Barnes and Noble introduce the NOOK Tablet™ 8GB

Barnes and Noble announced its latest version of the NOOK Tablet™ on Wednesday.  The latest version has 8GB of storage space (which should be enough storage space for the ridiculous amount of books I have if  could bear to part with them).
The NOOK sells for $199.00 and comes with a 1GHz dual-core processor to enable video streaming, Internet access and email.

A battery life of 11.5 hours if you're are reading and 9 hours if you are viewing videos.

Music, movies and TV shows can be downloaded from services such as Netflix.

Users will also have access to the Newstand and comics and graphic novels.

Thousands of apps will also be available to NOOK users and these are just some of the features included on the latest version of the NOOK.

William Lynch, Chief Executive Office of Barnes & Noble, said:

“For any customer who likes to read digitally, watch movies or TV shows, browse the web, or help their kids read and learn through interactive books and apps, our new $199 NOOK Tablet with 8GB is the best product value on the market,”

“NOOK Tablet is the highest-rated wireless media tablet in the 7-inch class, ultra-portable at under a pound, offers our exclusive VividView^™ screen technology, and since its introduction this holiday has received rave reviews from customers about all its great features. We’re pleased to now offer customers the ability to experience NOOK Tablet’s unmatched content experience for only $199.”

This is the year I'm going to read the books on my shelf

Over the last three or four years, I've brought an absolute ton of books.  Some of them from charity shops, some from companies with special offers such as ten Harlen Coben for ten pounds, plenty from Amazon, and most of them have ended up collecting dust on my bookshelf.

This year I've decided that there is no point having all of these books (and it's not just thriller type books, there is come classics among them) and not finding time to read them so I've started by getting 2-3 of them going and I'm going to make time to read them.

When I've finished reading them, I'm going to review them on here and on my other writing blog at http://writingandpublishingnews.blogspot.com/

I love reading and enjoy books from most genres so if you have a book you'd like to recommend or a review you'd like to include on the blog then please contact me.

New George Pelecanos ebook just 99p

Fans of George Pelacanos have the chance to get his latest book, What It Was, for just 99p.

The offer is only on to the end of the month and is available as an ebook.

To get your copy you can visit:

http://www.orionbooks.co.uk/books/what-it-was-ebook

Is Knoxville the most romantic city?

According to Internet giant Amazon it is.  Amazon used sales data from romance novels and relationship books, romantic comedy movies and Barry White albums, which can always be relied upon to get people in a romantic mood.

Amazon counted both Kindle books and print books, digital movies and DVDs and CD and MP3 sales to work out the winner.

Amazon used figures dating back to January 1 this year and counted sales on a per capita basis in cities with over 100,000 residents.

Last year's most romantic city, Alexandria, came second this year and Springfield came third.  Las Vegas is way down the list at 18. 

There wasn't a lot of romance going on in New York City if the list from Amazon is anything to by with the Big Apple coming out as the least romantic according to the purchasing habits of Amazon customers.  Also flailing in the romantic states were Patterson, New Jersey and El Monte, California.

Charles Dickens 200th birthday marked today

February 12, 2012 marks the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, the man who gave us classic books such as Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities.

The Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, which is based in Portsmouth, UK, will be holding a number of events throughout 2012 to celebrate the bicentenary of Dickens' birth.  Numerous events have been held and there are plenty more planned to mark the occasion.  On Tuesday, events in Portsmouth began at 10.00am and throughout the day.  Local schools took part, ceremonies and speeches were made and a thanksgiving service was also held.

Such was Dickens' impact on the literary world, his birth is being celebrated with events throughout the world.

Anyone who hasn't read Dickens' work can now do so for free or at little cost.  His work is out of copyright and Amazon offer free Kindle downloads and an entire collection of Dickens is available for just 99p.