![]() While a prospective Kindle buyer mostly has to rely on Amazon's website to learn about the device, if they don't know anyone else who has one, a prospective Nook buyer will eventually be able to try out the device in person one of Barnes & Noble's 775 retail stores, and maybe also one its 636 college bookstores. The Nook's biggest competitive strength, however, could lie in its distribution network. But the device also isn't a "me-too" product – in addition to matching the Kindle's use of an E Ink display and a 3G modem that connects to AT&T's (NYSE:T) network, the Nook sports unique features such as a secondary touchscreen LCD display to aid in navigation and shopping, and built-in Wi-Fi. Early reviews of the Nook have been mixed, with reviewers often criticizing its user interface. 20, didn't begin shipping until early December, and wasn't available in most Barnes & Noble stores - buyers either had to go online, or rely on a handful of "higher volume" stores - its initial success should at least raise some eyebrows over at Amazon headquarters. ![]() And given Amazon's giddy holiday rhetoric about the Kindle becoming its most popular gift item ever, it wouldn't surprise me if the 2009 estimate has been exceeded.īut considering that the Nook was only announced on Oct. After all, a Collins Stewart report in November predicted that Amazon will sell 700,000 Kindle e-readers this year, with that number growing to 1.1 million in 2010. Not great news for Barnes & Noble from a customer-relations standpoint, but I'm guessing that management considers it better than dealing with a warehouse full of unsold Nooks.Ī skeptic might argue that 60,000 isn't a number that should make Amazon nervous. ![]() Thanks to stronger-than-expected demand, the Nook went through its first production run in a hurry, according to Techcrunch's sources, leading to a small number of buyers failing to get their pre-ordered devices by Christmas. That's a question worth asking after Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) did just that recently with the Nook, its entry in the e-reader market. If a competing e-reader quickly sold out its first 60,000 units, would (NASDAQ:AMZN) hear the sound of the cash registers?
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