Samsung has just announced its teamed up with Barnes and Noble in order to launch the all-new Galaxy Tab 4 Nook. The slate is available to purchase in the United States starting today for $179 after a $20 instant rebate from any of the booksellers bricks-and-mortar stores or its website.

Here’s a partnership you probably weren’t expecting: Samsung has teamed up with Barnes & Noble to launch the new Galaxy Tab 4 Nook. The 7-inch device is almost identical to the original Galaxy Tab 4 — inside and out — but it comes pre-loaded with Nook apps and a custom user interface.

Like Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices, Barnes & Noble’s Android-powered Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets have always relied on the company’s proprietary app store for software distribution.

While this ensures that every app you download will work well on your slate, it also means that the app selection is limited, and nowhere near that of Android’s own Google Play store.

But that all changed today when Barnes & Noble announced it will finally be bringing Google Play to its tablets.

Barnes & Noble has launched its Nook Video service in the United Kingdom today, bringing digital movies and TV shows to its Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets. In addition to fresh content from BBC Worldwide, HBO, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and more, users will gain access to UltraViolet versions of their existing DVD and Blu-ray purchases.

Barnes & Noble is looking to spruce up its digital content offerings with Nook Video this fall. Nook Video will offer an easy way for users to buy movies and TV shows directly from the NOOK Store and have them stored safely and securely in the NOOK Cloud. From there, users can watch them on their NOOK, as well as a multitude of devices offering the soon-to-be-released NOOK Video app. Users will also be able to enjoy purchased UltraViolet-enabled movies and TV shows on their devices thanks to UltraViolet account integration with NOOK Cloud.