Barnes & Noble bolstering Nook Video catalogue, bringing UltraViolet to the HD and HD+
Barnes & Noble is seriously beefing up its Nook ecosystem by striking deals with studios and other providers to bring a ton of new video content to its HD and HD+ tablets. Debuting alongside the slates, expected to start shipping in the US this week, thousands of SD and HD movies and TV shows from the likes of NBCUniversal, 20th Century Fox and others will be available for your consumption. Brits will get the same opportunity a little later, coinciding with the local release of the tablets closer to the holiday season. B&N won't force you to buy its hardware to enjoy the expanded catalogue, as it'll be releasing free Nook Video apps in the future to access the content from all platforms. What's more, you'll also be able to view UltraViolet video on the HD and HD+, meaning you can watch all that previously purchased content right from the get-go. This is certainly a huge bonus for consumers that have a big UV library, and coupled with all the new content, we wouldn't be surprised if Nook sales start stealing a little heat from the Fire.
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Barnes & Noble Announces Expanded NOOK Video™ Content to Come From NBCUniversal and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Coming Soon: NOOK Video to Offer Digital Movies and TV Shows for Enjoyment on New NOOK® HD and NOOK® HD+ and Other Devices through Free NOOK Video Apps
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NOOK Media LLC, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, announced it will bring even more popular standard and HD movies and TV shows to its expansive, highly anticipated NOOK Video through newly announced content licensing partnerships with major studios and content providers including NBCUniversal and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Premiering concurrently with the availability of the highly acclaimed NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ slated to begin shipping this week, NOOK Video will deliver a growing and diverse catalog of favorite standard and HD movies and TV shows rendered in spectacular color and stunning definition on the world's highest-resolution 7-inch HD tablet and lightest full HD tablet for an unparalleled portable entertainment experience that can be enjoyed virtually anywhere.
Offering instant access to a wealth of digital entertainment, NOOK Video will enable customers to shop a vast collection of new releases, blockbuster titles, popular television series, favorite classics and more, available for streaming or download. NOOK's newly announced content agreements will bring thousands of movies and TV shows for all ages and interests to the NOOK Video catalog, including the blockbuster films Snow White and the Huntsmen, Battleship, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days and many more.
The company will also bring unmatched convenience and portability to customers' digital video collections beginning this fall in the US, followed by the UK this holiday season. The first UltraViolet-enabled tablets, NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ will seamlessly integrate a customer's UltraViolet digital video collection across their devices right out of the box. Customers will be able to easily link their UltraViolet accounts to the NOOK Cloud allowing them to view their previously and newly purchased UltraViolet-enabled movies and TV shows across NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ devices and free NOOK Video apps coming soon. In addition to purchasing movies and TV shows via NOOK Video, customers can shop for DVDs and Blu-ray Discs with the UltraViolet logo in Barnes & Noble and other retail stores, add them to their digital collection, and instantly watch compatible titles from the NOOK Cloud to enjoy wherever they go and however they choose.
"We specifically designed and optimized the new NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ to deliver the most exceptional video and entertainment experiences available on stunning, high resolution 7 and 9-inch displays, and we're pleased to offer customers an even wider selection of their favorite movies and TV shows through our new leading studio partners," said Jonathan Shar, Vice President & General Manager, Emerging Digital Content, NOOK Media. "NOOK Video is one of the most exciting new offerings for customers to enjoy on new NOOK devices when they arrive this month, and with NOOK's seamless UltraViolet integration, customers can even shop online, from NOOK devices, or physical DVDs and Blu-ray discs in our retail stores and access their digital copies from our safe and secure NOOK Cloud for instant entertainment wherever they go."
"We are thrilled to partner with Barnes & Noble on their Nook Video service," said Michael Bonner, Executive Vice President, Product Development & Strategy, NBCUniversal Digital Distribution. "The cloud based service integrated with UltraViolet really increases the value proposition of digital media, giving consumers total freedom to watch their favorite films and TV shows wherever and whenever they want."
"Quality, access and convenience are quickly becoming synonymous with digital ownership and the market is exploding," said Mike Dunn, President, Worldwide, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. "The ability to access digital HD movies from Fox through NOOK Video complements our existing strategy of delivering the best entertainment experience to consumers and to enrich digital ownership."
