Barnes & Noble stepped up its e-reader plans in a rare treat by shipping the new touchscreen Nook early. The e-paper reader had already left factories Tuesday and should reach the very first adopters ahead of time. Stores should already have it this weekend, as much as five days ahead of the June 10 target.
The Nook is the first major touchscreen e-paper reader to reach the US and is considered the company’s attempt to at once take advantage of tablet technology while creating a clearer gap between not just the Nook Color but also full-fledged tablets like the iPad. It strips out the browser and other non-essential features from the original Nook but is also much more compact and, at $139, is one of the least expensive modern e-readers.
