iPad competition

`Nook`- the American book chain Barnes & Nobles will release an update for the Nook, the e-reader of this company. Users will be able not just to read books, but also surf the net and play games. Users can, after the update, also shop and check out books one hour for free in the Barnes & Nobles webshop. Apart from this, the bookshop chain will also deliver a better WiFi-connection which enables users to turn pages quicker and offers a better navigation for the touch screen.

The arrival of the iPad means more competition for the existing e-readers in general. Amazon.com already came up with an answer offering a simpler browser for the Kindle. In February, Barnes & Nobles announced that since the arrival of the Nook (Oct 09), their online sales has increased with a whopping 32%. The chain opened the webshop back in 1997 to compete with Amazon.com. The e-readers that were launched already before the Kindle and Nook were Sony’s Reader and iRex’ iLiad (Philips). More e-readers are about to be launched this year, among them Adam by Notion Ink and the JooJoo by Fusion Garage. The HP/MS joint venture  for the Slate was unfortunately cancelled this week (see discussion on LinkedIn). A chronological order of e-reader introductions is listed below, including current price and OS.

Reader/Sony (Jp)               (Nov 06, $350, E-ink, Linux)

iLiad/iRex (NL)                    (Aug 06, $499, E-ink, Linux)

Kindle/Amazon (US)        (Nov 07, $259, E-ink, Linux)

Cybooks/Bookeen (Fr)    (Dec 07, $350, E-ink, Linux)

Cool-er/Interead (US)      (May 09, $249, E-ink, Linux)

Nook/B&N (US)                    (Okt 09, $259, ePub, Android)

iPad/Apple (US)                   (Feb 10, $499, ePub, iPhone, Safari)

Adam/Notion Ink (US)    (Q3 2010, $325, Android, Firefox/Chrome)

JooJoo/Fusion Garage (US) (Q2 2010, $500, propriety OS)

Slate/HP+MS (US)               (Q3 2010, $400, W7, Flash) project cancelled 04/2010

Courier/MS (US)     (Q4 2010, $ ?, WCE6)