David Flynn21 October 2009, 8:30 AM
The US$260 ebook reader launches overnight and turns out to be running Google’s Android OS...
Last week we reported on the imminent debut of a ‘Kindle killer’ ebook reader from Barnes & Noble, and the overnight launch revealed some more details.
Most noteworthy for the geek set is that the device, which B&N has tagged as the Nook, runs Android.
This is a significant win for Google in its efforts to push Android beyond the smartphone space, and is certain to focus broader attention on the open-source OS.
We don’t have any more information on how B&N have customised Android, but we’re certain some details will bubble up to the surface in the coming days.
In several areas the Nook also manages to one-up the
Kindle 2, which starts shipping to Australian readers this week.
While it has the same US$259 price tag as the Kindle 2, the Nook supplements its 3G connectivity with Wi-Fi and also sports a Micro SD memory card slot to boost the 2GB flash memory capacity.
The Nook also allows ebooks to be ‘lent’ to friends for 14 days at no cost. Barnes & Noble says that an ebook purchased for the Nook can be sent for free to a friend’s Nook or other devices supporting the Nook reader software – including the iPhone, iPod Touch and some BlackBerry devices.