When it comes to e-readers, Barnes & Noble’s Nook is often considered something of an also-ran, especially compared to the dominance of Amazon’s Kindle. But to its credit, Barnes & Noble simply will not drop out of the e-reader race, and I’m kind of into it. So what’s new with Nook? A brand new GlowLight 4 colorway: Ocean Teal.
It’s cool to be colorful again
Other than the color, there don’t appear to be any updates to the “new” Nook, which you can pre-order for $149.99 from the Barnes & Noble website for a November 2025 release. Given that this isn’t new hardware, this just seems to be a case of Nook jumping on the color bandwagon. Last year, Kindle turned a lot of heads with its matcha and jade green e-readers, and the latest iPhone release will feature an orange colorway (a big departure from its typically conservative color palette).
This isn’t likely to move a lot of units, though. Even though the GlowLight 4 has some surprisingly good hardware (2 GB of RAM and a 1.8 GHz processor), users and reviewers don’t like the dust-prone recessed screen, the lack of waterproofing, or the antiquated OS. Plus, at $150, either the base Kindle or the Kobo Clara BW are better values at $110.
Nook could be clearing space for something new
Even though I don’t think a teal Nook will move a lot of products, it could signal that Nook has something new on the horizon. Its last e-reader was the GlowLight 4 Plus back in 2023, so it’s entirely possible something new may be on the way. Having said that, there haven’t been any recent FCC filings by Nook, which typically precede a new launch by about 3 months, so don’t expect anything soon.
There are a lot of things I like about the Nook, and if it leans into its underlying Android OS, it could steal a chunk of market from its North American competitors, Kindle and Kobo. But there’s also a lot to be desired from the GlowLight 4, which originally launched in December 2021. If Nook is cooking up something new, it needs to be playing catch-up with Boox, because that’s who everyone else will be chasing soon.
If Nook’s new Ocean Teal is what you need to accentuate your style (it is a sharp color), you can pre-order it now for $149.99 on Barnes & Noble’s website, or wait for the official release on November 20th.
Nook GlowLight 4 Ocean Teal Edition
