Borders Launches Cheap, Simple E-Reader
By Chris Weiss
With other major bookselling players Amazon and Barnes & Noble already staking their claim in the e-reader market, Borders has followed suit and branded its own e-reader. Leaving the high-tech and fancy interface to devices like the iPad, Borders has chosen to compete on another front: price. Since e-readers really just replace inexpensive paperback books, a lower price could appeal to many people.
Called the Kobo, the Borders reader will retail for $150, over $100 less than the Amazon Kindle or B&N Nook. Outside of its low price tag, the Kobo doesn’t offer anything new or innovative in the e-reader space and reportedly looks a whole lot like the Kindle. It features a black-and-white e-ink display, storage for up to 1,000 e-books, 100 preloaded e-book classics and two weeks worth of battery life. It weighs eight ounces.
The Kobo went up for pre-order today with shipments expected in mid June. Borders e-bookstore will also launch in June. Kobos will find their way into Borders locations beginning in August.
As BusinessInsider points out, even if the Kobo doesn’t become a major player in the e-reader market, it should stimulate competition and bring prices down across the board. [via BusinessInsider and AP]
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 12:05PM
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010 4:13PM
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