Borders announced today an addition to the e-readers it will offer customers: the eBook Reader Pro from Aluratek. The Libre, selling for just $119.99, will be available at Borders.com in early July and at stores in August. Borders officials said they are keeping a "device neutral" approach to e-readers, and will offer up to 10 devices by the end of the year.
That's a very different strateegy from Amazon, Apple and Barnes & Noble, which are tethered to the Kindle, iPad and nook, respectively. Borders, you may recall, has begun taking orders for yet another e-reader, the Kobo, which will be released later this month and will cost $149.99.
Borders said the Libre offers digital music and photo albums, as well as a battery good for 24 hours of continuous use. "By offering eReading devices ... in the neighborhood of $100, we can introduce a population of readers to the joy of eReading who would not have considered buying devices at entry points of $250 to $500," Borders Group Interim President Mike Edwards said in a news release.
Now the question is: Who will be the first to offer an e-reader for double-digits -- less than 100 bucks? It can't be that far away.