Get a Nook Simple Touch Reader for $84
That's only 5 bucks more than Amazon's non-touch-screen Kindle. And this is new, not refurbished.
A few weeks ago, CNET's Scott Stein made the case for using a dedicated e-reader instead of a tablet--for book reading, that is.
I'm inclined to agree with him, as I find that when I read on my iPad or Nook Color, I'm frequently distracted from my book. It's hard to resist the siren song of e-mail, Web browsing, Flipboard, and the like when they're just a tap or two away.
With a regular old e-reader, however, all you get is your book--and that's a good thing. Hence I'm seeing the value in owning a reader even if you already own a tablet.
And here's your chance to score one on the cheap: Quill.com has the Barnes & Noble Nook Simple Touch Reader for $84 shipped. That's $15 below the retail price and the best deal I've seen since Black Friday.
The Simple Touch is a 6-inch e-reader with a touch-screen interface, e-ink display, and ultraslim, ultralight design. It beat Amazon.com's touch-screen Kindle to market by about five months, and has received widespread praise (including a CNET Editors' Choice).
I don't know how long Quill will be offering the reader at this price, nor what kind of inventory it has. I do know that the Simple Touch sells for $99 just about everywhere else, so there's a good chance this will sell out.
What are your thoughts on adding an e-reader to your arsenal of gadgets? And if you already have a Simple Touch, what do you think of it?
By the way, in case you missed my Marketplace post yesterday, be sure to check out four matchmaking services for e-book lending and borrowing. Two of them are Nook-friendly, giving you a way to nab extra reading material for free (or at least dirt-cheap).
Bonus deal: Game time! GameFly has Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (PC) for $4.99. That's the lowest price I've seen for this popular shooter, which sells elsewhere for $20.