Samsung to Pre-Load B&N Nook App on Galaxy Tab 3 Kids

Samsung and Barnes & Noble are teaming up to encourage kids to read.

As of today, the Barnes & Noble's Nook app for kids is the only reading app on the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids, the companies announced. The app is compliant with the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), offering access to thousands of new and classic children's titles.

Current Galaxy Tab 3 Kids owners can get the Nook app for kids through a software update today. Beginning later this year, the app will be pre-loaded on all new Galaxy Tab 3 Kids devices.

Even better, those who purchase the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids tablet and register a new Nook account will receive more than $50 in free kids Nook books and magazines. That includes favorites like the latest editions of American Girl and Ranger Rick magazines, along with Strawberry Shortcake: Field Day, Kung Fu Panda: Art of Balance, Madagascar 3: Long Live the King, Penguins of Madagascar: Wonder from Down Under Part 1, Beast Friends Forever, Horrid Henry, Quest of the Warrior Sheep, and Elliot & The Goblin War.

"This new relationship between Barnes & Noble and Samsung highlights both companies' commitment to children's literacy and learning," Mike Saturnia, vice president and general manager of Nook sales and business development, said in a statement. "By making our Nook app for kids available on the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids device, we are giving parents a powerful tool to encourage their children to digitally read, discover and learn in a safe environment."

The Galaxy Tab 3 Kids is available now for $229.99 at Samsung.com, Best Buy, Fry's, Office Depot, Sam's Club, Tiger Direct, and Toys "R" Us. It features dual-operating modes, letting parents switch between kids mode and standard mode. In standard mode, parents can access the full Nook for Android app, which offers access to more than 3 million books, magazines, newspapers, comics, and graphic novels.

The device features a 7-inch, 1,024-by-600 display with 170 pixels per inch. There's a 3-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing cam for selfies and video chat. It runs Android 4.1 and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor. There's 8GB of internal memory expandable to 32GB via micro SD and 1GB of RAM.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes.

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app.

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth.

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light.

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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