Barnes & Noble's new $99 Nook Simple Touch claims sharper type, faster turns

Barnes & Noble this morning unveiled a revamped version of its Nook Simple Touch e-book reader, which will cost just $99. The new Simple Touch will be available immediately.

That price represents a 40 percent price cut from the current $140 cost of the Simple Touch, and it matches the lowest price for the Ratings, available to subscribers.

The company also says it has boosted the readability of type—again, another strong point of the existing Nook Simple Touch—by creating crisper fonts and improved contrast. Those improvements will be also available to owners of the current Nook Simple Touch via a software update, the company says.

The company also says it has doubled the battery life of the device on the new Simple Touch to 2 months. The weight of the device remains unchanged, at about 8 ounces.

We already have a new Nook Simple Touch in our labs and will report on it shortly: Check back here for a first look at the device.

—Paul Reynolds