E-reader

Prices go up and prices go down, but this year they're going every which way. While it's difficult to predict how the economy will impact the cost of products and services, there are several sure bets on both ends of the scale. Here are a few predictions.

GOING UP:

Orange Juice
The FDA discovered "low levels" of a fungicide in the 2011 orange crop imported from Brazil, the world's largest produce of oranges.

Airfare
More people want to fly, but the airlines have trimmed their sales and are putting fewer planes in the air. Expect an increase between 3 percent and 10 percent worldwide.

Parking Rates and Tickets
Cash-strapped cities will try to boost their budgets by increasing city-imposed fees.

Gas
Did you enjoy that recent small reprieve from high gas prices? Well don't get used to it; the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts regular gas will average $3.45 this year.

Groceries
Rising energy costs, poor weather conditions, commodity prices and the lousy value of the U.S. dollar mean food is expected to increase 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent from 2011, according to the Consumer Price Index. Read more

Highly Acclaimed Barnes & Noble eReaders and Accessories Now Available at Top Retailers

October 3, 2011 - Barnes & Noble, Inc. today announced that NOOK Color and NOOK Simple Touch eReaders are now available at Target stores nationwide and at Target.com as Barnes & Noble continues to expand the distribution of NOOK devices. The $139 NOOK Simple Touch Reader and the $249 NOOK Color Reader's Tablet and accessories arrived at Target on October 2, 2011. NOOK is now available at Best Buy, Books-A-Million, Fred Meyer, Office Max, P.C. Richard & Sons, Radio Shack, Staples, Target and Walmart, in addition to Barnes & Noble and www.bn.com.

"We are excited to bring our award-winning devices to Target as we expand the retail locations where people can purchase NOOK," said Chris Peifer, vice president, digital business development at Barnes & Noble. "The All-New NOOK offers a simple, easy-to-use, dedicated reading experience for readers of all ages and NOOK Color is the perfect sleek, sophisticated and reading-centric tablet device."

Barnes & Noble's NOOK product line uses the element of touch to achieve simplicity and ease of use. The NOOK Simple Touch features extra-long battery life on the ultra-light, portable 6-inch eReader with the most-advanced E Ink Pearl display and the most social reading experience ever - all for just $139. With a simple tap, it's intuitive and easy to navigate, shop and read.Read more

Ready or not, the holiday shopping season is fast approaching. Black Friday is less than 70 days away, and we all know that the best way to make the most of the savings is to be prepared. The folks over at dealnews decided to kick off the holiday season a little bit early with their fourth annual Black Friday deal predictions.

And here they are...

dealnews Black Friday Predictions for 2011

HDTVs

• 32" 1080p LCD HDTV for $199
• 40" to 42" 1080p LCD HDTV for $319
• 46" 1080p LCD TV for $399
• 55" 1080p LCD HDTV for $549
• 55" 1080p 3D LCD TV for $999
• 60" 1080p LCD TV for $699

Read more

Kindle the only e-reader to deliver library books wirelessly; read on any Kindle or free Kindle app

Amazon's Whispersync technology automatically stores and synchronizes bookmarks, margin notes and highlights - all available the next time you check out or buy the book

September 21, 2011 -- Amazon.com today announced that Kindle and Kindle app customers can now borrow Kindle books from more than 11,000 local libraries in the United States. When a customer borrows a Kindle library book, they'll have all of the unique features they love about Kindle books, including Whispersync, which automatically synchronizes their margin notes, highlights and bookmarks, real page numbers, Facebook and Twitter integration, and more. For more information about borrowing library books for your Kindle or free Kindle apps, go to www.amazon.com/kindle/publiclibraries. To start checking out Kindle library books, visit your local library's website. Read more

The Mobile Authority Expands Tablet and eReader Selection with Award-Winning Line of NOOK Devices, Accessories and More

September 21, 2011 - Barnes & Noble, Inc. and RadioShack announced today they will be bringing the company's award-winning line of NOOK eReading devices and related accessories to more than 3,000 RadioShack stores nationwide and online at radioshack.com, beginning October 3. Customers visiting a RadioShack or select dealer franchise location will now have access to a wide array of popular and innovative NOOK devices designed for readers of all ages.

"The NOOK is a friendly and versatile way to enjoy the tablet experience and to stay connected with your reading material, news and information on the go," says Scott Young, chief merchandising officer for RadioShack Corp. "As your nearby mobile authority, The Shack has everything you need to power, protect and personalize your NOOK, or almost any other mobile device, this holiday season."Read more

One of the latest changes in college culture is the availability of digital textbooks, which was underscored when Amazon unveiled its new rental platform last month.

Since money talks for most shoppers, parents may be susceptible to the desires of their technologically savvy student to forgo physical books and buy an eBook reader or tablet instead.

But are digital textbooks living up the money-saving hype?

An Amazon company spokesperson said it has "tens of thousands of textbooks" available to rent and even more can be purchased as a full download for the Kindle. But for the average student, finding the relevant textbooks required for courses may be tricky. Read more

Right about now you're starting to wonder what kinds of electronics your college student is going to need. "Need" being the operative word here, as opposed to the many gadgets they merely want but claim to need. Retrevo has provided us with their "Back to School Tech Guide" to help you sift through the options so your students can be as productive as possible, and you can still afford gas to go visit them.

As far as Retrevo's editors are concerned, the perfect dorm room set up is a decent laptop with plenty of storage, a second larger display monitor that also functions as a television, and both a wireless mouse and keyboard. A good pair of headphones or speakers is also pretty necessary.

Must Have

1. Laptop/Netbook
The specs of what kind of laptop students need varies depending on what they will be doing - literature students who will be writing essays could get by with a netbook, while graphic artists will need something more robust but according to Retrevo's Product Life-cycle there are a few must-haves for everyone. Read more

Highly Acclaimed NOOK Devices Part of Expanding Technology Selection at OfficeMax

July 27, 2011 -- OfficeMax Incorporated and Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world's largest bookseller, today announced that OfficeMax will be adding The All-New NOOK, The Simple Touch Reader and NOOK Color Reader's Tablet to its growing selection of innovative technology products. The award-winning, critically acclaimed NOOK devices and related accessories will be available at all OfficeMax retail stores nationwide and at OfficeMax.com beginning July 30.

"OfficeMax is very pleased to offer our customers access to Barnes & Noble's NOOK brand of eReading products," said Ryan Vero, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for OfficeMax. "Innovative features that deliver a rich reading experience, as well as access to a vast selection of sought-after books, periodicals and more, have made NOOK a popular choice among avid readers of all ages."Read more

July 13, 2011 -- Beginning July 17, Target will be the exclusive retailer of the iriver Story HD, the first e-reader device to be fully integrated with Google eBooks platform. The device offers more than three million ebooks at no cost and thousands of additional titles for sale. The iriver Story HD, at $139.99, is the newest e-reader with a high-resolution screen, long battery life and fast page-turn performance.

"Target strives to provide guests with exclusive access to the most innovative new products, and the iriver Story HD is no exception," said Nik Nayar, vice president of Merchandising, Target. "With the rapid advancements of e-readers and tablets, the iriver Story HD’s superior features and integration with Google eBooks sets it apart. Target is excited to bring this new e-reader to our guests before any other retailer."Read more