Hitting Amazon where it hurts, Barnes & Noble just unveiled a $149 Wi-Fi-only Nook e-reader. To boot, the bookseller is also lowering the price of its 3G-enabled Nook from $259 to $199. The changes
represent "the first serious attempt at undercutting Amazon's Kindle e-reader business with a store and hardware combo,"
Fast Company writes. "But it's more than that: It's a sign of the
changing e-reader game," which the magazine calls a "the beginning of the race to the bottom."
In other words, as with netbooks, e-readers are destined to become cheaper, and less
differentiated. Fast Company calls the new $149 price tag "truly magical," and a force to be reckoned with when combined with Barnes & Noble's huge e-bookstore "ecosystem." Furthermore, being tethered
to wireless networks isn't likely to turn off too many consumers -- most of whom download reading material far less frequently than, say, check their email.
Read the whole story at Fast Company »