Leak: Kindle and Nook coming to Target and Best Buy

by Stevie Smith - Apr 8 2010, 10:55

With Apple's iPad wowing consumers and critics alike as a portable computer, multimedia hub, and eBook reader, the likes of Amazon and Barnes & Noble are reportedly keen to bring their electronic book devices to heavyweight U.S. retail stores in order to blunt the iPad's appeal.

Specifically, the tech watchers over at Engadget claim Internet titan Amazon is preparing to bring its Kindle platform to the shelves of Target, while Best Buy is reportedly clearing space in readiness for the arrival of Barnes & Noble's Nook reader.

According to the report, which cites apparently leaked information from multiple unnamed but trusted sources, the Nook will be on sale at Best Buy stores from April 18 and the Kindle will start ringing through checkouts at Target from April 25.

Neither dates have been confirmed by the respective retailers or device makers.

Of course, while the exposure provided by placement within bricks-and-mortar outlets will help draw attention to both the Kindle and Nook, the real hurdles faced by all eReader makers is price versus functionality when gauged alongside the iPad.

For example, the large-screen 3G Kindle DX, which is the same size as the iPad, costs $489 USD, while the 16GB Wi-Fi version of the iPad costs $499 USD.

The upcoming 3G version of the iPad will carry a basic price of $629 USD for the 16GB model, which isn't exactly an astronomical leap in cost when considering that Apple's tablet device is an honest-to-goodness portable computer capable of doing so much more than just hosting eBooks.

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