In what may be the opening shots of an e-book price war, Barnes & Noble and Amazon slashed the prices of their popular electronic ebook readers. Barnes & Noble’s Nook had its price cut from $259 down to $189. A scaled-back WiFi model of Nook has also been introduced at a price tag of $149, in addition to the standard option which offers both 3G and WiFi. The basic model of Amazon’s Kindle, which comes with only 3G, had its price cut down to $189.
Sony is offering a new slimmed-down version of its reader, with a price tag that falls between the two Nook models. The ‘Reader Pocket Edition’ lacks internet access features, and comes with a 512 MB memory space. The Nook’s 2 GB onboard memory holds around 1,500 eBooks and a MicroSD expansion can add up to an additional 14GB space. The basic model of the Kindle has a non-expandable 2GB storage.
When at any Barnes & Noble location in the US, the Nook can access free eBooks. The device also connects to AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, offered at virtually every Starbucks location. The Kindle also comes with 3G that allows it to connect to wireless telephone networks.
Sony’s Reader Pocket Edition comes with its own online bank for eBook shopping, but does not offer the wide range of titles carried by Barnes & Noble. The Nook carries a MP3 playing feature that can hold up to 26 hours of music while the Reader Pocket Version does not. The Kindle does not offer a standard MP3 player, but the device does offer a “Text-to-Speech” feature.
The Nook’s is the only touchscreen but, at 3.5 inches, it has the smallest screen of the three. The Reader Pocket Edition and the Kindle both have buttons that correspond to the icons on the Nook screen. The Reader Pocket edition has a 5-inch screen while the Kindle has a larger 6-inch one, along with a more typical keyboard that makes online shopping easier but the device bulkier.
All three products come with an extended life battery life option. The battery sources for all of the devices are built-in and rechargeable.
Sony is offering a new slimmed-down version of its reader, with a price tag that falls between the two Nook models. The ‘Reader Pocket Edition’ lacks internet access features, and comes with a 512 MB memory space. The Nook’s 2 GB onboard memory holds around 1,500 eBooks and a MicroSD expansion can add up to an additional 14GB space. The basic model of the Kindle has a non-expandable 2GB storage.
When at any Barnes & Noble location in the US, the Nook can access free eBooks. The device also connects to AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, offered at virtually every Starbucks location. The Kindle also comes with 3G that allows it to connect to wireless telephone networks.
Sony’s Reader Pocket Edition comes with its own online bank for eBook shopping, but does not offer the wide range of titles carried by Barnes & Noble. The Nook carries a MP3 playing feature that can hold up to 26 hours of music while the Reader Pocket Version does not. The Kindle does not offer a standard MP3 player, but the device does offer a “Text-to-Speech” feature.
The Nook’s is the only touchscreen but, at 3.5 inches, it has the smallest screen of the three. The Reader Pocket Edition and the Kindle both have buttons that correspond to the icons on the Nook screen. The Reader Pocket edition has a 5-inch screen while the Kindle has a larger 6-inch one, along with a more typical keyboard that makes online shopping easier but the device bulkier.
All three products come with an extended life battery life option. The battery sources for all of the devices are built-in and rechargeable.
