Barnes & Noble touts success of its Nook Developer program, says bestselling Nook apps have grossed more than US$100,000 in their first 30 days of sale

Cindy Allen

NEW YORK , November 7, 2011 (Barnes & Noble) – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, invites leading third-party developers and content providers to join its robust NOOK Developer program and build upon the amazing collection of high-quality applications optimized for NOOK devices including the just-announced NOOK Tablet and award-winning NOOK Color™. In just one year, NOOK Developer has experienced tremendous momentum and success, drawing the interest of leading developers and content companies around the world to offer their popular, high-quality apps to Barnes & Noble’s expansive customer base who have made millions of downloads.

The bestselling NOOK Apps have grossed over $100,000 in the first 30 days of sale. According to a recent Evans Data benchmarking survey of the NOOK Developer community, commissioned by Barnes & Noble, the NOOK storefront is the number one Android-based application platform in terms of revenue channels, and the number two platform overall. Hundreds of third-party developers and content providers have benefitted from bringing their applications to the NOOK platform, citing unprecedented revenue and unique methods of driving discovery and demand of their content and applications. Among the factors contributing to their success, developers attribute access to Barnes & Noble’s loyal, integrated customer base, the unique benefits of NOOK’s open Android platform, and joint physical and digital merchandising opportunities.

“We are excited about the exponential growth of our NOOK Developer program over the last year since we launched our bestselling NOOK Color, and with the launch of our new reading and entertainment-centric NOOK Tablet, we are providing even more opportunities for third-party developers and content providers to reach millions of Barnes & Noble customers and offer high-quality apps to enrich and enhance the content experience,” said Claudia Romanini, Director of Developer Relations at Barnes & Noble. “Our partners have provided a vast array of fun games, puzzles, children’s and other helpful apps on these devices and tell us our app curation model is working very well for them. Developers and content providers are also thrilled with the opportunity to reach our customers and market their apps through a blended online and offline experience – through the device, in stores and the newly announced NOOK Digital Shops™.”

NOOK Tablet was built for power and speed, with a highly tuned 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. Lightweight and designed for maximum portability, the device also features a built-in microphone. In pace with the ever-evolving digital landscape, NOOK Developer is continuously enhancing its tools and services to enable developer success with NOOK Apps – from providing updates to its SDK to support NOOK Tablet’s new features, to streamlining ingestion and enabling new merchandising programs. Effective immediately, Barnes & Noble is inviting developers from both the United States and abroad, enabling international developers from the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Canada and more, to submit apps to sell in the NOOK storefront in the U.S.

The NOOK Developer team has also partnered with Appcelerator, the leading mobile cloud platform for rapidly developing native mobile, desktop, and tablet applications using open web technologies to accelerate the deployment of Appcelerator Titanium™ apps on Barnes & Noble’s digital storefront. And, through a new partnership with Mobihand and its ChannelConnect service, B&N is excited to extend the reach of the NOOK storefront to Mobihand’s developer community, bringing more best-in-class apps and catalog depth and breadth to NOOK customers.

First available on the company’s award-winning NOOK Color – and now NOOK Tablet – NOOK Apps take advantage of the world’s most advanced VividView™ touchscreen display, to offer the richest content experience available. NOOK offers the best assortment of the most popular games, entertainment, productivity and children’s apps: from word games to weather, movies to music, dining to decorating, and anything else in between. NOOK Tablet will extend the catalog with thousands of new, exciting additions, from partners including Netflix, with a pre-loaded app on NOOK Tablet, plus apps available through the NOOK storefront from MOG, Break Media, Ustream, Smithsonian Channel, TV.com, Rhapsody, TuneIn, Grooveshark, Rovio, EA Mobile™, Conde Nast, Concrete Software, Loudcrow, Oceanhouse Media, Drawing Pad, iStorytime and more. With the quality collection of NOOK Apps, customers can choose from a selection of only the best apps available, and enjoy a simple, organized way to discover and purchase apps – right alongside their favorite books, periodicals and more.

Developers are invited to join and submit their applications by visiting www.nookdeveloper.com. Built on the Android OS, it is fast and easy for third-party developers to deploy existing Android-based apps to NOOK’s open eReading platform. Unlike other developer programs, there is no program fee for developers to participate. Developers who qualify will be able to submit paid and free apps and will receive 70 percent of any paid app purchased by Barnes & Noble customers. Developers also have the option to offer free trials to NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color customers.

Accolades from NOOK App Developers and Content Providers

Netflix: “We are thrilled to offer Netflix on NOOK Tablet, providing instant, unlimited access to tens of thousands of hours of movies, TV shows and more, wherever and whenever for a low monthly price,” said Bill Holmes, Vice President of Business Development at Netflix. “With Netflix preloaded on NOOK Tablet and downloadable on the updated NOOK Color, members will have yet another way to enjoy unlimited hours of entertainment. Streaming video from Netflix looks great on NOOK. For those who are not already Netflix members, we are excited to offer a free 30-day trial of our service."

Rovio: “NOOK Tablet’s display and speed make for a wonderfully colorful and dynamic Angry Birds gameplay experience.” – The Mighty Eagle, Peter Vesterbacka

EA Mobile: “SCRABBLE is truly America’s favorite word game and consistently a top performing app across devices,” said Nick Earl, Senior Vice President & General Manager EAi Studios at Electronic Arts. “Our vision is to deliver the games like SCRABBLE that people love to play anytime, anywhere. The enhanced speed of NOOK Tablet will deliver a nimble experience to keep fans on their toes, and the crisp graphics will make scoring a seven-letter word that much sweeter.”

Rhapsody: "We want to give our members access to all the music they love, wherever they are, on all their favorite devices," said Brian McGarvey, Vice President, Business Development, Rhapsody. "Rhapsody is a perfect complement to NOOK Tablet’s immersive media experience."

MOG: “As a premium entertainment-focused device, NOOK is the perfect platform for music lovers to enjoy unlimited music, on-demand from MOG’s catalog of over 13 million songs,” said MOG’s SVP of Business Development, Drew Denbo. “NOOK customers will enjoy the ultimate listening experience including unlimited downloads, artist based radio and a vast library of playlists.”

Break Media: “As the anchor site of the Break Media Properties, break.com has become the number one comedy site on Earth, making its name synonymous with quality entertainment,” said Huan Le, SVP of Business Development for Break Media. “The new break.com app for NOOK Tablet brings our top quality video and editorial content to one of the largest tablet communities in the world.”

Ustream: "We are excited to have our Ustream viewing application available at the launch of the new Nook Tablet and look forward to bringing our premium content to a whole new audience of viewers," said Jeff Finkelstein, Director, Product Marketing and Strategy.

Smithsonian Channel: "Smithsonian Channel's rich storytelling explores the history of our planet, life and culture," said Joseph Giraldi, Vice President, Digital Media at Smithsonian Channel. "This is a wonderful opportunity to bring our diverse collection of video content to NOOK’s content-hungry customers, in rich, beautiful color."

TV.com: "The TV.com app helps people find and discover the best videos from across the web, and we're so excited to deliver our offering to NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color customers," Paul Wehrley, General Manager of TV.com.

TuneIn: “TuneIn is excited to provide NOOK Tablet customers with access to over 50,000 of the world’s music, sports and talk radio stations” said Carl J. Rohling, VP Business Development at TuneIn. “We know that NOOK customers will love listening to their favorite radio programming while enjoying their favorite digital reads, all on a single, dynamic device.”

Grooveshark: “We’re excited to make Grooveshark available to a new and diverse audience with the new NOOK App," said Josh Bonnain, Vice President of Business Development at Grooveshark. “Our 35 million monthly users will now be able to enjoy a globally-sourced library of music in a new way--simultaneously listening to their favorite tunes while enjoying one of the millions of books and periodicals available on NOOK Tablet and NOOK Color."

Conde Nast – for Epicurious: “NOOK provides an extremely rich and engaging experience for Epicurious app users,” said Beth-Ann Eason, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Epicurious. “We’re so excited to have the app on NOOK Color and now, the new NOOK Tablet. Epicurious NOOK App users can enjoy content in the manner most convenient to them – allowing them to search for, save and create shopping lists from Epicurious' award-winning database of over 30,000 professionally created and tested recipes, whenever, wherever."

Concrete Software – for Aces Speed: “We are excited to have our line of games running on Barnes & Noble's NOOK Tablet. The speed, power of the device and display makes gameplay even more enjoyable and fun for our customers.” - Keith A. Pichelman, Chief Executive Officer, Concrete Software, Inc.

Conde Nast – for Style.com: “We are thrilled to deliver the Style.com experience on NOOK Tablet, with the latest designer looks, up to the minute party coverage, and front-row runway and fashion videos – all accessible on-the-go, said Dan Shar, Vice President and General Manager, Digital, Fairchild Fashion Media. “Another way we practice what we preach when we say ‘See Fashion First.’”

Loudcrow – for Sandra Boynton, Barnyard Dance: “We've been thrilled to offer our line of interactive books to the millions of Barnes & Noble customers since NOOK Apps first launched. Our digital books have definitely found a home on NOOK Color and we know our users will also love them on the new NOOK Tablet," said Calvin Wang, Founder and President, Loud Crow Interactive Inc.

Oceanhouse Media: “With 60 Oceanhouse Media book apps on NOOK Color and the new NOOK Tablet, families can enjoy such all-time favorites as The Cat in the Hat , Green Eggs and Ham, How The Grinch Stole Christmas! and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer anywhere, anytime," said Michel Kripalani, President of Oceanhouse Media. "Whether traveling, in the classroom, or reading stories at bedtime with your child, NOOK lets you conveniently build an app library of classic stories that promote reading and provide educational content for the youngest of readers."

Drawing Pad: “What we love most about NOOK is how the realistic drawing tools in Drawing Pad jump off the screen when you use them. The attention to detail in the NOOK Color – and now, NOOK Tablet – hardware really helps us showcase our App!” – Darren Murtha, CEO, Murtha Design Inc.

iStorytime: “Barnes & Noble’s vast audience of avid readers has responded incredibly well to our storybook apps," said Graham Farrar, founder of zuuka. "The integration of interactivity throughout our storybooks, such as The Smurfs and Transformers, makes for an even more immersive reading experience than ever before on NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet."

About NOOK® from Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble's NOOK brand of eReading products makes it easy to read what you love, anywhere you like™ with a fun, easy-to-use and immersive digital reading experience. With NOOK, customers gain access to Barnes & Noble's expansive NOOK Store™ of more than 2.5 million digital titles, and the ability to enjoy content across a wide array of popular devices. The new NOOK Tablet™ is Barnes & Noble’s fastest, lightest tablet with the best in HD entertainment from top services and everything you want in a tablet at a great value ($249). Both NOOK Tablet and the award-winning NOOK Color™ ($199) feature a stunning 7-inch VividView™ Color Touchscreen to read all of the content you love, shop popular apps, connect via email, browse the Web and more. The NOOK Simple Touch™ ($99), is the fastest, easiest to use reader with the world’s best reading screen and the longest battery life. Barnes & Noble offers NOOK owners Always Free NOOK Support in any of its more than 700 bookstores, as well as free Wi-Fi® connectivity to enjoy the Read In Store™ feature to read NOOK Books™ for free, and the More In Store™ program, which offers free, exclusive content and special promotions. Barnes & Noble was the first company to offer digital lending for a wide selection of books through its LendMe® technology, available through NOOK eReading products. Find NOOK devices in Barnes & Noble stores and online at www.BN.com, as well as at Best Buy, Walmart, Staples, Target, Radio Shack, Books-A-Million, OfficeMax, Fred Meyer, P.C. Richard & Son stores, Fry’s Electronics and Systemax Inc. retailers.

In addition to NOOK devices, Barnes & Noble makes it easy for customers to enjoy any book, anytime, anywhere with its FREE NOOK Reading Apps™, available at www.nook.com/freenookapps. Customers can use Barnes & Noble's free eReading software to access and read books from their personal Barnes & Noble digital library on devices including iPad™, iPhone®, iPod touch®, Android™ smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac®. Lifetime Library™ helps ensure that Barnes & Noble customers will always be able to access their digital libraries on NOOK products and software-enabled devices and BN.com. Barnes & Noble also offers NOOK Study™ (www.nookstudy.com), an innovative study platform and software solution for higher education, NOOK Kids™ (www.nookkids.com), a collection of digital picture and chapter books for children, and NOOK Books en español™ (http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ebooksenespanol), the first-ever Spanish language digital bookstore in the United States.

For more information on NOOK devices and eReading software, updates, new NOOK Book releases, Free Friday™ NOOK Books and more, follow us on www.twitter.com/nookBN and www.facebook.com/nookBN.

About Barnes & Noble, Inc.

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE:BKS), the world's largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 704 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, also operates 635 college bookstores serving over 4.6 million students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through BN.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web's largest e-commerce sites, which also features more than two million titles in its NOOK Bookstore™ (www.bn.com/ebooks). Through Barnes & Noble’s NOOK™ eReading product offering, customers can buy and read digital books and content on the widest range of platforms, including NOOK devices, partner company products, and the most popular mobile and computing devices using free NOOK software.

General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.

NOOK®, NOOK Tablet™, NOOK Simple Touch ™, NOOK 1st Edition™, NOOK 1st Edition Wi-Fi™, NOOK Color™, Reader’s Tablet™, PagePerfect™, Best-Text™, Fast Page™, NOOK Books™, NOOK Store™, NOOK Bookstore™, NOOK Newsstand™, NOOK Magazines™, VividView™, ArticleView™, NOOK Newspapers™, NOOK Comics™, NOOK Cloud™, NOOK Apps™, FREE NOOK Reading Apps™, PubIt!™, NOOK Discover™, NOOK Kids™, Read and Play™, Read to Me™, Read and Record™, NOOK Digital Shop™, Read In Store™, More In Store™, NOOK Friends™, LendMe®, NOOK Library™, NOOK Boutiques™, The Barnes & Noble Promise™, NOOK Books en español™, NOOK Study™, Free Friday™, Lifetime Library™ and Read What You Love. Anywhere You Like™ are trademarks of Barnes & Noble, Inc.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.