News

• iPad share of tablet market jumps as Kindle Fire slumps

  Apple's iPad reclaimed a larger share of the global tablet market last month, in part because of a more-serious-than-expected slump in sales of the hot Kindle Fire in the first quarter, IDC analysts said today.

• Microsoft invests in new Barnes & Noble unit, settles litigation

  Microsoft will invest US$300 million in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary, which will include the digital Nook and College businesses of Barnes & Noble, the companies said in joint statement on Monday.

• Barnes & Noble releases glow-in-the-dark Nook e-reader

  Barnes & Noble on Thursday released a new Nook Simple Touch e-reader with a screen that lights up so that books can be read in the dark.

• Kindle Touch gets new software ahead of global launch

  Amazon has issued a software upgrade for the Kindle Touch, which adds more languages and usability improvements, the company said on Wednesday.

• Apple, major publishers sued over e-book pricing

  The United States Department of Justice has sued Apple and five major book publishers, accusing them of colluding to raise e-book prices.

• Amazon's Kindle Touch 3G soon shipping in over 175 countries

  Amazon's Kindle Touch 3G e-reader will start shipping across the globe with free 3G wireless access on April 27, Amazon said on Tuesday.

• Parents herald rise in apps to help treat autism but proof of therapeutic benefits is lacking

  With one honk, the course of Shannon Des Roches Rosa's day abruptly changed.

• Goodbye e-books, hello apps

  "It doesn't matter how good or bad the product is, the fact is that people don't read anymore ... Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year."

• Toshiba announces debut e-reader in Japan, mulling launch abroad

  Toshiba has announced its first dedicated e-reader. It will launch in February in Japan, backed by an online store with 100,000 titles, and the company may also launch the BookPlace reader outside Japan.

• E-book library borrowing hits record pace

  Holiday sales of new tablets and e-readers have catapulted e-book borrowing at many of the nation's libraries, raising the question of how libraries can keep up with demand -- especially when some publishers still balk at e-book lending.

• USITC investigates patent complaint against mobile device makers

  The U.S. International Trade Commission has launched an investigation of patent infringements alleged by patent acquisition firm Digitude Innovations against a who's who of smartphone and tablet makers.

• Barnes & Noble may spin off Nook business

  Bookseller Barnes & Noble is considering spinning off its Nook digital business to help it grow, following strong growth in sales of the Nook reader and tablet and digital content in the nine-week holiday period ending Dec. 31.

• IDC: Tablet sales underwhelm in Q3, but strong holiday season expected

  Tablet sales at 18.1 million units during the third quarter were somewhat lower than expected, but stronger-than-expected demand during the rest of the year will give the market a boost, according to market research company IDC.

• Kindle Fire vs. the Kobo Vox vs. the Nook Tablet

  With the holiday season in full force, a lot of gift-givers are going to be considering one of the new color e-readers that have been introduced recently: Amazon's Kindle Fire, the Kobo Vox and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet.

• 2011 holiday tech gift guide: Tablets and e-readers

  Tablets and e-readers take the spotlight