In my humble opinion – what a bunch of jerks.  A great way to insure that people will return their Nooks and stop buying from them (BN).  Too bad as I like the device.

i will return my new purchased nook tablet as result of the new firmware update.

Don’t return it…just wait for the next hack!

I already returned mine and that despite the fact that I figured there would be a way to get back the ability to sideload and even root the device. I just got tired of having to workaround B&N’s restrictions. I still will have to deal with my daughter’s Nook Color which I rooted a week ago. When she comes back from overseas the update will be lurking. I hope I can head it off to save myself some extra work. The only way I’d buy another Nook Tablet is if so many people return them that they start selling the “refurbished” ones for half price! With time to prepare I could probably figure out the hacks necessary to root it and keep it rooted.

B&N is “giving” you nothing. They are “selling” you a device that they have expectations of a grand stream of future revenue. And when they perceive a threat to that revenue stream they force-feed (I wasn’t given an opt out choice) a software update which insures that you go through B&N for Android apps – ostensibly for security reasons – yeah right. If Microsoft had done something like that people would have marched them into Federal court.

The point is in plugging that hole with the 1.4.1 software “update” B&N also found a way to insure its revenue stream by leveraging the purchase of a “tablet” (referred to in the terms of service as “your Nook”) for purposes of their online sales division. So much for “my Nook.”

This is my opinion based on what I have seen, read, and experienced. I don’t like the rules being changed after the fact. The cat got out of the bag and maybe they never intended that to happen, but that’s not my fault. (They should have done more beta testing rather than trying to eclipse the Kindle Fire launch.) I bought a Nook tablet that could side-load Android software and never gave B&N permission to change this – period! I should not have to root the device in order to enjoy my reasonable expectations of operating it in the same manner that I did when I bought it. I could side-load apps when I bought it without rooting it! I don’t want to root it, I shouldn’t have to. They sold it as a tablet and not a proprietary ebook reader (by the way, a lot of ebook readers are more open than the Nook Tablet BEFORE the 1.4.1 update.)

Corporate paranoia aside, companies who pull these shenanigans don’t make friends, and as I previously said, I’ve purchased 3 of these devices over the last 3 years, and if there is no relief on this issue the Nook tablet will be my last. Even Amazon allows side-loading again on the Fire after a bunch of criticsm.

I’ve written to B&N and expressed my opinion on this matter and specifically asked for such relief. I have not had a response as of yet. I’m a realist as well and they probably will not want to back down from their attempted conquest of the known universe of ebookdom, but that is their perogative. It just means that I will part company with a company I have been doing business with for my adult lifetime. Life does go on and B&N is not the only fish in the sea.

Let the B&N fanboys and apologists cry havoc.

BN will do somerhing to alliviate the concerns…promise.
The have an interest in making their tablet one of the best. If not only hurt themselves…. so stay tuned.

Read you agreement. You are the hacker here and hacking is not legal.

Forgive my earlier post. I also spoke with B&N tech, B&N store tech employee, and online chat support for B&N. They all said that this was NOT a mistake.  I could tell they thought it was stupid.  I didn’t yell at them or cuss so they stayed on the line for a while.  Basically, B&N want you to buy apps from them and them alone.  Waiting for the work around.

Discorover1:  wrong.  My device — my physical object — means it’s my right to do as I wish with it.  Even if I want to replace the software it came with.  EULAs are untested, legally, as viable contracts — and they do not override existing law, regardless.  (I may void my warranty — but since the NT can be hard-reset to its fresh-out-the-box state, that’s pretty much *not* the issue it might be for a cell phone).

The only business issue at play here that I can think of is whether B&N are paying less for the “privilege” of failing to enable the Bluetooth functions built into the Wi-fi chips they put in their devices.  If that’s the case, that’s between them and their manufacturer/supplier — not me.  And if I want to hack my device so I *can* make use of a BT keyboard?  They have no right to force an update on me that keeps me from doing so.

You sound like the kind of conservative who thinks the “rights” of business should take precedence over the rights of the individual….

No doubt about it, the problem with liberals is that they’re stupid enough to expect honesty from a major corporation. I mean, how stupid can we be?  I bought two Nook Tablets for Christmas and specifically asked if I was restricted to B&N products only. I was, of course, told that I wasn’t. I would have no problem with the restrictions if (a) they were clearly stated in advertising or at point of sale; and (b) these restrictions weren’t added without my consent or knowledge after it was paid for.  At best this is sleight of hand and I’m surprised that it’s only liberals who are outraged.

Is there any new news on this issue, or new hacks developed yet. I too go no satisfaction from the bozos at B&N.

If you restore your nook to a 1.4.0 and then you add the slideload to it. will that work? and if you slideload will it void your warranty?