The Morons at Barnes & Noble

This holiday season, it's all about the eBook readers, which are expected to be among the season's hottest items, even among soldiers. I know a lot of people I've talked to collectively shrug--after all, for $300 you could buy a Netbook and read books on that. But I'd bet that people who feel that way have never seen the eReaders in action. Personally, reading off of backlit screens gives me wicked eyestrain, so slogging through 300 pages off a computer screen or my iPod really isn't an appealing proposition for me. The eReaders, though, have to be seen to be believed. They are eerily paperlike. I first handled a reader at the Sony store, and when I saw the screen I assumed it was one of those pre-printed overlays that they put on dummy display models. I was stunned when I accidentally pressed a button and the screen refreshed and displayed the next page. Color me impressed. I decided that I'd get one when the prices went down and the DRM hissyfit that accompanies every new technology was resolved.

Well, that was a year ago, and we haven't made much progress on either front. Meanwhile, I'm itching to jump into the fray. I spend a lot of time on the train, giving me ample time to read material, but I hate having to lug around books. Plus, it usually takes two hands to turn pages, and anyone who's been on the Metro at 8:30 in the morning knows that that is just not possible sometimes. But I've wasted enough brain cells on my commute. I'm getting one this Christmas!

Problem is, they all stink in one way or another. Sony readers (Sony, of all companies) are better at reading different non-DRM formats, including library loans, but the DRM-strapped Kindle has a wider selection in its bookstore, along with wireless access and Wikipedia. The Wikipedia thing is a big deal for me. I've always like reading encyclopedias.

So needless to say, I've been waiting breathlessly for Barnes & Noble's new reader, which is expected to launch October 20. The problem is, they've released no details on it whatsoever. It's only ten days away, guys! What are you trying to protect? Anyway, Amazon is shipping its new Kindle International Oct. 19, and I assume it'll sell out pretty quickly, especially considering the newfound global demand, so you have to make a decision pretty quickly if you don't want to be waiting until February. Plus, if I have to undergo shoulder surgery, it would be nice to have one of these for afterwards--I'm not even sure I'll be able to play video games. The horror!

I reluctantly opted to pre-order the Kindle International, but I would have waited for B&N's reader if they had just released some confirmed specs and compatible formats on it. I can't be the only one who feels the same way, which is why I am so befuddled about the constant "no comment" from B&N reps. Again, 10 days before the NYT expects it to be released. This is why you're trading at 20 bucks a share, guys, because you're so fucking shortsighted.

EDIT: Evidently my standardized reading comprehension scores in high school were a fluke, because the announcement is to be on Oct. 20 and sales were expected to begin in November. I don't know how the NYT got the headline "Barnes & Noble E-Reader Could Come Oct. 20..." from that, but my mistake.