Seems like it’s every other day we hear about a new Android device receiving their KitKat update, but would you believe Barnes & Noble’s line of Nook tablets can also partake in the latest Android confection? Okay, so not officially, but the fellas at N2A Cards might have the next best thing. Recently, they’ve updated their specialized plug-and-play SD card that gives the Nook Color, Nook Tablet, Nook HD, and Nook HD+ the ability to boot into stock Android 4.4 KitKat without all the bloat. Yum.
Of course, N2A Cards don’t come free. Preloaded micro SD cards with everything you need to get up and running with KitKat can be picked up on their site for $30. Given that most of us have a few SD card laying around, there’s also a downloadable version of their software offered at a discounted $20. Previous N2A customers get the best deal, with the update to KitKat setting them back a mere $10. Because it’s more or less like dual-booting, you can always return to the stock Barnes & Noble software where all the apps and media you’ve purchased will be waiting for you.
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Nest is a company that makes smart smoke detectors and smart thermostats. That’s neat, but that gadget business alone is not worth $3.2 billion, the price Google just paid for Nest. There are a bunch of reasons Google was willing to give Nest’s investors a 20x return on their investment, including its pool of talent. But the full scope of the most important reason of all has been absent from most of press coverage.
Google and a number of automakers are planning to bring Android to cars with the launch of a new group called the Open Automotive Alliance. The alliance consists of Google, GM, Honda, Audi, Hyundai, and chipmaker Nvidia, and will focus on bringing the successful mobile operating system to in-car entertainment systems "in a way that is purpose built for cars." The first cars with Android integration are planned for launch by the end of 2014.
