The company only released the original Nook Tablet back in early November of last year, but at $249 the Android tablet remains significantly more expensive than the $199 Amazon Kindle Fire, which more or less has the same specifications. However, the new Nook Tablet will have the same price point and on-board storage (8GB) as the Fire, a move which could yet open up the entry-level Android tablet market. Wal-Mart is planning to launch the new tablet at 12:01 AM on Wednesday 22nd February.

Recent estimates from market researchers suggest that the Kindle Fire has grown to occupy the number two spot in the tablet market, with Amazon selling around 3.9 million tablets in Q4. In contrast, Barnes & Noble, which also fared reasonably well, sold around 1.92 million Nook Tablets in the quarter, putting the company in fourth position in the tablet market.