AT&T to power Plastic Logic ereader device

AT&T announced it will provide 3G data connectivity for electronics startup Plastic Logic's forthcoming ereader device, inking a deal similar to rival Sprint's agreement with Amazon.com to power the online retail giant's Kindle hardware. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, AT&T's head of emerging devices Glenn Lurie said the Plastic Logic ereader "will really deliver that ubiquitous connectivity that customers have asked for," adding "there's a lot of analysts and industry experts that believe this space has tremendous potential." Lurie declined to offer pricing details for the device, and said AT&T has yet to determine whether it will carry the ereader in its retail stores.

Earlier this week, Amazon competitor Barnes & Noble announced a strategic commerce and content partnership with Plastic Logic. The news arrived in tandem with the announcement that the retailer will launch the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, enabling consumers to purchase and read ebooks on a variety of platforms including the iPhone and iPod touch and BlackBerry smartphones, as well as most Windows and Mac laptops and desktops. According to B&N, eBookstore offers more than 700,000 titles, including new releases and bestsellers priced at $9.99 each as well as more than half a million free, public domain books from Google--that trumps Amazon's Kindle, which boasts about 300,000 titles. Barnes & Noble adds it expects to top a million ebooks within the next year.

For more on the AT&T/Plastic Logic deal:
- read this Wall Street Journal article