Amazon is infamous for never releasing hard numbers for how many Kindles are sold, though the company isn’t afraid to talk in relative figures.  It seems that the newest Amazon Kindle has sold more in the first four weeks of availability than any other Kindle launch.  That makes the new Amazon Kindle the fastest selling version yet, which is impressive but none to surprising given the $139 WiFi-only version that is available for the first time. {TechCrunch}

Amazon has also said that the new Kindle models have sold more on both Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk than any other product.  The Kindle is also the most gifted and wished-for products on the two sites, which certainly says a lot about how far eReaders have come.

Going on personal experience, it’s difficult in New York City to take a subway without seeing at least one Kindle in use.  Amazon’s relative numbers only back up what we can already infer: there are a lot of people out there who like the idea of reading books without having to carry around the actual books.  Yes, physical books are nice, but eBooks are arguably easier to read, easier to carry with you, and don’t use up so many trees.

If you can imagine it, the new Kindle is even thinner than the Kindle 2, and also a bit smaller without sacrificing any screen size.  The screen is similar to the new Kindle DX screen in that it has 50 percent better contrast and 20 percent faster page turns according to Amazon.  On the inside, the new Kindle now has WiFi.  The device is available in a 3G and WiFi version for the same $189 as the previous model, of a WiFi only version for $139.  Both are available in either graphite or white. {Amazon}

Amazon looks to be taking some shots at Apple’s iPad and other tablets with the new Kindle.  The site’s page for the new Kindle points out that it won’t get hot while reading like computers and tablets.  It also mentions the fact that the screen has no glare about 5 times on the page.  In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said that “For the vast majority of books, adding video and animation is not going to be helpful. It is distracting rather than enhancing. You are not going to improve Hemingway by adding video snippets.”  He then added that there are a lot of companies making LCD tablets, and that he didn’t want Amazon to be one among many {Engadget}.  With the lowered price, it’s certainly easier to get into than the at least $500 iPad.  It might also help if we ever get to see those Kindle apps that were promised months ago.

Competition for eReading consumers†affection sizzled on Monday as Barnes and Noble dropped the price of its well received Nook e-book reader 23 percent to $199 and introduced the Nook WiFi at an even bigger bargain $149, though the latter device can only be used in a WiFi environment. Amazon, whose $259 price tag for their Kindle eReader (which comes with 3G technology by default) previously matched the Nookâ€s cost exactly, responded by dropping the price of the Kindle to $189, and they aren’t stopping their competitive advances there. Amazon.com plans to introduce a thinner Kindle with an upgraded screen this August. Sonyâ€s cheapest eReader is still $169. {Fortune}

Get yourself a price gun: the war for th eReader market is on

At this rate, eReaders will be cheaper than the actual books in their stores in no time.

In addition, Apple updated the iPhone and iPod Touch today to include available iBook software. The iPadâ€s price tag for the entry-level model remains near $500, though the additional tablet computer functionality give it an advantage over single purpose eReaders. It would be difficult to justify a $500 eReader purchase, but when that device doubles as a place to play games, browse the web and check on email, it’s a lot easier to rationalize.
“Their sales have obviously been impacted by the iPad,” Charlie Wolf, a senior analyst at Needham & Co. in New York, said. “These price cuts are almost an act of desperation.” {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Meanwhile, Kobo, the e-book retailer that offers eReading software for an array of devices, released free software on Monday that is available through the Android marketplace and allows eReaders to be used on Smartphones with the Android operating system. The e-book retailer already produces software for other Smartphones, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Palm WebOS and the newly released Kobo reading device.

Users who buy Kobo e-books with one device can read their purchase on any of the devices for which Kobo offers software.

“We’ve adapted the features our customers love and expect from Kobo to ensure that we provide the best reading experience for Android-enabled smartphones,” Kobo CEO Michael Serbinis said. {Publishers Weekly}

Borders is also holding steady with eReaders that began selling for $119.99-$149.99 in May. {Bloomberg Businessweek}

Need to catch your breath? We sure do! We canâ€t wait to see which devices prove most popular among consumers and how low the prices will need to go to woo customers who are interested in an e-reading device but not its expense.

So, we say it’s time to say good-bye to the suddenly hackneyed technology of the Kindle, and to start getting acquainted with the new kids in town: the eReaders of 2010.

TREND: UNDER $400

The Spring Design Alex, $359

What looks like a Nook, sells like a Nook, and wants to kick some serious Nook ass?

The Alex.

Coming soon to a Borders near you, the Alex is Spring Design’s answer to Barnes & Noble’s Nook (which, according to Spring Design is actually a plagiarized version of their Alex). Also an eReader that runs on Android, the Alex differs in that its capacitive LCD touchscreen lets you browse the web…and its price tag comes in a little heftier at $359.

Read More {CNet}

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {Gizmodo}

Samsung E6 Reader, $399

Samsung enters into the eReader market with its simply named and designed E6 Reader. Different from its competitors thanks to its handwriting capabilities, slide-out controls, and a partnership with Google, the E6 may not be a game-changer, but at least it’s bending (if not breaking) the eReader mold.

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {CrunchGear}

TREAT: UNDER $500

enTourage eDGe DualBook, $490

Combining two the biggest trends at CES this year, the enTourage eDGe is, according to their Web Site, the “World’s First Dualbook” to combine a tablet with an eReader.

A very cool piece of machinery, the two sides actually talk to each other (writing into the eReader side pulls up the option to search on Wikipedia or Google on the other), so it’s basically like owning a lap top (that runs on Android) with a nice alternative monitor for reading. We’re loving the idea – but not so much the size. At almost 20 inches when opened up, it’s not exactly “light” reading – pun intended. But, at $490 for a tablet AND an eReader, we might be tempted to overlook its bulk.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {enTourage}

TREASURE: UNDER $800

Plastic Logic’s QUE Reader, 4GB for $649 and 8GB for $799

Light, thin, and perfect for the professional on the go, the QUE Reader is meant to accompany you when you’re grabbing your morning coffee, slipping into your office meeting, or catching up on emails at home. Compatible with Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and most Newspapers, the Que may not be the “funnest” eReader, but it will help you get the job done. And at $649, you should certainly hope so.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Engadget}

Read More {Que}

TORTURE: UNDISCLOSED

Skiff Reader

The biggest eReader yet, the Skiff, at 11.5 inches long (but only a quarter of an inch thick), is meant as a big ole’ flexible touchscreen version of a Newspaper. Although the Skiff reader will be available in either a black and white or a color version, not much else is known about these devices as of yet – including its price.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {Engadget}

Notion Ink Adam tablet/eReader

No, it doesn’t bend, it isn’t huge, it may not come with 3D glasses and it doesn’t have a little apple on its back – but the combination tablet and eReader known as the Adam is making big waves in the tech world.

Why? You ask?

Its screen. A screen that’s the future of the eReader (and some say the death knell of e-Ink technology). Known as a Pixel QI transflective screen, this guy can actually go from a backlit LCD mode to a low-power electrophoretic reflective mode (like e-Ink), depending on your environment  or preference. So whether you’re reading a book in your bedroom or trying to watch a movie in your sunny backyard, the Adam should be able to adapt no matter what – pretty cool, huh?

Add into the mix a tablet that runs on Android and some pretty cool concepts to display digital magazines, and we’re officially psyched. And, while the Adam is still in its early development stages, we can’t wait to see the final product.

Read More {Gizmodo}

Read More {SlashGear}

Well, we found a little something that makes the future of magazines look not just alive, but downright awesome. May we present to you Mag+, a concept design for a portable tablet eReader made from the collaborative juices of the designers at BERG and Bonnier R&D (the publishers of Popular Science).

As it’s designed right now, the Mag+ tablet has a touchscreen you can use to scroll vertically within an article and horizontally between stories. It’s a simple, uncluttered look - but you can also “heat up” the device (by rubbing it with your finger) to connect to web sites to share pictures, comment on stories, or dig up supplementary material.

But, more importantly, it looks frickin’ awesome. Don’t believe us? Check out the snazzy video.

Read More {Switched}

Read More {BERG}