What's up with the Nook?

As big layoffs go, we've all seen worse, but this is still confirmation that B&N's Nook business can't continue as we know it.

Here's the thing, as I see it: people want to be able to read ebooks but they want choices. I fantasize about dedicated readers like the Paperwhite, but in practice if I have a device I want something that I can do more with. Not surprisingly, I want to be able to write, but most others want to be able to surf or, at the very least, access more interesting content. B&N has tried to meet those needs, but not in a way that inspires any confidence in their ability to innovate. Why didn't they partner with Spotify, for example, for premium content? Or Hulu? Or, perhaps most importantly, make sure their software actually did what it was supposed to without crashing?

Can Nook be improved? Are other competitors in a position to offer a viable alternative to Kindle? Honest questions.