Barnes and Noble has released a firmware update for the “All-New NOOK”, or is it the “Nook Simple Touch Reader”, B&N’s marketing department can’t seem to make up their mind what to call it :). Who knows why they can’t just go with something simple like “Nook Touch”. Calling something “All-New” is going to become dated really fast.
Name calling aside, the firmware update, version 1.0.1, appears to be a minor one. Just bug fixes and performance enhancements. No new tantalizing features have been added. Here’s what’s changed according to Barnes and Noble:
- Connect more easily to Wi-Fi hotspots
- Improved touchscreen responsiveness
- Enhanced accuracy of battery meter
Barnes and Noble will automatically push the update to Nooks this week over WiFi, and if you are the impatient sort or if you don’t have WiFi, you can download the update from B&N’s support page right now and sideload it onto the Nook.
All you have to do is download the update to a computer and then transfer it as is to the Nook Touch’s root directory via USB. Eject the Nook and then in a few minutes when it goes to sleep it will automatically install the update on its own.
At least that’s what it is supposed to do. My rooted Nook Touch doesn’t seem to be recognizing the update—nothing happens. It wouldn’t be surprising if they setup root to disallow updates; after all, updates can cause problems to a rooted device.
My rooted Nook Color went haywire after its first automatic update and had to be flashed back to stock to start over again—then ROMs came along and they are much better than rooting anyway. Too bad there aren’t any for the Nook Touch yet.
In other word, I should disable the wifi these coming days 😛
I don’t think you’ll have to. I tried it a couple more times and it starts like it is going to install the update then reverts back to the Android home, and then the update disappears from the memory altogether after it fails.
The only part of the update I was interested in was the improvments to using Wifi hotspots. Is there any android app that would enhance wifi?
It will be interesting to see if this fixes these bugs:
– occasionally have to power cycle because the screen refreshes leave ever-darker ghosts of the previous screen
– touch screen does not turn off during sleep causing the battery to drain quite quickly if you put your nook touch in a bag.
I rooted after getting the 1.0.1 firmware update. I thought it was working … but I think I screwed up something on a boot. Now, the little icon on the center left screen brings up a menu, but HOME only takes me to the B&N home screen. I can’t seem to get to an andoid page, no matter how many times I reboot, etc.
Should I try re-rooting?
You should flash back to stock to the 1.0 firmware before re-rooting. You shouldn’t root a Nook with 1.0.1 firmware unless it is designed specifically for it. Firmware changes usually mess with the rooting process and I haven’t seen any directions for 1.0.1 yet.
Thanks. I take it that when I reinstall a B&N firmware the android stuff gets wiped out? So, I’ll get the B&N firmware and install that first which should take be back to “out of the box”, then do the adroid?
Just a side comment/question: If this is how things work, how does one avoid the auto-updates the B&N send out … if they wipe the android stuff each time I’d not be a happy fellow.
Thanks.
I haven’t had to mess with going back to stock with the Nook Touch. There’s some info about it on XDA. You should try doing a factory reset first; that should take it back to 1.0. Using the touchnooter method seems to automatically disable OTA updates; mine still won’t update. I tried sideloading the update and it wouldn’t work either.
I just did a soft reset (from the nook menus , etc). This takes you back to the latest firmware I had installed (1.0.1). No loss of data, and (I think) a complete loss of the installed android.
I’ll just leave it alone for now until the android folk get a “official” version for 1.0.1.
Best,
Nathan,
I believe I purchased the Nook Touch with firmware version 1.0.1 installed on it as I don’t remember updating as I recently purchased it(maybe it did it automatically.). If 1.0.1 was factory installed then a factory reset would just bring me back to 1.0.1 and not 1.0.
I am confused if rooting instructions or Touchnooter will work on firmware version 1.0.1. From what I read above, I gather is that your rooting instruction and Touchnooter will not work on 1.0.1. Is that correct?
Thanks
Good questions that I don’t really know the answers to, so let’s give it a shot. The Nook will automatically update to 1.0.1, yes. Doing a factory reset may reset it 1.0. That’s a good place to start. I didn’t create the TouchNooter process so I can say for certain that it will or won’t work with 1.0.1. I do know that you can’t update to 1.0.1 after rooting, as this post points out. Resetting will likely take you back to 1.0, though, so let us know how it turns out.