A source “from within” Barnes and Noble has apparently leaked photos and details of the company’s new e-reader. According to Gizmodo, the layout will feature a black and white e-ink screen much like the Kindle’s.
However, the Barnes and Noble e-reader also includes a second, smaller multi-touch display tucked away under the primary screen.
“What’s interesting is that B&N will sell the books it also publishes (yes, remember, they are also a publisher and not just a store) at a deep discount compared to print editions,” Gizmodo explained.
“And the device will have some sort of access to all books scanned by the Google Books project; probably books that are out of print.”
The upcoming Barnes and Noble e-reader will likely find itself competing against Apple’s rumored tablet device – which is expected to debut during the first quarter of 2010.
“Recent reports have suggested Apple is looking to portray the device, at least in part, as an e-reader,” wrote Neil Hughes of AppleInsider. “The hardware maker has allegedly contacted publications such as The New York Times and publishers like McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press about making their content available in an upcoming device. And a group led by Time Inc. hopes to create a digital store for magazines to allow them to sell their content on Apple’s tablet.”
