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**Best Buy and Verizon Jump into E-Reader Fray** By KIRA STROH Published September 23, 2009

Best Buy and Verizon are going to be making their mark on the world of electronic reading devices. On Wednesday, iRex Technologies (the maker of one of Europe's best known e-readers) will announce that it will be releasing a $399 touch-screen e-reader in the United States. "Owners of the new iRex DR800SG will be able to buy digital books and newspapers wirelessly over the 3G network of Verizon...And by next month, the iRex will be sold at a few hundred Best Buy stores, along with the Sony Reader and similar products" (Stone, 2009).

In 2008, mo re than one million e-readers were sold globally, and it is thought that some 5 million could be sold this year due to the popularity of the Kindle which is sold only through the online retailer Amazon. The involvement of Best Buy could help because these devices will be sold at all 1,048 of their stores and their will be an area showcasing the devices as well as newly trained employees. According to Chris Homeister, senior vice-president for entertainment at Best Buy, many people know what an e-reader is, but many consumers have not seen or played with them, and this is a unique technological experience coming to the marketplace (Stone, 2009).

 The biggest challenge for iRex will be the American market's unfamiliarity with the brand; but the company is convinced that they can win this market over with their low pricing and the great features of the product (an 8.1 touch screen with links to Barnes & Noble, and NewpaperDirect). "It contains a 3G Gobi radio from Qualcomm, the wireless component manufacturer, which will allow iRex owners to buy books wirelessly when they travel abroad" (Stone, 2009) The wireless modem in the Kindle works only on Sprint’s network in the United States. As with the Kindle, the price of the iRex includes unlimited wireless access.

The main challenges facing iRex, Verizon, Best Buy and e-reader devices everywhere are the price of the device (many Americans won't buy one until they're under $100), and competition from a company that has never said a word about e-reading devices, Apple.

When books came to colonial North America, they were considered a luxury activity because many of the early settlers worked all day and they considered it ridiculous to waste candles on something not necessary to survival. Books were also considered a symbol of wealth and status, and books were not easily transportable. (Baran, 2010, pp.58-59). I think it's interesting because these e-reader devices relate to a lot of the ideas that early settlers had about books. First, having an e-reader device in this economy would be considered a luxury, and it could be thought of as a symbol of wealth and status. Second, people are working as much as they can to get by, and reading has most likely become an afterthought at the end of a hard day. Finally, these devices will make reading easier than ever because instead of lugging around the 700 plus plage Harry Potter book, all you need is a two inch thick piece of plastic.

Baran also says on p. 63 that, "Books are agents of social and cultural change," (Baran, 2010) but could this also apply to the devices that allow us to read books? With technology like iPhones, Blackberries, and Netbooks, consumers are now able to do everyday tasks with something very small and convenient. This e-reader device is just another in a long line of technology that makes our life easier, and you have to wonder what may come next after these e-readers.

Baran, S. (2010). Introduction to mass communication. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Company Inc.

Stone, B (2009, September 2009). Best buy and verizon jump into e-reader fray. New York Times, p. B3.