Windows Nook App Discontinued

[RWTS]

I didn't see any mention of this on the forum. Disappointing news.

https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/e...etting-Started

As of 11/29/2023, the NOOK for Windows App is no longer available for new downloads from the Microsoft Store. However, existing customers can continue to use the app as usual, with all previous NOOK content accessible in their NOOK Library.

For a broader reading experience, we encourage users to explore our suite of NOOK Reading Apps for Android and iOS devices, as well as NOOK for Web, which allows reading online. All previously purchased NOOK Content will still be available on these other applications and services.

For more information, please visit our NOOK Reading Apps page to discover all available options.

While I don't read ebooks on my computer, there was some comfort in having a copy downloaded to my PC.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by RWTS

I didn't see any mention of this on the forum. Disappointing news.

https://help.barnesandnoble.com/hc/e...etting-Started



While I don't read ebooks on my computer, there was some comfort in having a copy downloaded to my PC.

B&N is going to lose sales.

[cgsmom]

Well that is disappointing. I’m not sure why I keep giving B&N more chances. I do occasionally read on my pc, but the Nook app was the way I liberate my nook books. Oh well.

[Musicman]

This is disappointing.... They will definitely lose sales. since you cannot buy books through the android app... I wonder if newly purchased books will still be downloadable on the windows app....

I'll have to give it a try..

[Musicman]

Just gave it a try... I was able to purchase a book and download it through the windows app.. So far so good for those that have it.

[Lunar Ronin]

I unfortunately saw this coming. I mentioned in another thread back in July that there was no mention whatsoever of the Windows app on Barnes & Noble's website.

Oh well. I guess it's back to Kobo then.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by cgsmom

Well that is disappointing. I’m not sure why I keep giving B&N more chances. I do occasionally read on my pc, but the Nook app was the way I liberate my nook books. Oh well.

Well, so much for Barnes & Noble. Just when I was getting geared up to buy from them again. I wonder if they pulled the app specifically because it did allow you to liberate their books for different readers?

I have zero interest in ever using the Barnes & Noble apps for Android and iOS devices. But I'm probably in the minority here.

I don't know if I have the Windows app installation file downloaded or not. I'll have to check to check my Windows partition to see.

[Patchicat]

I just learned about this. And they've just lost me as a customer. I happen to have several nook devices as well as a straight android tablet on which I've loaded the android nook app. Opened the pc app and looked at my library. Then I checked it against the library on one of my nooks. Specifically searched for a recent purchase of a book on the pc app, and it wasn't there. Searched for another recent purchase, and it was there. Then I searched for a different recent purchase. No dice. I'm now looking into the kobo apps for android and pc. And I need to see if there's any sort of work around for being able to download the books no longer available for download so I can future proof them. I guess Barnes & Noble wants to go bankrupt. I've been a loyal customer since 2009 when I purchased my first Nook.

[Musicman]

I was able to purchase a book and download to from the Nook windows app.. Did you you try manually syncing to refresh your library?

I wonder if you can run the Nook Android app in Windows 11 and have access to the downloaded books......

Has anyone tried it?

[Patchicat]

Well, I kept the app open on my computer and just checked it again. Evidently, it did download my newly purchased books. But that just means I need to continue to look at alternate methods of purchasing and future proofing my books. I'm currently looking into rooting at least one of my nooks so I can have access to the hidden library. I find it rather strange that Barnes and Noble has such a dim view of its digital book customers. It seems as though they're actively trying to drive their customers away for some reason. I may or may not purchase future books from them, but I certainly cannot trust them anymore as it seems that they want to control our purchases after we've already paid for them.

[RWTS]

I don't think Barnes & Noble is being anti-consumer or has a dim view of its customers. I think it's just a sign of the times. Every company wants us to use its app. It used to be I could simply text when picking up an order at a restaurant, grocery store or other retailer. Now more and more places require an app.

(And then there were the really dark ages when I had to--gasp--actually call a number and talk to a person. Or worse, actually get out of my car and go inside! ).

Most members here are advanced users. The average ebook reader is probably using the Kindle app on their phone.

I know I'm an outlier here. I don't download books, remove DRM, reformat and all that. I'm primarily a library user; when I do purchase books, I read them and then archive them. There's a certain comfort that my purchased B&N books are available on my PC, but this isn't going to change my habits. I'll still buy Nook books when I get B&N gift cards.

Since I am an outlier, I'm not all up to date on things. But hasn't Amazon also updated their app to make downloading and removing DRM a pain without jumping through a bunch of hoops? I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually stop offering a Windows app.

Hmm, come to think of it, wasn't there some hubbub a few weeks back about the US government shutting down pirate book sites? Might these changes be the result of pressure from the publishing industry to keep books from being pirated? Or at least make it much harder for books to end up in the wild? And honest users are caught in the fallout?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by RWTS

I don't think Barnes & Noble is being anti-consumer or has a dim view of its customers. I think it's just a sign of the times. Every company wants us to use its app. It used to be I could simply text when picking up an order at a restaurant, grocery store or other retailer. Now more and more places require an app.

It was an "app." A Windows "app" in their store. If it had been a regular application I could have the downloaded it, so I would be able to install it again if I had somehow lost my original install. Now it's just gone.

Originally Posted by RWTS

Most members here are advanced users. The average ebook reader is probably using the Kindle app on their phone.

I have the apps installed to test them but I don't use them. Most of the time I carry a flip phone with me (if I remember to carry any cellphone at all).

Originally Posted by RWTS

I know I'm an outlier here. I don't download books, remove DRM, reformat and all that. I'm primarily a library user; when I do purchase books, I read them and then archive them. There's a certain comfort that my purchased B&N books are available on my PC, but this isn't going to change my habits. I'll still buy Nook books when I get B&N gift cards.

I like to be able to change the formatting and fonts in the books I buy. And I don't trust corporations to always be there, or to not lose my purchased books.

Originally Posted by RWTS

Since I am an outlier, I'm not all up to date on things. But hasn't Amazon also updated their app to make downloading and removing DRM a pain without jumping through a bunch of hoops? I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually stop offering a Windows app.

As of now you can still download the books from Amazon's website, provided you have a Kindle registered with Amazon.

[RWTS]

It was an "app." A Windows "app" in their store. If it had been a regular application I could have the downloaded it, so I would be able to install it again if I had somehow lost my original install. Now it's just gone.

D'oh. I should have written every company wants us to use its mobile app.

Does anyone actually use the Microsoft store? It was supposed to compete with Google and Apple, but it's just.... sad. I haven't downloaded anything from there other than the Nook app. Which now makes me wonder if that's also a factor in B&N discontinuing it--lack of downloads.

[jviscosi]

Originally Posted by RWTS

D'oh. I should have written every company wants us to use its mobile app.

Does anyone actually use the Microsoft store? It was supposed to compete with Google and Apple, but it's just.... sad. I haven't downloaded anything from there other than the Nook app. Which now makes me wonder if that's also a factor in B&N discontinuing it--lack of downloads.

I have, I have! I didn't want to, but I had to, because the only ways to get the app in question were from the Microsoft Store or from something called "Gumroad". Gumroad is apparently legit, but I thought it looked sketchy, and the user reviews of Gumroad didn't make me feel any better about it, and then I noticed the app cost twice as much there, and the app maker himself said he recommended getting it from the Microsoft store. So then I had the problem of actually getting that to work, because the way to buy it from the Microsoft store was to download the free version and then use the in-app purchase function of the app to upgrade to the paid version; but every time I clicked on the in-app purchase, the Microsoft Store would open a pop-up inside the app, say "Please wait", and then spin for a minute before rendering a white screen with no way to proceed. I tried:

• Rebooting
• Running a repair on the app itself
• Running a repair on the MS Store app
• Uninstalling the app itself and the MS App store and reinstalling both of them
• Signing out of the MS App store and signing back in
• Signing completely out of my MS account in the store and the computer and then signing back in

After the last thing, I was finally able to complete the upgrade to the paid version of the app, but, man, that was about the least seamless app purchasing experience I've ever had. I don't think I'll be doing it again.

[RWTS]

Ouch! What a headache! Your experience is just one of the reasons I miss standalone installers and outright purchases of software. I just don't understand the appeal of modern apps and probably never will.