Nook Tablet to compete with Kindle Fire

A side view of the Nook Tablet in its case.

Video playback looks crisp on the 7-inch IPS screen.

Apps and books are intertwined in the Nook Tablet's graphical layout.

A variety of video and audio codecs are supported. Seen here: a clip from "Iron Man 2."

Comic reading on the Nook Tablet shows a lot of promise.

Netflix, a long-awaited Nook feature, is preinstalled on the Nook Tablet, and is well integrated with the core tablet functions.

The Netflix app in action.

Of course, no tablet demo would be complete without Angry Birds. Rovio's game loaded quickly on the Nook Tablet.

Browsing wireless settings.

Barnes & Noble claims that the Nook Tablet's IPS display has less glare than the iPad's.

Core e-reading functions should be familiar to Nook Color users.

A clever layout and grouping of apps, books, and media.

SD cards pop in via a corner slot.

Magazines, launched via Nook Newsstand, should give the iPad's digital-publishing efforts good competition. There will be several hundred available to start.

The Nook Tablet's slim side profile.

The new Nook lineup.

Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch introduces the Nook Tablet before a crowd this morning at the company's Union Square store in Manhattan.

Barnes & Noble's CEO kicks off the event this morning on the top floor of Manhattan's Union Square location.