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Hands-on with all-new Nook e-reader

Barnes & Noble unveiled an all-new, nearly buttonless version of the Nook at its flagship store in New York City on Tuesday. Here's a hands-on look at the latest B&N e-book reader.
By Rachel King, Contributor
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Dubbed the “simple touch reader” for readers of all ages, Barnes & Noble CEO William Lynch said this pocket-sized version of the Nook was “inspired for readers turned off by buttons, keyboards and complexity.” (For the full story, check out today's report.)

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Weighing only 7.5 ounces, the new Nook features 50% more contrast and is 15% thinner as well as 35% lighter than original Nook.

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The device sports a 6-inch black and white e-Ink Pearl display with only one button for power. Lynch boasted that this new version is the “easiest to use, most portable e-book reader ever.”

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The feature that garnered the most applause at the media event was that the battery life on this new e-book reader can last up to two months on a single charge based on an average reading time of 30 minutes per day. That means a reader could use the device starting now on a full charge until past the Fourth of July.

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Powered by a 800Mhz processor, the latest Nook's form factor was designed to be contoured for reader’s hand and long stretches of reading.

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The new Nook is Wi-Fi only (no 3G/4G connectivity), but it can also get access at AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.

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Lynch touted the new Nook as the “best value in e-book reader market.” Taking on Amazon’s Kindle 3 head-on, Lynch argued that the Nook is “10% less bulky” and the Kindle 3 has 38 buttons - 37 more than the all new Nook.

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The all-new Nook, priced at $139, will be available for pre-order in stores and online immediately, and it will ship around June 10th.

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