NOOK for developers of children's mobile applications

The article provides a brief overview of today's presentation by Tom Chavez (NOOK Evangelist) from the San Francisco Appnation Conference. Unfortunately, he did not give me the presentation slides and cannot put it on the Internet, due to some tricky considerations of his superiors.
Therefore, I will try to recover from memory, adjusted for my weak English. For the impatient: you can immediately go to the "Disadvantages" to decide whether to read completely.

What is NOOK?

Barnes & Noble is the largest book-selling company in the USA, has been releasing quite good reading rooms for years, but until recently they had only one tablet with a modified android on board. Honestly, I haven't even heard of him, although I know about the reader for a long time. Apparently, inspired by the example of Amazon, which released Kindlie Fire HD in 2 versions 7 and 9 inches, NOOK also introduced 2 models to distribute its applications: Nook HD 7 "and NOOK HD + 9", respectively.
What the big banner on their website book.com shows
I myself am going to buy a tablet in the states and, holding both devices in my hands, I was very pleased with the display quality, pleasant interface and speed, but I’ll tell you right away that the device does not support the Russian language and native applications with Google Play, so it’s not. But about the cons later.

NOOK for children

Mainly, Tom positioned the device as convenient for parents in terms of content restriction for children.
I will remember the following advantages:

• Multiple accounts
• Parents flexibly configure access to the web and to applications for children, up to the desktop wallpaper
• Parents always know that their children are reading, watching what they are playing.
• You can slip the child useful developmental programs.
• In Barnes & Noble stores free WI-FI with free access to any content for NOOK *

* Inside the store there is a reading room and a cafe.
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NOOK for developer

Since the operating system is the same android, only with its own characteristics, porting the game is very simple. Technical details can be viewed on the site nookdeveloper.com
Promo code is available: APPNAT-2012
What can be noted useful for the developer:

• Fast apruv (Tom promised it would be very easy)
• Not so much competition, as in other markets
• Easy to port the application from android
• Convenient platform for the “Deferred Payment” monetization model
• Responsive support
• Detailed documentation and guides (see website above)

disadvantages

There are a lot of them and they can immediately startle if you are not exactly sure of your target audience.
Tom honestly admitted this, but I added a few more points to my list. It turned out one list of shortcomings of the platform and device together:

• Only English market USA & UK
• No internet access except WI-FI
• In the old model there is no microphone and bluetooth
• No gps
• There is no possibility to install applications from Google Play
• Narrow niche

Let's sum up

If you are doing interactive books, educational applications or just games for children, then the information may be useful. The price of the device is low in comparison with analogues, but it accurately copies models of Amazon Kindle Fire HD, which actually has similar platform features. If you suddenly thought about buying a NOOK HD for yourself, buy a better e-link reader, a really cool thing.

I myself am not a bit out of this area, but I consider the development of children's mobile applications to be a promising, profitable and, above all, noble business, so I wish everyone success in this field!