Nook app gets optimized for Android tablets

Instead of a super-sized version of the Nook Android phone app, an optimized version has been created for tablets.

The update comes after Barnes & Noble turned its full-size Nook Color e-reader into a fully functional Android tablet. Since that device has an optimized display for Nook books, B&N has decided to make it available for all Android tablets.

The retailer says the new version of Nook for Android works well on devices with a 7-inch or larger display.

So what exactly makes it optimized for those bigger screens? The library view now shoes more titles on a single display, the margins have been increased, and bigger line spacing to make it look more like a real book.

Additionally, the book retailer is promoting the new version as being perfect for its “comprehensive selection of digital periodicals,” including more than 100 magazines and digital newspapers.

Those who run Nook for Android on a phone will also be prompted to download the update, though their experience will not change that much. Nevertheless, it does also provide “minor performance enhancements” to the smartphone version of the app.

The new version of Nook for Android is numbered version 2.61, and is available as a free download from the Android Market for all devices running Android 2.1 or later.