Reuters
4:31 p.m. CDT, April 12, 2012
U.S. book retailer Barnes & Noble Inc. debuted an e-reader on Thursday with a screen that can glow in the dark, a move aimed at improving its position against Amazon.com.
The 6-inch (15-cm) touch-screen device, which will hit stores in early May for $139, lands in a market whereApple Inc. and Amazon are battling with Barnes & Noble for customers who want to read books and magazines on small portable devices. Weighing just under 7 ounces (200 grams), it is Barnes & Noble's lightest Nook and is aimed at people who want to read in the dark without a light.
To read in the dark with other e-readers that use electronic ink, consumers had to buy an external light that attached to the device. While Apple's iPads have backlit screens, Barnes & Noble said its technology creates a better nighttime reading experience than an LCD screen because it throws off less light and will not disturb a reader's partner who is trying to sleep.
While Barnes & Noble is first to market with a glowing e-reader, Amazon may be hot on its heels. The Internet retailer is working on its own e-reader with a glowing screen, according to a report on April 6 from the blog TechCrunch. Amazon did not respond to calls for comment on the report.
"If Amazon isn't already working on one, they will immediately start working on one now after today's announcement," Forrester analyst James McQuivey said.
Fighting deep-pocketed Amazon has proved to be an expensive proposition for Barnes & Noble, as it has poured hundreds of millions into developing the Nook. In January, the retailer forecast a steeper net loss than expected for the fiscal year, as it continues to spend on the technology.
"We are investing a lot but we feel good that those investments will pay off," Barnes & Noble Chief Executive William Lynch said in an interview on Thursday.........
The 6-inch (15-cm) touch-screen device, which will hit stores in early May for $139, lands in a market whereApple Inc. and Amazon are battling with Barnes & Noble for customers who want to read books and magazines on small portable devices. Weighing just under 7 ounces (200 grams), it is Barnes & Noble's lightest Nook and is aimed at people who want to read in the dark without a light.
To read in the dark with other e-readers that use electronic ink, consumers had to buy an external light that attached to the device. While Apple's iPads have backlit screens, Barnes & Noble said its technology creates a better nighttime reading experience than an LCD screen because it throws off less light and will not disturb a reader's partner who is trying to sleep.
While Barnes & Noble is first to market with a glowing e-reader, Amazon may be hot on its heels. The Internet retailer is working on its own e-reader with a glowing screen, according to a report on April 6 from the blog TechCrunch. Amazon did not respond to calls for comment on the report.
"If Amazon isn't already working on one, they will immediately start working on one now after today's announcement," Forrester analyst James McQuivey said.
Fighting deep-pocketed Amazon has proved to be an expensive proposition for Barnes & Noble, as it has poured hundreds of millions into developing the Nook. In January, the retailer forecast a steeper net loss than expected for the fiscal year, as it continues to spend on the technology.
"We are investing a lot but we feel good that those investments will pay off," Barnes & Noble Chief Executive William Lynch said in an interview on Thursday.........
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