Pandigital Transforms eReader Into Android Tablet

Pandigital announced a firmware update for its 7-inch Pandigital Novel line of products that will transform the eReaders into full Android tablets. In addition to apps and other typical Android tablet features, users will also get the benefits of additional file compatibility with support for DOC, DOCX, TXT, XLS, XLSX, CSV, PPT and PPTX formats. The software update will also give users an improved ability to shop and access content from Barnes & Noble’s NOOKbook Store. The firmware update is free and available immediately.

Pandigital Transforms Its 7-Inch eReaders into Multimedia Open Android Tablets

Pandigital Multimedia Novel Now Shipping with Open Architecture for Access to Android Applications;

Continues to Provide Access to Barnes & Noble eBooks;

Existing Customers Can Upgrade Firmware to Enhance the Device

DUBLIN, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pandigital today announced a firmware update that transforms its 7-inch Pandigital Novel line of products into the Pandigital Multimedia Novel line of Android multimedia tablets and color eReaders, increasing performance and providing customers with the flexibility to customize their product with a wide range of Android applications.

Starting immediately, the new Pandigital Multimedia Novel 7-inch Android tablet gives customers the ability to download and enjoy Android™ applications from their favorite sites.(1) As a result, customers can personalize their Pandigital Multimedia Novel adding the applications that are most interesting to them and increase daily use of the device.

“The transition to a hybrid Android media tablet/color eReader was a natural evolution for the Pandigital Novel product line,” said Jason Topel, vice president, Pandigital. “The original version of the Pandigital Novel was a color eReader with Barnes & Noble content and packed with multimedia functionality found on many tablets. Conceived from the outset on the Android operating system, the Pandigital Novel was the first non-phone Android device of its kind in North America when it was launched last June. We wanted to take the product one step further by allowing our customers to personalize the product by downloading the apps they want.”

By updating the software of the existing product, the new 7-inch Pandigital Multimedia Novel tablet provides faster overall performance. Also, additional file compatibility is supported, including DOC, DOCX, TXT, XLS, XLSX, CSV, PPT and PPTX.

The device’s software upgrade will also provide customers with enhanced performance to shop and access content from Barnes & Noble’s expansive NOOKbook Store with more than two million eBooks, newspapers and magazines.

New customers will be able to purchase the 7-inch Pandigital Multimedia Novel with the new firmware already integrated. Existing customers who own the original 7-inch Pandigital Novel can realize all of the benefits of the Pandigital Multimedia Novel by visiting www.pandigital.net/Downloads to update their firmware.

Additionally, customers can still enjoy the full-color touch screen, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, email and web access, audio and video player, digital photo frame, alarm clock, games and more.

Availability, Price and Warranty

The new 7-inch Pandigital Multimedia Novel Android™ tablet and color eReader (model numbers R70D200/256 white and R70E200 black) have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $199.99 with a promotional price of $149.99. They will be available at several national retailers beginning this month and are backed by a one year limited warranty. The firmware update for existing customers is free and available immediately.