Fictionwise, Inc., the eBook retailer which was recently acquired by Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS: 22.4, 0, 0%), the world's largest bookseller, today announced the beta test release of eReader for BlackBerry(R: 27.3, 0, 0%). For the first time, BlackBerry(R: 27.3, 0, 0%) smartphone users will enjoy the free, easy-to-use eBook reading application that is already popular on the iPhone and iPod touch. The eReader software enables BlackBerry users to download and read their eBooks anytime and anyplace, and offers an interactive over-the-air shopping experience via BlackBerry's built-in browser on the eReader mobile eBook store.
With over one million downloads, the eReader application has become one of the most popular ways to read books on mobile devices and smartphones. The new BlackBerry version of eReader features flexible controls that allow the user to adjust the application as they wish to ensure a heightened reading experience. The ability to change font sizes improves readability in any lighting condition, while navigation features such as bookmarks, linked Table of Contents, and text search simplify locating specific pages and chapters.
Using wireless access to the eReader.com catalog, users can easily browse titles, make purchases and download books directly to their BlackBerry smartphones. Users may access their own personal bookshelves directly from their devices, giving them the ability to pick and choose from their entire collection of eBook titles they have purchased from eReader.com or fictionwise.com.
"Book lovers everywhere enjoy the eReader application because it gives them access to their favorite best-selling authors as well as to tens of thousands of free classics," said Scott Pendergrast, CEO of Fictionwise, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. "The BlackBerry platform is the most requested platform that we didn't already support, and we're thrilled to be able to introduce it to an entirely new segment of the mobile marketplace."
The eReader application works on iPhones(TM: 65.66, 0, 0%) as well as Palm(R: 27.3, 0, 0%), Windows Mobile(R: 27.3, 0, 0%), PocketPC and Symbian smartphones, and Windows(R: 27.3, 0, 0%) and Mac(R: 27.3, 0, 0%) laptops or full sized computers. It may be downloaded free of charge and is able to work immediately on any BlackBerry device released within the past few years.
About Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS: 22.4, 0, 0%), the world's largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 778 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble is the nation's top bookseller in quality, and for the fifth year in a row, the top bookseller brand, as determined by a combination of the brand's performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent, according to the EquiTrend(R: 27.3, 0, 0%) Brand Study by Harris Interactive(R: 27.3, 0, 0%). Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web's largest e-commerce sites.
General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company's corporate website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.
About eReader
The eReader ebook reading application was the first widely adopted mobile application for reading electronic books and it is one of the most popular ways of reading electronic books for hundreds of thousands of customers. The eReader application is available on over 300 different handheld devices and cell phones. Currently there are nearly 60,000 titles available at eReader.com and Fictionwise.com, including best-selling titles from Stephen King, Mary Higgins Clark, Michael Crichton, Ann Rice, James Patterson, Harlequin Romance, and thousands of others. For more information, visit www.ereader.com.
About Fictionwise
Fictionwise, Inc., the most experienced eBookseller in the world, was recently acquired by Barnes & Noble, Inc., the world's largest bookstore, and runs several of the most popular ebook stores on the web, including its flagship website at fictionwise.com. Established in June 2000, Fictionwise has sold millions of eBooks to hundreds of thousands of loyal customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.fictionwise.com.