Just weeks after lowering the price of the Kindle e-book reader from $259 to $189, Amazon unveiled a fully revamped Kindle on Wednesday. It’s sleeker, better looking, easier on the eyes — and starts at $139.

This new Kindle, Amazon’s third generation, is smaller by 21 percent, and 15 percent lighter too. It has much improved contrast, 50 percent better than before, answering a significant complaint among dead-tree purists who compared the device’s e-ink screen unfavorably to real paper. It’s available in two colors: graphite and white.

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Boomnews reports that the new Nook firmware 1.2 update should hit later today. Tweaks include:

• Enhanced in-store seamless connectivity to enjoy free Wi-Fi, with More In Store content promotions exclusively for Nook owners
• Improved opening of eBooks and ePeriodicals
• Improved response to Reading Now and Settings buttons
• Current reading page and bookmarks on all eBooks are properly saved when you power your Nook off
• Eligible LendMe eBooks in your library have LendMe flags
• Easier navigation of daily subscriptions with issues rolled into one folder
• Improved “back” button functionality for navigating eBooks and ePeriodicals
• Personal files downloaded and displayed in My Documents can be sorted by author and title
• Overall system improvements and battery optimization.

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Here are parts of the Nook’s review on PC Magazine that gave the Nook 4/5 stars:
The Barnes and Noble Nook E-Reader ($259 direct) will be difficult, perhaps even impossible, to find this holiday season, and that’s a real shame. With a clever second display that acts as a touch-screen interface, a huge library of titles, and instant wireless downloads via AT&T’s 3G network or Wi-Fi, the Nook might just be the most sophisticated e-Book reader on the market.
…
As I write this review, the Nook is sold out until the next batch of units arrive early next year. You can pre-order one online or at your local Barnes & Noble store. If you simply can’t resist buying an e-book reader this holiday season, and you want something to put under the tree, the tried, tested, and readily available Amazon Kindle is probably the way to go—and it’ll cost you the same $259 you’ll pay for the Nook. It is worth stopping by a Barnes & Noble store before you do, though, to try out a Nook. Once the company builds in book sharing, rolls out custom content for store visitors, and irons out some minor software kinks, the Nook could top the e-book best-seller list.

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The Nook, billed as the first Android-powered e-book reader, features not only a 6-inch E-ink screen but a color touch screen that allows you to navigate content and also can turn into a virtual keyboard for searches. At launch, no separate Android apps will run on the device, but Barnes & Noble says that one of the reasons it chose Android to power the Nook is because it’s an open platform with a large developer community and that future apps are a possibility.
Like the Kindle, the Nook has a built-in 3G wireless connection (AT&T is the carrier) and a dictionary. However, the Nook also packs in Wi-Fi connectivity and a memory expansion slot–you get 2GB of internal memory, but can add up to a 16GB micro SD card.
It’s worth noting that initially Barnes & Noble said the WiFi connection would only work in its stores, where Nook owners would have have access to exclusive offers and free browsing of complete e-books. But later a PR person emailed us to say that, “The Wi-Fi connectivity will also work on other Wi-Fi networks to give you access to browse and download from the company’s digital store at fast broadband speeds.”
The Nook does weigh an ounce more than the Kindle (11.2 ounces vs. 10.2 ounces) and can’t match the Kindle’s battery life (10 days vs. 14 days). And while it does play back MP3 audio and has a built-in speaker, it doesn’t have the Kindle’s text-to-speech feature or a Web browser.
Read the Full review on Cnet.

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