toward the target audience.

- Developers will be able to sell their apps or make them available for free. However, B&N is still working out the details for how it will deliver those apps through its store.

That last one answers another question that was asked elsewhere in this Forum recently.

So to get back to your question, Rasto, we all made the logical assumption that B&N would make good on the claims made. That we'd be provided with the resources needed, in a timely fashion, that would allow us to develop products uniquely tailored to the NC platform. That implied a sequence of actions: DevMode for on-device testing, a beta of A2.2 for testing, access to API level documentation, actual answers to questions instead of "not yet", a published set of Submission Guidelines, an intake and evaluation process in place to accept Apps, and so forth. Leading up to the opening of the App Store.

It was only after discovering that none of those milestones were being met, with the deadline for the Store approaching rapidly, that it eventually dawned on us that nothing would be forthcoming until some point in time AFTER the Store opens with Apps from their launch partners. If and when they someday feel they have time to spend with their 3rd-party devs, we may then get the things Ron has been asking us to "be patient" on.

- Mark

General Discussion - Support

Occasionally someone writes some good information on nookdevelopers.com

 

[RaVenJ]

Frankly, I don't care what B&N comes up with for the device in the future. It'll never be as free and open as the community has made it. So let them bring their app store, I'll take freedom of choice over what they "let" me have..

I agree that putting the developers off like this is a huge mistake for them.

 

[Carbira1]

All that they need to do is ship them with Market installed.

 

[J515OP]

All that they need to do is ship them with Market installed.

For B&N the point isn't to ship them with the general Market. The point is to create a B&N market and sell a bunch of stuff that B&N can conrol and profit directly from. On the one hand this makes sense but on the other hand it can really back fire because like RaVenJ said it won't be as free and open and it doesn't look like it will have the community support at this point.

Many companies have tried to create their own little slice of the Market and failed. Even Microsoft hasn't been able to do it (first with music and now apps). Right now you are either Apple market or Google Android market if you want to have as many developers and customers as possible. Any other market at the moment is only niche and going to have a hard time keeping up with the jugarnauts.

 

[AnimaTechnica]

well if i were B&N i would enable open Market, provide flash acceleration then offer exclusive video content on the B&N store - this enables me to potentially get revenue from both stock and rooted users

 

[J515OP]

Now that is the right idea AT. Too bad companies don't always think that way. Here is a timely article Apple and Android app marketplace insight

 

[faceman]

B&N will NEVER enable a full Market... and the reason is Amazon/Kindle.

They have developed this awesome piece of dramatically underpriced hardware with the intention and hopes of expanding their eBook sales. If they allowed the market and people could download the kindle app, that would undercut their own sales - why would they ever do that? Not going to happen. They might (might - very big maybe here) un-officially acknowledge the rooting community, since it drives sales as well but I would guess it has less impact on sales than traditional user sales.

 

[AnimaTechnica]

well they should if not they are pretty short sighted - if they are after the same customer that buy the same products - Amazon can easily undercut them by giving away the kindle at next to nothing - however if they provide more value add to thier platform - i.e. open market, coupled with a selection of exclusive content - audio books, videos, graphic novels, and other rich media type content - then having a kindle app that ONLY plays books is not a threat, in fact, kindle customers might find the breadth of content in Nook color more enticing

B&N will NEVER enable a full Market... and the reason is Amazon/Kindle.

They have developed this awesome piece of dramatically underpriced hardware with the intention and hopes of expanding their eBook sales. If they allowed the market and people could download the kindle app, that would undercut their own sales - why would they ever do that? Not going to happen. They might (might - very big maybe here) un-officially acknowledge the rooting community, since it drives sales as well but I would guess it has less impact on sales than traditional user sales.

 

[rico2001]

The app store would be a good thing although the store may not be popular or important to us that root, or fail in the long run. You all should remember rooted Nook users are still in the minority of those who own a Nook Color. Many people run unrooted and will appreciate any app availability or improvements to their device. The main thing us rooted user may care about is if and when B&N releases 2.2 software. This would give us a stable and polished working 2.2 version to then root and play with.

Like I've said a few time for people who ask if B&N will eventually stop us from rooting: as long as they are continue using android operating system as a base, we will be about to root. If we can root, the choice of what you want to run is then up to you. People who are still deciding on the Nook Color can rest assure on that fact.

 

[tenderidol]

The app store would be a good thing although the store may not be popular or important to us that root, or fail in the long run. You all should remember rooted Nook users are still in the minority of those who own a Nook Color. Many people run unrooted and will appreciate any app availability or improvements to their device. The main thing us rooted user may care about is if and when B&N releases 2.2 software. This would give us a stable and polished working 2.2 version to then root and play with.

Like I've said a few time for people who ask if B&N will eventually stop us from rooting: as long as they are continue using android operating system as a base, we will be about to root. If we can root, the choice of what you want to run is then up to you. People who are still deciding on the Nook Color can rest assure on that fact.

Very well said. People always think that majority of NC users out there are rooters. It's exactly the opposite, actually. We are in minority and B&N will NEVER plan their future strategy based on rooters. The best they could do for us is to not try to block the rooting process, so that the "initial" sale that we provide will still be there. Even though their profit margin from eBooks is not that high, it is still better than giving that money to Amazon by allowing everyone to install Kindle app on NC. Once they open their own market, many NC users will be happy to pay for whatever apps are going to be on there (just look around B&N forums, people have been anxiously waiting). Most likely, their profit from per app would be much higher than per e-Book.

Someone mentioned that B&N should allow for "rich media content" on the NC by opening it up completely. In its current form, they do that already. I know a lot people who are running autonootered 1.1, because they have magazine subscriptions or kids books that feature "read to me". Try those with the Nook app from the market...

We buy the NC to have an android tablet, where as majority buy it as an e-Reader. If your local B&N organizes "Nook 101" seminars, just stop by to have a better idea about the demographic of the "real" NC owners. Any sort of app would be welcomed by those users and it will provide them the "freedom" to install what they'll like from the B&N app store (exact opposite of being "restrictive" for us).

 

[AnimaTechnica]

i think no one assumes rooters are the majority of nook color buyers, it is easily understood that most of us make up 5% if not less of buyers - however while we realize the potential and therefore find more value out of it, most buyers look at it only as an e-reader equivalent to any other e-readers - and this is exactly my point about Amazon reducing the price of kindle to the point it becomes a commodity, then Nook Color lose out because it is compared against a less featured devices in the e-reader category - If BN opens up the capability and markets it as such, it becomes a different category of device and therefore can be perceived as a better buy -

i don't think the rich media capability is realized by most buyers - they see a a book with sounds as a sample - rather than a fully capable device - my point is they can change how they position this as a media consumption device that includes not only books but music, videos, etc...

Someone mentioned that B&N should allow for "rich media content" on the NC by opening it up completely. In its current form, they do that already. I know a lot people who are running autonootered 1.1, because they have magazine subscriptions or kids books that feature "read to me". Try those with the Nook app from the market...

We buy the NC to have an android tablet, where as majority buy it as an e-Reader. If your local B&N organizes "Nook 101" seminars, just stop by to have a better idea about the demographic of the "real" NC owners. Any sort of app would be welcomed by those users and it will provide them the "freedom" to install what they'll like from the B&N app store (exact opposite of being "restrictive" for us).