Barnes & Noble publicly announced
its electronic-book reader, setting the stage for its $259 e-reader
to compete with the Amazon Kindle during the 2009 holiday shopping
season.
The B&N Nook has a color navigation panel, Wi-Fi,
2GB onboard storage with expansion slot for up to 16GB, and can play
MP3s and PDFs. In addition, the e-reader uses the Google
Android operating system and is supported by the AT&T 3G wireless
network.
Using the B&N reader software, Nook owners can
share books to other Nook owners, Apple iPhone or iPod Touch owners,
smartphones, and PC users.
The device is a bit bulkier than
the Kindle, has lower battery life than the Kindle, and doesn't have
the text-to-speech feature.
"We asked our customers what
they wanted in an eBook reader, and specifically designed Nook
to be the most full-featured, fun, stylish and easy-to-use eBook
reader on the market," B&N.com President William Lynch said
in a statement. "With our nationwide footprint, Barnes &
Noble customers can see, touch and hold Nook."
Even
though the Kindle leads the e-reader industry, the Nook may have a
drastic advantage now that it can be shown in thousands of B&N
bookstores across the United States. The Kindle can be
purchased exclusively through Amazon, and has been difficult to find
elsewhere.
