Barnes & Noble will be showcasing another eReader at their stores and on-line, the Que (pronounced ‘Q’).  This ereader is a Plastic Logic device, and they are also the company that designed the Nook for B&N.  However, the Que is not competition, but instead designed for a whole new market.  The Que is specifically designed for business users.  It will even have its own store that will be powered by B&N.  It packs quite a punch with its shatter-proof plastic display, and loads of features.  Check out this list:

- Supports PDF, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files

-Has the largest touchscreen user interface at 8.5″ x 11″

-1/3 of an inch thick

-Lightweight

-Wireless enabled

The Que will be making its world debut at CES in January 2010.  I know I will be interested to see if there is a need for a separate business specific reader.  I would think that you could get away with just one, but time will tell.

Press Release:

QUE™ proReader by Plastic Logic to be Sold in Barnes & Noble Stores
 
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 27, 2009 – Plastic Logic and Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, today announced that QUE™ (pronounced “Q”), the first proReader designed for business professionals, will be sold through Barnes & Noble’s nationwide network of stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com (http://www.bn.com).
 
The distribution agreement marks an expansion of the relationship between the two companies. Earlier this year, Plastic Logic and Barnes & Noble announced a strategic partnership through which Barnes & Noble will power the online store for QUE, which is coming in 2010 (information can be found at http://www.QUEreader.com). QUE will also be featured near the recently announced nook™, the Barnes & Noble eBook reader, on free-standing displays with signage offering Barnes & Noble customers choice based on their reading needs.
 
Scheduled to premiere January 7, 2010 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (Central Hall of Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth 11840), QUE is the first eReader designed to support the lifestyle of modern business professionals. More than an eReader, QUE means business.
 
“We are very excited to name Barnes & Noble as our first retail distribution partner and to have QUE featured prominently in its stores,” said Richard Archuleta, CEO of Plastic Logic. “QUE was designed from the ground up as a tool for busy business professionals, expanding the eReader market as its first and only proReader.”
 
QUE provides access to a file cabinet’s worth of documents, ranging from business and professional newspapers, periodicals and books – with over 1 million eBooks available through the QUE store, powered by Barnes & Noble. It supports the document formats business users need (including PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel documents and more). Extra thin, lightweight and wireless-enabled, QUE is the size of an 8.5 x 11 inch pad of paper, about a 1/3 inch thick, and weighs less than many periodicals. QUE stands out in a crowd because it’s a business reader, but it’s also unique for its shatterproof plastic display, which is based on Plastic Logic’s pioneering plastic electronics technology. QUE also distinguishes itself with the largest touchscreen in the industry, an intuitive touchscreen user interface, and powerful tools for interacting with and managing a range of content.
 
“We’re excited to expand our relationship with Plastic Logic to include not only an eBookstore, but also a physical presence in our bookstores nationwide and on BN.com,” said William J. Lynch, president of BN.com. “QUE is an incredibly innovative product and a great device for business professionals. Carrying nook and QUE allows us to provide consumers a one-stop destination in Barnes & Noble stores to demo and buy two of the best eBook readers on the market. It also supports our digital strategy to offer customers choice, expand the market overall, and deliver on our promise to provide any book, any time, anywhere.”
 
Full product specifications, availability and pricing of QUE will be announced on January 7, 2010 at CES.

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