Introduction

What is a NOOK Tablet?

Depending upon how you look at it, it’s one of these:

An eBook eReader that adds many (but not all) of the features of a tablet computer, including a wireless Internet connection and an audio and video player.

A tablet computer (somewhat limited in its features) with a bright, colorful screen that you can use to read eBooks.

Before I talk about the limitations, let me crow about the abilities of the NOOK Tablet. In a small and highly portable plastic case, you will find the following:

A high-resolution backlit LCD screen, capable of displaying crisp text in a book, magazine, a newspaper, or other document. A few minutes into reading the latest bestseller or a classic of literature and you’ll completely forget that there’s no ink or paper involved.

Spectacular color graphics, perfect for reading magazines, comics, or children’s books. Just as an example, if you love National Geographic or Sports Illustrated or Vanity Fair in their print editions, you’ll be blown away with their electronic versions.

Built into the screen: the ability to sense your touch. When you need a keyboard, one appears. You can also swipe, flick, pinch, and otherwise rule your domain by hand.

An eReader for documents created on computers, including word processors, Excel spreadsheets, and basic PowerPoint presentations. It can read PDF files.

A full-featured browser allows you to visit any page on the web and shop for shoes, read the news, get the blues, and just about whatever else you do in cyberspace. The Internet connection flows both ways: You can buy books and magazines, and you can put aside the eBook to do a bit of research on your own.

Built-in facilities to read and write e-mail using nearly all major e-mail providers.

Electronic piping that streams videos: from YouTube, news pages, or from sites that deliver (sometimes free, sometimes for a fee) TV shows and movies.

A jukebox in a tablet, able to play music you’ve bought from online sites as well as tunes you already own and have transferred from a desktop or laptop computer.

An art gallery in your hands, capable of storing and displaying photos and videos you’ve taken with a digital camera or collected from other sources.

A game room where you never have to pick up the pieces, including chess, crossword puzzles, and Sudoku.

Apps (productivity, game, information, and others) you can get — usually for a small fee — from the Barnes and Noble online store.

I did promise to mention the limitations of the NOOK Tablet, so here goes:

There’s no camera.

Bluetooth communication isn’t available (in the initial release of the hardware).

You’ll have to get around without GPS.

You can’t put an image on a separate video screen (such as a big screen TV).

And — at least at the start — Barnes and Noble plans to keep tight control over the apps. So, while the iPad, Android, and other app stores swell with new products daily, B&N will keep its focus on products related to bookselling.

Foolish Assumptions

I assume that you have a NOOK Tablet. I also assume that you have access to the Internet using WiFi in your home or office, and that you can get around on the Internet. And I fervently believe you have (or can use) a personal computer or laptop computer so you can transfer files using the USB cable that came with your NOOK Tablet.

Icons Used in This Book

NOOK Tablet For Dummies uses certain art to get your attention.

You could hurt yourself, your machine, or your identity by not following these instructions.

Don’t forget.

Let me save you some time, money, or heartache.

Pardon the interruption, but here’s a bit of explanation for those of you who want to understand the why as well as the how.

Where to Go from Here

You go just about anywhere you want, of course. You go out of the house and take your book collection and web browser and music and videos with you. You go on planes, trains, and automobiles (as long as you’re not the pilot, engineer, or driver). You don’t go into the shower or the steam room.

Please note that some special symbols used in this eBook may not display properly on all eReader devices. If you have trouble determining any symbol, please call Wiley Product Technical Support at 800-762-2974. Outside of the United States, please call 317-572-3993. You can also contact Wiley Product Technical Support at www.wiley.com/techsupport.