Barnes & Noble Brings Google Play Into The Mix

The Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets are upping the number of apps customers can download.

The book seller on Friday announced that it is adding the Google Play store to its list of approved apps. The Play store allows users to downloaded apps from the full catalog of Google Android-based apps.

With the inclusion of Google Play, users of the Nook tablet series will gain access to more than 700,000 programs.

Google Play also offers access to millions of songs found on Google Play Music and other options found via Google’s other content hubs.

As Barnes & Noble updates its software users will also be given access to Google’s main services, which includes the Chrome browser, Gmail, YouTube, Google Search, and Google Maps.

When the update is available, users will see an automatic notice for over-the-air updates. The update can be handled when a user is connected to a Wi-Fi network.

Users will soon see a notification for an automatic over-the-air update over Wi-Fi from later today.

Moving towards a full Google Android eco-system is a new approach for Barnes & Noble. Much like the Amazon Kindle Fire devices, B&N chose to use the Google Android OS as a backbone for its own hacked version of the system.

By offering its own apps store Barnes & Noble was able to maintain full control over a users purchases, allowing them to buy apps under the company’s control.

Do you think the Barnes & Noble Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets are better off with the Google Play store?