Borders kicks off Kobo eReader digital initiative

Borders announced it will launch its Kobo eReader next month as the bookseller looks to keep pace with Amazon.com's Kindle and Barnes & Noble's nook. Priced at $149.99 and shipping on June 17, the Kobo eReader will arrive preloaded with 100 classic books--the forthcoming Borders eBook store will feature over a million additional titles, available for purchase through the Borders.com website as well as via free Borders applications optimized for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android smartphones, Apple's iPad tablet and all PCs. Borders adds it will sell the Kobo eReader along with a variety of other ereader devices in special digital shops called Area-e, launching inside Borders stores this August.

Kobo is a global, device-neutral ereading service backed by majority shareholder Indigo Books & Music, Borders Group, REDgroup Retail, and Cheung Kong Holdings. Borders announced its investment in Kobo in mid-December 2009.

For more on the Kobo eReader effort:
- read this release

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