In a much anticipated move, Borders has lowered the price of the Kobo Reader down to $129, cutting $20 off the price so that it is now $10 cheaper than the Kindle 3 WiFi.

Borders also cut the price of the Aluratek Libre by $20, making it just $99. These new prices will go into effect tomorrow, September 1st.

If you want to get one these devices from a retail store, make sure to call ahead first. It seems that some Borders stores are anti-ereader and refuse to make any effort toward selling ebook readers, at least where I live. I gave up trying to find a Kobo Reader to review. Funny story, the last time I went to Borders I honestly overhead one of the employees say something along the lines of, “Damn ereaders are going to put us out of business”. I guess that explained why they didn’t have any on display.

In addition to the Kobo and Libre, Borders sells Sony Readers too. And they just started offering the Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet and Cruz Reader for pre-order, as reported on last week.

In other Borders’ news, they just announced that they will start a new Rewards loyalty program starting September 1st. Here’s the key information from the press release:

Consumers can now choose from two forms of Rewards — a free, enhanced Rewards program, or the new “Borders Rewards Plus” program, which for $20 per year delivers savings on nearly all Borders merchandise, and free shipping on virtually all online orders. Borders is the only major bookseller to provide consumers with a choice of loyalty programs.

To celebrate, members can earn “Borders Bucks” twice as fast beginning tomorrow though Sept. 6. Typically, members earn $5 in Borders Bucks for every $150 they spend annually, but during this period, Borders will double the spend to bring the member closer to the $150 threshold faster. For example, if a member spends $50, Borders will double that amount bringing the total spend to $100. If a member spends $75, Borders will double that amount bringing the total spend to $150, resulting in the member receiving $5 in Bucks.

Filed under: Kobo, News, Sales and Discounts | Tags: borders, ereader, kobo ereader | 3 Comments »

Looking around the internet, there are currently several ebook readers on sale. Here’s the list:

Filed under: Sales and Discounts | | No Comments »

Thanks to a tip at MR, it looks like the Velocity Micro Cruz Reader and Cruz Tablet are now available for pre-order with an expected ship date of September 8th for the Reader and September 27th for the Tablet.

The Cruz Reader is another multimedia device like the Pandigital Novel that can display movies, pictures, browse the web, and play music, but is being marketed as an ereader. It ties in with the new Borders’ ebook store and runs Android 2.0, although apps seem to be limited to the Cruz Market and not the Android Market.

For a complete rundown of specs for the Cruz Reader and Tablet, and also the Cruz StoryPad for kids, check out our dedicated Velocity Micro page.

The Reader is currently selling for $199 and the Tablet for $299 from the Cruz Reader website, which says that it will also sell from a number of major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, etc. But none of those places have the devices listed at the time of this writing.

Update: Borders now has the Cruz Reader and Cruz Tablet up for pre-order. The Cruz Tablet is listed for an October 15th release (on the product details page it says the 30th, so who knows) and the Reader shows a release date of September 30th.

I’ll be getting a Cruz Reader and maybe a Cruz Tablet to review, so check back in September for more details.

Cruz Reader Video Demonstration

Filed under: News, Sales and Discounts | Tags: cruz reader, cruz tablet, velocity micro | 13 Comments »

Just happened to notice that the Entourage Edge, the first foldable device to have both E Ink and LCD touchscreens, is now selling online from Best Buy along with some other retailers. In fact, the Entourage Edge website now refers all orders to their resellers, even though they still sell accessories.

Interestingly, the price is listed at $499 from Best Buy for the Midnight Blue model, which is the only color they currently have listed, and some other vendors are selling the Edge for $549. PC Connection has them for $499 as well, and have several color options to choose from. The disparity in pricing doesn’t make any sense, especially when Entourage is listing the higher price on their website.

It’s odd that Best Buy sells them online only. Given the Edge’s uniqueness, getting them in stores for people to see and try out would make a lot more sense.

Entourage Edge Quick Specs

• 9.7-inch E Ink Screen with Wacom Tablet Touchscreen and 1200 x 825 pixel resolution, 8 shades of gray.
• 10-inch color LCD touchscreen with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution.
• Linux with Google Android operating system.
• Built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.
• 2 USB ports.
• Internet browser.
• Size (closed): 8.25″ x 10.75″ x 1.0″.
• Weight: 3 pounds.
• Memory: 4GB (3GB available) and SD card slot.
• Screen rotates 90° and 180°.
• Battery: 16 hours E Ink, 6 hours LCD.
• Bluetooth compatible.
• Built-in microphone, speakers, and webcam.
• Supported formats: EPUB, PDF, DOC, PPT, XLS, ZIP, MP3, WAV, 3GPP, AMR, AAC, OGG, M4A, 3GP, MP4, Flash Lite.

Filed under: News, Sales and Discounts | Tags: entourage edge | No Comments »

The prices of ereaders are dropping all the time. Sony Style now has the refurbished PRS-300 marked down to $99 and the refurbished PRS-600 marked down to $119.

Refurbished products are often items that have been returned or ones that have had minor fixes, so they’re generally a good deal and this time, for an ereader under $100, it’s definitely a good deal.

The Sony Pocket is available in all three colors: silver, navy blue, and rose. And the Sony Touch is available in both silver and black, the red must have already sold out because it used to be listed.

The price cuts on these devices most certainly strengthen the rumors that Sony is about to unveil the new Sony PRS-350 and PRS-650, the two updated versions of these ereaders. The new version of the PRS-300 is expected to have a touchscreen, so if that’s something you don’t like, now is probably the best time to get a PRS-300 before it is replaced by the PRS-350.

Filed under: Sales and Discounts, Sony | Tags: prs-350, prs-650, sony pocket, sony touch | 1 Comment »

Last week when Amazon officially unveiled the new Kindle UK ebook store, I compared some of Amazon’s ebook prices with WHSmith and found that Amazon had much lower prices in most cases. Here’s the post with the information about Kindle UK and the price comparisons.

So now WHSmith is countering by cutting their prices by 35% on the top 100 fiction ebooks. And they’ve also cut the price of the Sony Reader Pocket Edition down to £99, matching Waterstone’s new price.

A quick look at some of WHSmith’s new prices compared to those on Amazon UK reveals that they are still a little bit higher for some of the more popular titles, but only by a few cents (or is it pence?).

Kudos to the folks in charge at WHSmith. It’s a good start. They needed to do something to stand up to Amazon. By making their top 100 fiction titles pretty much the same price as Amazon’s, not to mention that WHSmith’s ebooks are the more open and accessible Adobe format that can be used on all kinds of ereaders (they also have a few MOBI and Microsoft LIT ebooks too), and lowering the price of the Sony PRS-300 (a good basic reader) that at least gives WHSmith a chance to become a worthy competitor in the UK.

Filed under: Sales and Discounts, eBooks | Tags: ebook library, ebook sales, whsmith | No Comments »

Finally a big price cut on a Sony Reader in the United Kingdom, the Sony Pocket Edition is down to £99 at Waterstones.

The PRS-300 usually sells in the neighborhood of £129 – £169 in the UK, so that’s quite a decent amount of savings.

Considering the new Kindle 3 starts at £109 for the WiFi model, we should finally start seeing some more lower prices on ereaders. Competition is definitely a good thing.

The Sony Touch has also dropped in price recently, but not by as much. It’s now selling for £199. That’s down from £219. That price is still a little high to justify buying it over a Kindle 3 with free internet, a much higher contrast display, and far cheaper ebook prices from the Kindle UK store.

Filed under: Sales and Discounts, Sony | Tags: sony pocket, sony prs-300 | 1 Comment »

If you’ve been waiting for a cheap ebook reader, Newegg.com has 3 different models on sale for $99 each, the Cybook Opus, Astak Mentor, and Foxit eSlick.

The best of the bunch is the Cybook Opus. It has a 5-inch display and recently got a new firmware update. It comes with 1GB of internal memory and has a microSD card slot. Check our Cybook Opus review for more information about it.

If you’d prefer a larger 6-inch screen, the Astak Mentor is the better choice. Both it and the eSlick share the same hardware design, based on the Netronix EB600. The eSlick was just recently discontinued so don’t expect much from it. Both are outdated models. Newegg is probably trying to clear stock.

For most, spending an extra $40 more for a Kindle WiFi or $50 more for a Nook WiFi would be a much better deal in the long run, given the advanced features and better hardware, but it’s good to see ereaders breaking the $100 barrier nonetheless.

Filed under: Sales and Discounts | Tags: astak mentor, cybook opus, foxit eslick | No Comments »

There are a lot of coupon codes and sales this month on various types of ebooks from different ebook retailers. First, here are the codes for eBooks.com.

eBooks.com

August Promotion at eBooks.com Enjoy $5 off on purchases over $55. Use coupon code ‘august5off55cp’.

Back to School Promotion at eBooks.com. Save 12% on Academics Books! Use coupon BTSBOOK%SALEcp upon checkout.

Friendship Week Sale at eBooks.com – 20% off on books under the Children’s & Young Adult Fiction Category. Use code: friendship20cp

Use code: Categorysalecp for 20% discount at eBooks.com on subjects: Education, Humor, Medical, Science Fiction, and Transportation

Education Category Books Sale – 15% off purchase on eBooks.com. Use coupon – education15%cp

eBooks.com Non-coupon Promotions:

Save 20% on titles by eBooks Featured Authors; Nicole Jordan and Sean Williams

20% OFF Business Strategies eBooks

Kobo Books

Get 15% Off Best Seller “The Gift Who Played With Fire” when you shop Kobo Books using code SAVEFIFTEEN! Hurry, ends 8/31

Receive 15% Off Best Selling Title “The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest” Using Code SAVEFIFTEEN at Kobo eBooks! Hurry, ends 8/31

15% Off Best Selling Title “61 Hours” with code SAVEFIFTEEN when you shop Kobo Books! Hurry, deal ends 8/31

Get 15% Off Best Seller “The Passage: A Novel” using code SAVEFIFTEEN when you shop Kobo Books.com. Hurry, ends 8/31

15% Off Best Seller “The Gift With The Dragon Tattoo” using code SAVEFIFTEEN at KoboBooks.com! Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off Any Harlequin Title from Kobo Books using code 1harlequin!

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “Water For Elephants” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “Think Of A Number: A Novel” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “The Road” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “The Lost Symbol” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “The Blind Side: Evolution Of A Game” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “The Big Short: Inside The Doomsday Machine” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “Solar” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook Best Seller “Family Ties: A Novel” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off eBook “Ice Cold: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel: With Bonus Content” at KoboBooks.com using code SAVEABUCK. Hurry, ends 8/31

Get $1 Off Popular Title “Blockade Billy” when you shop Kobo Books Using Code SAVEABUCK Now! Hurry, ends 8/31

eHarlequin.com

eHarlequin Scintillating suspense: save $3 when you spend $15! Print and eBook.

Save 30% on featured sexy historicals at eHarlequin Print and eBook.

Filed under: Sales and Discounts, eBooks | Tags: ebook sales | 1 Comment »

So I just ordered a new Kindle WiFi earlier this morning and I noticed that while Amazon doesn’t mention it on the Kindle product page, you can actually get $30 off the Kindle WiFi and new Kindle 3G by signing up for and using an Amazon credit card to make the purchase if you don’t already have an Amazon card, making the WiFi model just $109 and the 3G equipped model $159.

After you sign up for and get approved for the Amazon rewards card (it took me less than 5 minutes from start to finish), Amazon will deduct $30 off your first purchase (this offer applies to other products as well). So the order will show the regular price for the unit once confirmed, then the discount will appear as a credit on your credit card statement.

The good thing about the credit card is that you don’t have to continue using it, just order the Kindle with it and you don’t have to use it ever again and there’s no annual fee. Just be sure to pay the card off in full because the interest rate is its biggest fault in my opinion. The best rate you can currently get is over 13%, much higher if you have bad credit.

Filed under: Kindle, Sales and Discounts | Tags: amazon, kindle 3g, kindle wifi | 2 Comments »

Looking around the internet, there are a few different ebook readers currently on sale.

First, the Sony PRS-900 is selling for $249 from Amazon, Best Buy, and a few other electronics stores. That’s $50 less than it usually sells for and $150 less than its original price back in December.

The Cybook Opus is down to $168 at B&H Photo. Most other stores are selling it for $199. In the UK, Pixmania seems to have recently lowered the price for the Cybook Opus to £165. Last week it was listed at 7 pounds higher.

B&H Photo also appears to have the lowest price on the Sony PRS-300 at $138.99, about $10 less than other websites. The PRS-600 can found for as low as $152 at Amazon.

In the UK, the Sony ereaders are finally starting to drop in price slightly. The PRS-600 is selling for £187 from Amazon UK and regualry sells for £194 from Play.com. The PRS-300 is £127 on Amazon UK.

From Sony Style Canada, the Sony PRS-300 is marked down to $179 from $199 and the PRS-600 is down $20 as well to $229.

Lastly, if you are looking to get an Aluratek Libre, Borders now sells it for $119 at regular price, which is typically $10 – $50 less than anywhere else.

Filed under: Sales and Discounts | Tags: cybook opus, sony prs-300, sony prs-900 | No Comments »

Since my local Borders stores all seem to be anti-Kobo Reader, I decided to check Walmart.com to see if they’ve started carrying it since Walmarts in Canada do.

No such luck. But I did find that Walmart.com is now selling 4 Hanvon Wisereaders, and the prices are lower than expected: $228 for the touchscreen model and $158 for the non-touchscreen. Both come in black or white, have 5-inch E Ink screens, and both are priced lower than anywhere else I’ve seen.

Hanvon eReaders are out of China. In fact, Hanvon is the #1 ebook reader brand in China.

The touchscreen model uses a stylus for on-screen note-taking, highlighting, navigation, etc., and it has a unique text recognition feature that can convert freehand writing into digital text. And the non-touch model is one of a few ebook readers to support OpenInkpot, an open source ebook reader firmware with many customizable features.

Both models come with 512MB of internal memory and support SD cards up to 32GB.

Both support the following formats: Adobe EPUB and PDF, TXT, HTXT, HTML, and DOC. And the touchscreen model supports audio playback for MP3, WAV, and WMA files.

Earlier this year at CES, Hanvon announced that they would be introducing a line of new ereaders specifically for the US market this year, but nothing so far. The ones Walmart is selling have been out for quite a while now.

Filed under: News, Sales and Discounts | Tags: ebook reader, hanvon, wisereader | No Comments »