Photos Of Barnes & Noble E-Reader Posted Online
Gizmodo declined to publish the name of the device because it may change and because the existing name "is freaking terrible," it wrote on its Web site. However, in one of the photos, the word "Athena" appears to be silk-screened on the upper right of the front bezel.
Barnes & Noble has been expected to launch such a device in the near future. Sources have said in the past that the device is expected to be produced by Plastic Logic.
The company, which is best known as a nationwide book seller, already makes an e-reader application available free of charge in order to encourage the downloading of both free and purchased e-books from its Web site. It also provides AT&T Wi-Fi service free of charge in its bookstores.
Gizmodo on its Web site posted several photos with descriptions of what it claims to be the Barnes & Noble e-reader device.
The photos show a device with two screens.
The main screen is a 6-inch, 800 x 600 pixel e-ink display similar to that of other devices such as the Amazon Kindle.
Under that screen is a separate smaller color LCD screen with touch function that can show color images of the book covers and allow browsing of the titles. Gizmodo said the LCD is 480 x 144 pixels and has a resolution of 150 dpi. That LCD screen also seems as if it can be configured as a QWERTY keyboard for searching. The LCD supposedly turns off when the user is reading the e-book, Gizmodo said.
There are two sets of page-turn buttons, one for front and one for back on each side of the reading screen. There also is what appears to be a "home" button marked "BN," as well as a button with a drawing of a person that might be used for sharing books, although Gizmodo wrote that such a function may be cut.
Pricing for the supposed e-reader is not yet available, but Gizmodo said the price should be less than that of an Amazon Kindle, with Barnes & Noble making its money via e-book sales.