Amazon on Monday revealed a new discounted version of its popular Kindle eBook reader. Amazon’s announcement came on the same day Barnes & Noble announced its all-new NOOK eReader. When asked during a Q&A session after Monday’s press conference if Barnes & Noble would ever consider releasing an ad-supported NOOK, CEO William Lynch laughed and said it was highly unlikely — but Amazon seems to be having some success with the ad-supported model. Joining the company’s $114 ad-supported Wi-Fi Kindle is the new $164 Kindle 3G, which gives consumers the option of saving $25 and dealing with advertisements. The device is otherwise identical to the standard Kindle 3G, which features a Pearl E Ink display, a full QWERTY keypad and free 3G connectivity. Hit the break for the full press release.

Introducing the Lowest Price 3G E-Reader – Kindle 3G with Special Offers for Only $164 Same features as latest-generation Kindle 3G – free 3G wireless, Pearl E Ink display, up to two months of battery life and more – plus sponsored screensavers and money-saving special offers

SEATTLE, May 24, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) –

(NASDAQ:AMZN)–Last month, Amazon.com introduced Kindle with Special Offers, a new member of the Kindle family that gives customers access to money-saving special offers. Just five weeks later, Kindle with Special Offers became the bestselling member of the Kindle family in the U.S. Today, Amazon announced that it is now making special offers available for Kindle 3G. Kindle 3G with Special Offers is available starting today for only $164 and ships immediately. At just $164, Kindle 3G with Special Offers is the lowest price of any 3G e-reader, and includes the latest Pearl electronic ink display. Learn more about the entire Kindle family, including the $114 Kindle with Special Offers and the new $164 Kindle 3G with Special Offers, at www.amazon.com/kindle3G.

“Kindle is the bestselling e-reader in the world. It’s been just six weeks since we introduced the new $114 Kindle with Special Offers, and already customers have made it the bestselling member of the Kindle family,” said Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle. “In response to customer requests, we’re now making these money-saving special offers available for Kindle 3G. You will get all the features readers love about Kindle 3G – free 3G wireless, global wireless access, Pearl electronic ink display that’s easy to read even in bright sunlight, access to over 950,000 ‘Buy Once, Read Everywhere’ Kindle books – all for just $164 – the lowest price for any 3G e-reader.”

Special offers that will be available in the coming weeks include:

• $10 for a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card – customers loved this offer, so we’re making it available again in time for Father’s Day
• Save up to $500 off Amazon’s already low prices on HDTVs with a unique 20% discount on 200 HDTVs from brands including Sony, Panasonic, LG, and VIZIO
• $1 for a Kindle book, choose from thousands of books including Water for Elephants and the Hunger Games trilogy
• Spend $10 on Kindle books and get a free $10 Amazon.com Gift Card

Kindle 3G with Special Offers includes all the same features that helped make the third-generation Kindle the #1 bestselling product in the history of Amazon.com:

• Free 3G wireless , no annual contracts, no monthly fees
• Global 3G coverage means books in under 60 seconds in over 100 countries and territories
• Paper-like Pearl electronic ink display, no glare even in bright sunlight
• Lightweight 8.7 ounce body for hours of comfortable reading with one hand
• Up to two months of battery life with wireless off eliminates battery anxiety
• Kindle Store with over 950,000 books – largest selection of the most popular books
• Seamless integration with free “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” Kindle apps for Android, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry and Windows Phone

Kindle 3G with Special Offers is available for immediate shipment to customers in the U.S. at www.amazon.com/kindle3G.

Learn more about the new Kindle 3G with Special Offers at www.amazon.com/aboutkindlespecialoffers. Advertisers and agencies interested in learning more about Kindle sponsorship opportunities can contact kindle-sponsorships@amazon.com.

We just spent some time with Barnes & Noble’s just-announced eReader, the all-new NOOK, and we have to say… we’re impressed. From the size, to the design, to the gorgeous new E Ink Pearl display, this device is leaps and bounds better than the previous-generation NOOK. What’s more, we think it will definitely push Barnes & Noble even further in the growing eReader space, and it should have the team over at Amazon working overtime on its next Kindle design. The exterior of all-new NOOK is composed entirely of soft-touch rubber that feels amazing compared to the hard plastic found on other readers. The new E Ink display is fantastic, and we definitely appreciated the work Barnes & Noble put into improving the seizure-inducing page transitions that plague all eReaders. They’re still there, but they’re much improved compared to older readers. The addition of a 6-inch touchscreen makes interacting with the device much more enjoyable than non-touch eBook readers, and it also helps make the size of the device perfect for carrying in a small bag or even a coat pocket. Barnes & Noble’s is taking pre-orders for its all-new NOOK starting now, and the device will begin shipping on or around June 10th for $139. In the meantime, definitely check out our hands-on gallery below!

While Microsoft is busy showing off the latest and greatest its Windows Phone platform has to offer, Barnes & Noble is across town getting ready to take the wraps off its brand new NOOK eReader. Tablets like the Apple iPad 2 and BlackBerry PlayBook are taking center stage right now, but these jacks of all trades have a long way to go before they can even come close to matching the reading experience afforded by dedicated eReaders. Avid readers and casual readers alike can appreciate the remarkable battery life and unique features that only a dedicated eBook reader can afford, and good luck trying to soak up the sun while reading a book on your iPad — right now, only an E Ink display can remain perfectly visible and glare-free while combating the sun’s rays. So what new features does Barnes and Noble have in store for its latest NOOK eReader? Hit the break for our live coverage of the unveiling, which will begin just before 10:00 a.m. EST, and don’t forget to refresh the page often for all the latest updates!

9:43AM:All right — everything looks like it'll kick off on schedule at 10:00 a.m. We're inside and sitting while the rest of press/bloggers start funneling in.

9:51AM:In case you're still not convinced that a new NOOK will be unveiled today, I think the t-shirts might be a pretty good sign that the rumors were right.

9:57AM:The room is getting pretty full now, as is the Wi-Fi, so we should be getting things started any minute now.

9:59AM:Switched over to our Verizon 4G LTE MiFi. The rest of these suckers can have fun on Wi-Fi.

10:00AM:Ok, they just announced that we're about to get this party started.

10:02AM:Two minute warning has been issued.

10:04AM:Barnes and Noble CEO William Lynch just took the stage.

10:05AM:B&N now owns over 25% in the eBook market — and it's still the leader in the physical book market with 17%

10:06AM:B&N is the leader in the Android tablet market here in the U.S., Lynch claims.

10:08AM:Lynch is talking about B&N's successes with NOOK apps. The company has millions of users and its app platform has seen great success thus far.

10:09AM:Lynch is also stressing B&N's stellar customer service, which is definitely a huge advantage over the competition.

10:10AM:B&N is the clear leader on the product side as well, Lynch claims. The NOOK was the first eReader to support lending, for example, and B&N is the only company that lets users read full books for free while in a book store.

10:11AM:NOOK Newsstand features 160 top publications, and the company has surpassed 1.5 million single copies sold — more than Apple or any other digital newsstand.

10:12AM:NOOK Color has been a home run, but there are still customers looking for a pure reading experience. I think we all know where this is going...

10:14AM:The all-new NOOK!

10:14AM:They're playing a video now — man, this little guy is sleek.

10:15AM:The all-new NOOK is the easiest eReader on the market to use. If features a 6-inch touchscreen display and it weighs just 7.5 ounces.

10:15AM:Battery life? How about up to 2 months on a single charge. Damn!

10:16AM:The display is an E Ink pearl display that eliminates the weird eReader page turns and replaces it with a proprietary transition.

10:17AM:The new NOOK will cost just $139 when it launches later this summer.

10:17AM:It sports just one button — 37 fewer than the Kindle, Lynch joked.

10:17AM:He's stressing the simplicity of the interface, and it definitely looks easy to use.

10:19AM:This thing makes the Kindle looks like a beast — and it has the same-sized screen.

10:21AM:B&N's President of Digital Products is on stage now to go over the NOOK's features.

10:21AM:The new NOOK has 80% less flashing during page turns than the Kindle. That might sound insignificant, but any eReader user will tell you how annoying the seizure-inducing page turn flashing can be.

10:22AM:The NOOK can hold 1,000 books with 2GB of internal storage, but is also supports SD cards for another 32GB of storage.

10:24AM:The touchscreen really enhances the experience. It makes looking up words in the integrated dictionary or making notes a breeze.

10:26AM:Of course the NOOK aslo features built-in Wi-Fi and B&N's great digital book store for buying new books right on the device. Wi-Fi is free in Barnes and Noble locations and any AT&T hotspot.

10:26AM:The new NOOK features "NOOK Friends," a book recommendation-based social network. Users can also share recommendations via Facebook or Twitter right from the device.

10:27AM:mynook.com will launch next month, as well, giving users another way to browse and buy books.

10:27AM:The new NOOK is "the simplest eReader ever created."

10:28AM:William Lynch is coming back on stage now to wrap things up.

10:29AM:"It's the best dedicated eReader on the market," Lynch said. The new NOOK is available for pre-order immediately for $139, and it will begin shipping on or around June 10th.

10:29AM:That's it folks! Time for some hand-on with the new NOOK.

We just received an invite from Barnes & Noble for a press event that’s being held in New York City on Tuesday, May 24th. We suspect this will be the bookstore’s third major eReader announcement, which is in line with a recent SEC filing that suggested such a launch was imminent. It’s unclear what features the new eReader will offer, although we suspect it could be powered by the Android Honeycomb operating system, which was specifically designed for use in tablets. We’ll be reporting live from the event on Tuesday morning.

Amazon has announced that its customers can now purchase an ad-subsidized version of its Kindle. The “Kindle with Special Offers” eReader will retail for $114 and comes with sponsored screen savers and advertisements on the bottom of the screen. Buick, Procter & Gamble, Visa, and Amazon.com Reward Visa Card (Chase) will be the first companies to offer sponsored screen savers, and Kindle users can use a free “AdMash” Kindle application to choose what ads are displayed. Initial deals include:

• $10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
• $6 for 6 Audible Books (normally $68)
• $1 for an album in the Amazon MP3 Store (choose from over 1 million albums)
• $10 for $30 of products in the Amazon Denim Shop or Amazon Swim Shop
• Free $100 Amazon.com Gift Card when you get an Amazon Rewards Visa Card (normally $30)
• Buy one of 30 Kindle bestsellers with your Visa card and get $10 Amazon.com credit
• 50% off Roku Streaming Player (normally $99)

We’d probably splurge and buy the ad-free Kindle, which costs just $25 more, and think this deal would probably be more attractive if it was in the sub-$100 range. The “Kindle with Special Offers” device will ship in the U.S. and customers can pre-order the device now. Hit the jump for the full release.

Amazon Introduces New Kindle Family Member: Kindle with Special Offers for $114 $25 less for the same #1 bestselling latest-generation Kindle plus special offers and sponsored screensavers

SEATTLE, Apr 11, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — (NASDAQ:AMZN)–Millions of people are reading on Kindle, Kindle has more 5-star reviews than any other product on Amazon, and in just five months the latest-generation Kindle became the bestselling product in the 16-year history of Amazon.com. Today, Amazon introduced a new member of the Kindle family – Kindle with Special Offers for only $114. Kindle with Special Offers is the same #1 bestselling Kindle, plus special offers and sponsored screensavers. Kindle special offers and sponsored screensavers display on the Kindle screensaver and on the bottom of the home screen. Learn more about all three latest-generation Kindle family members–$114 Kindle with Special Offers, $139 Kindle, and $189 Kindle 3G–at www.amazon.com/kindle. Kindle with Special Offers is now available for pre-order to customers in the U.S. and will ship on May 3.

“We’re working hard to make sure that anyone who wants a Kindle can afford one,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. “Kindle with Special Offers is the same #1 bestselling Kindle – and it’s only $114. Kindle is the best deal in consumer electronics anywhere in the world.”

Buick, Olay (Procter & Gamble), Visa, and Amazon.com Reward Visa Card (Chase) are sponsoring the first series of screensavers specially-designed for Kindle’s high-contrast, no glare electronic ink display (for screensaver examples, visit www.amazon.com/aboutkindlespecialoffers). Examples of deals that will be delivered directly to Kindle with Special Offers devices in the initial weeks include:

• $10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
• $6 for 6 Audible Books (normally $68)
• $1 for an album in the Amazon MP3 Store (choose from over 1 million albums)
• $10 for $30 of products in the Amazon Denim Shop or Amazon Swim Shop
• Free $100 Amazon.com Gift Card when you get an Amazon Rewards Visa Card (normally $30)
• Buy one of 30 Kindle bestsellers with your Visa card and get $10 Amazon.com credit
• 50% off Roku Streaming Player (normally $99)

To make sure customers don’t miss any of the offers, a full list of active offers will be available from the menu of Kindle with Special Offers at any time.

Amazon is also introducing “AdMash” – the free Kindle app and website where customers choose the most attractive and engaging display advertisements that will become Kindle sponsored screensavers. Kindle’s sponsored screensavers are specially-designed display advertisements that take advantage of Kindle’s high-contrast, no-glare electronic-ink display. Before these advertisements can be presented to Kindle customers, they are first previewed by customers using AdMash. Users are presented with pairs of sponsored screensaver candidates and asked to select which one they prefer. Screensavers with the most preferred votes qualify to become sponsored screensavers. The AdMash Kindle app will launch in the coming weeks – for a preview, visit www.amazon.com/aboutkindlespecialoffers.

In addition, Kindle with Special Offers customers can give Amazon hints on the style and types of sponsored screensavers they would like to see. From the Manage Your Kindle page on Amazon.com, customers can use Kindle Screensaver Preferences to indicate whether they like to see more or less screensavers that include elements such as landscapes and scenery, architecture, travel images, photography, and illustrations. Together, AdMash voting and Kindle Screensaver Preferences help Amazon present sponsored screensavers that customers find attractive and engaging. For screenshots of Kindle screensavers, AdMash and Kindle Screensaver Preferences, visit www.amazon.com/aboutkindlespecialoffers.

“The opportunity to offer custom-designed Kindle screensavers was a natural fit for Buick because Kindle is such a unique device surrounded by a community of intelligent, passionate people,” said Craig Bierley, Director of Advertising and Promotions, Buick. “Kindle’s high contrast e-ink display eliminates glare and is perfect for emotionally engaging and impactful brand imagery, allowing us to connect with Kindle readers wherever and whenever.”

Kindle with Special Offers includes all the same features that helped make the third-generation Kindle the #1 bestselling product in the history of Amazon.com:

• Paper-like Pearl electronic-ink display, no glare even in bright sunlight
• 8.5 ounce body for hours of comfortable reading with one hand
• Up to one month of battery life with wireless off eliminates battery anxiety
• Kindle Store with over 900,000 books – largest selection of the most popular books
• Seamless integration with free “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” Kindle apps for iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and Android-based devices

Learn more about all three latest-generation Kindle family members–$114 Kindle with Special Offers, $139 Kindle, and $189 Kindle 3G–at www.amazon.com/kindle. Advertisers and agencies interested in learning more about Kindle sponsorship opportunities can contact kindle-sponsorships@amazon.com.

Redmond software giant Microsoft has announced it will file suit against Barnes & Noble, Foxconn, and Inventec for patent infringement. The three, seemingly unrelated companies collaborate to manufacture the Barnes & Noble branded, Android-based eReader. “The Android platform infringes a number of Microsoft’s patents, and companies manufacturing and shipping Android devices must respect our intellectual property rights,” said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft’s Deputy General Counsel. Microsoft has setup a patent licensing program for Android vendors to mitigate instances of infringement upon the patents in question — Taiwanese company HTC subscribes to said program. “We have tried for over a year to reach licensing agreements with Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec” Gutierrez added. “Their refusals to take licenses leave us no choice but to bring legal action to defend our innovations.” The full press release is after the break.

Microsoft Takes Legal Action Against Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec for Patent Infringement by Android Devices

Statement from Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing

REDMOND, Wash., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Microsoft Corp. today filed legal actions in the International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Washington against Barnes & Noble, Inc. and its device manufacturers, Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. and Inventec Corporation, for patent infringement by their Android-based e-reader and tablet devices that are marketed under the Barnes & Noble brand.

“The Android platform infringes a number of Microsoft’s patents, and companies manufacturing and shipping Android devices must respect our intellectual property rights. To facilitate that we have established an industry-wide patent licensing program for Android device manufacturers,” said Horacio Gutierrez, Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property & Licensing. “Other vendors, including HTC, a market leader in Android smartphones, have taken a license under this program, and we have tried for over a year to reach licensing agreements with Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec. Their refusals to take licenses leave us no choice but to bring legal action to defend our innovations and fulfill our responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year to bring great software products and services to market,” he added.

The patents at issue cover a range of functionality embodied in Android devices that are essential to the user experience, including: natural ways of interacting with devices by tabbing through various screens to find the information they need; surfing the Web more quickly, and interacting with documents and e-books.

Titles from major book publisher Random House will now appear in Apple’s iBooks store. The news was one of many talking points covered earlier today at Apple’s media event. Random House had previously been the only major publisher not represented in Apple’s popular iOS book store, as it was not willing to grant Apple the 30% cut taken on titles sold through iBooks. The addition of Random House is a major coup for Apple as it looks to compete with the likes of Amazon’s Kindle bookstore and other popular offerings. Hit the break for Apple’s full press release.

Random House, Inc. Makes Entire US Catalog of 17,000 ebooks Available on Apple’s iBookstore

iBookstore Now Features More than 2,500 Publishers, Including All Six Major Trade Publishers

SAN FRANCISCO—March 2, 2011—Apple® today announced that Random House, Inc., the largest trade book publisher in the US, has made its full catalog of 17,000 ebooks available on Apple’s iBookstore℠, including bestsellers by Stieg Larsson, John Grisham, Dan Brown, Danielle Steel, Laura Hillenbrand, Cormac McCarthy, Lee Child and many more of the world’s preeminent authors. Starting today, customers can pre-order upcoming releases from Random House including Lisa Gardner’s “Love You More,” Suze Orman’s “The Money Class” and Jean Auel’s “The Land of Painted Caves.” With the addition of Random House, the iBookstore now offers ebooks from all six major trade publishers and thousands of independent publishers.

“We are delighted that Apple’s iBookstore now will be carrying Random House’s US ebooks for the first time,” said Markus Dohle, Random House’s Chairman and CEO. “And we look forward to bringing our 17,000 ebooks to Apple customers.”

“We’re thrilled to offer Random House on the iBookstore,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “iBookstore customers have already downloaded more than 100 million books in less than one year, and we think they’ll love being able to choose from Random House’s incredible selection of titles to enjoy on their iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.”

iBookstore customers can choose from a wide selection of illustrated and video-enhanced books that look incredible on iPad™, including Jay-Z’s memoir “Decoded” and Bing West’s “The Wrong War”; bestselling children’s series such as Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones; and cookbooks by Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, and the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Random House, Inc. comprises more than 80 adult and children’s US publishing imprints including Alfred A. Knopf, Doubleday, Crown, Pantheon Books, Vintage, Ballantine and Bantam.

The iBookstore, included in Apple’s free iBooks® app, is the best way to browse, buy and read books on your iPad, iPhone® and iPod touch®. iBookstore offers ebooks from more than 2,500 publishers in more than 20 categories, including Mysteries & Thrillers, Biographies & Memoirs, Cookbooks, Children’s & Teen, Humor, Romance, Business and Travel.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

AT&T on Monday announced that it will soon begin selling Amazon’s popular 3G-enabled Kindle eBook reader in its retail locations. Starting March 6th, customers will be able to purchase the Kindle 3G eReader from AT&T stores across the country for $189. 3G service on AT&T’s nationwide network is still bundled with the purchase price of the device, so no additional service plan will be required. “Amazon has without question pioneered the eReader space with Kindle, and it’s exciting to not only connect this device through our network, but now offer it in our stores to readers around the country ,” said Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices for AT&T, in a statement. “As the first dedicated eReader offered in our stores, we are confident the Kindle will be an attractive addition to our in store connected devices lineup.” Amazon also charges $189 for the Kindle 3G on amazon.com, however customers who purchase the device online will not have to pay sales tax. AT&T’s full press release is after the break.

Amazon Kindle 3G Coming to AT&T Stores Nationwide

Kindle is Bestselling Product in the History of Amazon

DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2011 — AT&T today announced it will begin selling Amazon’s bestselling Kindle 3G in AT&T company-owned retail stores nationwide beginning March 6. Amazon’s Kindle 3G continues to be powered by the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T. AT&T will include Kindle 3G in its connected devices displays throughout AT&T company-owned stores, offering customers the opportunity to test drive the device onsite. The latest generation Kindle has received rave reviews from the New York Times, Wired, CNET, PC World, PC Magazine, and more, and has recently become the bestselling product in the history of Amazon.com.

“Amazon has without question pioneered the eReader space with Kindle, and it’s exciting to not only connect this device through our network, but now offer it in our stores to readers around the country ,” said Glenn Lurie, president, emerging devices, AT&T. “As the first dedicated eReader offered in our stores, we are confident the Kindle will be an attractive addition to our in store connected devices lineup.”

Kindle 3G, which connects over Wi-Fi as well as AT&T’s mobile broadband network, wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers, blogs and personal documents to a 6-inch, high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper.

“We’re excited to work with AT&T to offer Kindle 3G to AT&T customers across the country,” said Mike McKenna, Vice President, Amazon Kindle. “Customers tell us they love Kindle 3G because of its light weight, battery life of up to one month, and advanced paper e-ink display that works in direct sunlight. Customers love being able to think of a book and be reading it in less than 60 seconds thanks to AT&T’s wireless network.”

The new Kindle 3G boasts the advanced paper-like Pearl E Ink display that is easy on the eyes and works outside in direct sunlight, massive storage of up to 3,500 books, up to one full month of battery life with the wireless off, no monthly wireless fees or annual contracts, and light weight which makes it easy to take with you everywhere you go — all for only $189.

Kindle offers the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read. The Kindle Store now has more than 810,000 books, including new releases and 107 of 111 New York Times Best Sellers. Over 670,000 of these books are $9.99 or less, including 79 New York Times Best Sellers. Kindle lets you “Buy Once, Read Everywhere” – on Kindle as well as on free Kindle apps for, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and Android-based devices. Amazon’s Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes your full library of books, bookmarks, last page read, highlights and annotations across all of your Kindles and Kindle apps so you never lose your place or are without your reading.

Just three days after Amazon announced that its Kindle e-reader had become the best-selling product of all-time on the company’s website, Barnes & Noble has issued a similar quip. “With millions of NOOK eReading devices sold, the line has become the company’s biggest bestseller ever in its nearly 40-year history,” reads a press release. “The new NOOKcolor Reader’s Tablet, introduced just eight weeks before Christmas, is the company’s number one selling gift of the holiday season.” B&N also went on to note that it “now sells more digital books than its large and growing physical book business on BN.com.” While the vague statistics being foisted upon us are impressive, neither Amazon nor Barnes & Noble will release or comment on the exact sales figures of their respective e-readers. For now, they are both the best… ever.

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Following a report on Tuesday questioning the ethics surrounding free public-domain eBooks that were reformatted and made available for sale in Amazon’s Kindle store, BGR has learned that a similar scenario exists in Barnes & Noble’s NOOKbook store. In a thread entitled Scammers and Bottom Feeders: NOOKBooks Open for Business on Barnes & Noble’s public forums, users share a variety of complaints surrounding public-domain eBooks that are available for sale in the NOOKbook store. Beyond the ethical questions surrounding this practice, some users also raise concerns surrounding the inevitable clutter that results when “bottom feeders” post multiple copies of the same book for sale. One forum member lists 10 separate copies of the Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities for sale that have been uploaded to the NOOKbook store by various third-parties. The famous Dickens novel is a public-domain work that is available for free through numerous outlets.

Whether or not Amazon and Barnes & Noble plan to put measures in place to prevent the sale of free public-domain eBooks remains to be seen — though it is important to note again that while this practice is certainly unethical, it is not illegal.

Thanks, Bic

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A report in Tuesday’s Washington Post reveals that Amazon is apparently selling free public-domain eBooks that have had their license information stripped. The eBooks in question originate from Project Gutenberg and are available there for free in a variety of formats including ePub, HTML and Kindle. Project Gutenberg — not to be confused with 80s legend Steve Guttenberg — was founded by eBook inventor Michael Hart and is known as the first generally available collection of free eBooks. It is also maintained by volunteers who are not paid for their services. Amazon’s alleged practice of selling rebranded Gutenberg eBooks is not illegal — in fact it doesn’t even violate Project Gutenberg’s license terms. It is, however, unethical at best and very disturbing at worst. In response to inquiries, an Amazon spokeswoman told the Post, “These books were uploaded by a third party using our self-service platform. I’ve sent your note to the appropriate team internally.” Amazon did not state that the Gutenberg eBooks would be removed from its Kindle store, nor did it condemn the practice of selling reformatted versions of free public-domain eBook files.

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Target announced that the nationwide retail giant will be carrying the Amazon Kindle. No longer an Amazon online exclusive, the Kindle will debut on April 25th and will be available both online and in Target’s brick and mortar stores. The in-store launch will initially be limited to Target’s flagship store in Minneapolis and its 102 stores scattered throughout South Florida. Roll out of the Kindle will be gradual with additional stores receiving the popular e-reader later this year. This in-store presence  is expected to boost sales of the Kindle as it will provide an opportunity for interested customers to touch and use the device before buying. Current pricing on the Kindle will remain the same with Target offering the device for a reasonable $259. Full press release after the break.

Target Stores to Sell Kindle, Amazon’s Revolutionary Wireless Reading Device

Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT – News) today announced that Target is bringing Kindle, Amazon’s most wished for, most gifted and #1 bestselling product, to Target guests. As the first brick-and-mortar retailer to carry Amazon’s Kindle, Target will make Kindle available at its flagship downtown Minneapolis store and 102 south Florida stores beginning April 25, rolling out to more Target stores later this year.

Kindle is Amazon’s purpose-built reading device that wirelessly downloads books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and personal documents to a crisp, high resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper. Kindle fits comfortably in one hand for hours, has an e-ink display that is easy on the eyes even in bright daylight, two weeks of battery life, and 3G wireless with no monthly fees. Customers can read and sync their Kindle books on iPhones, iPod touches, PCs, BlackBerrys, Macs, and iPads. These features, paired with the massive selection of over 500,000 books available in the Kindle Store, have made Kindle the bestselling product across the millions of items available at Amazon.com.

Kindle, which will retail for $259, has been available for purchase on Amazon.com exclusively, but now Target guests can see and touch the e-reader before they buy. Giving Target guests the opportunity to experience a Kindle before they buy is in keeping with Target’s commitment to providing quality products and a best-in-class shopping experience.

“We’re excited to be working with Amazon to help even more readers discover Kindle, in-store only at Target,” said Mark Schindele, senior vice president, Target. “We strive to enhance our product offerings to include surprising products and services at great values so we’re proud to be the first brick-and-mortar retailer to sell Kindle, allowing our guests to feel how lightweight and easy on the eyes Kindle is.”

“Target’s reputation for excellence and value makes it the perfect fit for Kindle,” said Steve Kessel, senior vice president, Amazon Kindle. “We’re excited to work with them to bring readers around the country a new way to discover and buy Kindle, and with it, wireless access to a massive selection of over 500,000 books.”

It has been a little over two months since the Barnes and Noble Nook first went on sale and the popular e-reader is finally ready to make its nationwide in-store debut. With Amazon and its Kindle under assault by the book publishers over e-book pricing and the news media for its Macmillan book pulling stunt, the timing could not be more apropos with the Nook expected to be available for purchase in stores within the next few days. Folks looking to score a Nook before the Valentines Day holiday can use the online Nook locator to see which local stores have one in stock starting February 10th. Anyone looking to buy or hoping to get a Nook come Sunday?

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If you were following this morning’s Apple announcement, it may have been quite overwhelming and your head could be spinning in confusion. We’re here to clear things up and give you additional details over what we posted this morning. What we know so far is that the device itself, in terms of hardware and software, doesn’t disappoint. Out of the box, it can support every single application available in the iTunes App Store right now. There is a new version of iWork available for the iPad — with each application going for $9.99 (which means $30 for the whole kaboodle). The Wi-Fi only version will be available in 60 days, and the 3G and Wi-Fi versions in 90 days. Hit the break as we break it down for you!

First, Connectivity and the Internet

The iPad comes with Wi-Fi — duh. What everyone was waiting for is a 3G version with carrier support. For better or worse, most of you will think the latter, the iPad will be on AT&T in the U.S. Data plan pricing, however, is respectable: $14.99 for 250MB per month, or $29.99 for all-you-can-hoard data. However, Steve Jobs did mention that the iPad is unlocked and supports micro-SIMS – this means if your carrier supports micro-SIMS, there’s no real reason for the inability to connect to the Internet.

Different Strokes For Different Folks

If you thought there was only going to be one version of this device, perhaps you haven’t been keeping up! There will be three different storage capacity options in one of two possible categories: Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + 3G. As we mentioned earlier, there will be 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions to choose from depending on your needs.

The Price Is Right

Most analysts were throwing around high numbers for iPad pricing, usually starting around $1,000 and working their way up. However, when Steve Jobs said, “Grab the iPad that’s in the kitchen,” we were thinking that this is going to be a really accessible and affordable device if you can leave it lying around the house. Sure enough, the iPad starts at $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only version. The 32GB and 64GB Wi-Fi only versions go for $599 and $699, respectively.

For the Wi-Fi + 3G versions, the price gets a little bit higher, but we would rather spend the extra cash to have the 3G. After all, it’s better to have it and not need it than, well, you know where we’re going with this. So, for 16GB, 32GB and 64GB you’re looking to dish out $629, $729 and $829, respectively.

An E-Reader To End All E-Readers

Hardcore bibliophiles need their books. It’s part of the reason why the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook are such hot commodities right now. But would you pay for a Kindle or Nook if, for just a little extra, you can have an e-reader that supports over 140,000 applications and offers real web browsing and media playback? Probably not. The iPad features iBooks, an application that looks strikingly similar to the “Classics” app available for the iPhone now. Books are displayed on a bookshelf and selecting one opens the book, just like on the iPhone app. It’s a very slick and clean interface and easy to read. There is the argument that e-Ink is so much easier on the eyes, but we spend all day reading blogs and news on the Internet without too many complaints, especially with LED-backlit displays which the iPad makes use of. And with 10 hours of battery life and a month of stand-by time, you won’t be rushing to grab your charger just before you find out what happens to Alex Cross in the last chapter.

One More Thing…

So we have a giant iPhone with long battery life and a faster processor — Apple’s very own 1GHz A4. It supports all the iPhone apps, has an oleophobic touchscreen, ambient light sensors and an accelerometer. But come on, Apple! Where is multi-tasking? Where are the front or rear facing cameras? Apple wanted to fill in the gap between the iPhone and the Macbook, and Jobs said that netbooks were definitely not the answer — “cheap, underpowered laptops.” Going by that logic of fill-in-the-gaps, we should at least be able to expect multi-tasking and cameras for video chat. Throw in these few, critical extras and we’d be jumping up and down.

The Apple iPad is a hot device, no doubt about that. Our only concern is its current 3G options are limited to AT&T right now and there is no multi-tasking. Are these dealbreakers? Well, that all depends on you and how important these features are. It also depends on whether AT&T does something about its network performance and what coverage is like in your area (if you’re considering the Wi-Fi with 3G version). Barring those few issues, if they’re not a big deal to you then we really can’t see why you wouldn’t want to pick up this slick new device from Apple. For what it is, and especially compared to what’s out there, they definitely just moved the goal posts for almost every other competitor in category.

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Looking to diversify as it seeks to advance its position from the #2 to the #1 PC manufacturer in the world, Taiwanese manufacturer Acer has laid out a long list of ambitious products slated for launch in 2010. The list includes a new tablet device powered by Windows or Google’s Chrome OS, a netbook powered by Chrome OS, a six inch monochrome e-reader with European distribution as well as an application store for its Android and Windows Mobile-powered smartphones. Acer has a bit of a distance to make up if it wants to occupy the #1 slot as the worlds largest PC manufacturer — it currently has a worldwide PC market share of 13.5% and lags behind leader HP which commands a 19.8% market share. Though they’re hoping this expansion into diverse markets and, in particular, its tablet and netbook offerings will help to propel it forward as it seeks to overtake HP by 2013. Dream big, Acer, dream big.

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