Ever since Barnes & Noble acquired the Fictionwise eBook store, we have been speculating as to exactly what they planned to do with it.  Now, there are rumors coming out of last week’s CTIA which may shed some light on the big box bookseller’s plans.

With no word on specs or details, Barnes & Noble is apparently planning a direct assault on the Kindle 2 with a standalone eBook reader of its own.  According to Engadget, Barnes & Noble plans to create its own wireless connection a la WhisperNet.  Talks with Verizon Wireless to host this connection apparently fell apart.  And this is where things get a little sketchy.  Barnes and Nobles’ next stop seems to have been Sprint who is interested in hosting the connection themselves.  Sprint, of course, is the backbone behind Amazon.com’s WhisperNet technology.  Not to be outdone, though, AT&T seems to also want a piece of this action, trying to host the wireless connection, whatever it may be, themselves. 

I have no idea whether there is anything to this or not. I can say, however, that the proximity of this news to the acquisition of Fictionwise gives it a ring of truth.  I can also say that a new eBook reader, backed by a solid eBook store can only be a good thing for everyone. 

We’ll keep bringing to more details as we learn them.  Oh and, incidentally, that is a picture of the Kindle 2 on top.  I couldn’t very well include a picture of a device which is not even confirmed to exist…

[Via Engadget and Slashgear]