October 20, 2009, 4:38 pm
Barnes & Noble announced its long-anticipated eBook reading device, which it bills as being the first Android-based e-reader. The “Nook” offers the usual six-inch E Ink display, but also supplies a 3.5-inch color subdisplay for an Android interface, plus 2GB storage, a microSD slot, WiFi, and 3G, says the company.
The $260 Nook may not be the first Android e-reader to be announced, as Spring Designs jumped the gun on Barnes & Noble this week by tipping its “Alex” e-reader, which also offers a dual display. However, the Alex won’t ship until early next year, while the Nook is available for preorder now, with a ship date scheduled for Nov. 30. The Nook not only has the advantage of being first, but it’s also linked to one of the world’s largest online bookstores, Barnesandnoble.com, rivaled only by Amazon.com….
