Barnes & Noble to introduce updated Nook e-reader on May 24

Barnes & Noble is readying an updated e-reader, the company revealed in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

"In a meeting with investor analysts on May 4, 2011, Barnes & Noble ... indicated it expects to make an announcement on May 24, 2011 regarding the launch of a new eReader device," the notice said.

The company provided no other details about what the updated e-reader might entail. The last major Nook upgrade was the Nook Color (pictured above,) which started shipping in November. The Android-based device includes a 7-inch touch screen and access to more than 2 million titles, as well as an extra-wide viewing angle intended for sharing. The screen boasts 1,024-by-600 resolution and 169 pixels per inch. It comes with 8GB of storage, expandable up to 32GB with a microSD card.

In late April, Barnes & Noble pushed out a major software update to the Nook Color, which included its own app store, an email client, the ability to play Flash video, and enhanced books. It also added support for Android 2.2 "Froyo" and Adobe Flash video.

There's no word on what the retailer's new Nook will include; will it update the color version or address the E Ink Nook? And how will it stack up against its rivals? Last month, competitor Amazon launched a cheaper, ad-supported version of its Kindle e-reader. For $114, the new Kindle with "Special Offers" features ads and deals as its screen saver and on the bottom of its home screen. Of course, there's also the e-book components of the popular iPad and iPad 2.

Last month, Microsoft sued Barnes & Noble for patent infringement related to the Nook. Microsoft holds patents relating to navigation and how Web sites display content; technology used on the Android platform, the software giant said. Microsoft has tried to come to a licensing agreement with Barnes & Noble regarding its Nook and Nook Color e-readers, but to no avail, the company said.

This article, written by Chloe Albanesius, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.