B&N has a new big update for the nook Color that contains a lot of new features as well as performance improvements. Here are some of the big ticket items in the update:

• Access to streaming movies/TV via Netflix (you just have to download the app).
• New nook Comics support.
• Improvements to the book reading experience (read in portrait/landscape & more font sizes). Way nice.
• PagePerfect™ NOOK Books™ - a whole new category of NOOK Books carefully crafted to keep the precision and beauty of their stunning print versions. Zoom in on pictures, and fluidly scroll through pages of beautiful cookbooks, art books, and more. 
• Direct look-up of words in the built-in dictionary.
• The nook button (n) has been revamped to pop-up and include more places.  Double tap home to get to the home screen.
• The button for font changes in book reading is a small caret by page number.
• Video support via Flash player.
• Shop enhancements are nice and it runs faster (to me).

So my impressions are that after an hour of playing this is a pretty solid update. The netflix streaming was nowhere as smooth as my iPad but it was usable. The shop app updates are nice. I know a LOT of people have been waiting for landscape reading and it seems to work well (2 column layout).  

You know, given how some devices I own have been abandoned (Galaxy Tab 7) I think it's great to see B&N hasn't left the nookColor in the dust as with their new nook Tablet on the scene :) 

If you don't want to wait for the update you can get more information and download it on the B&N site here.

If you have a rooted device or sideload apps you should wait before applying this update as B&N has closed sideloading. I think this is a huge mistake - but hopefully you'll be able to root this version soon and bypass that restriction.

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