Borders expands e-reader partnership

Ann Arbor, Mich. —Borders announced that it has expanded its partnership with Kobo, the maker of an e-reader that at $129.99 is about $10 to $20 less than the Kindle and Nook, respectively. The new partnership, according to Borders, with give customers access to new state-of-the-art free e-reading apps and e-reading technology; access to over 2.3 million books, newspapers and magazines; and a unique, industry-first social reading experience, positioning Borders as a strong competitor in the digital space.

Under the arrangement, Borders will also share in the profits of all Kobo e-content sales on devices sold at all retailers in the United States. Beginning June 1, both the Borders e-book store and Borders e-reading app will be branded Kobo.

"We're excited that our customers can now enjoy the best e-reading experience available today through e-reading devices with state-of-the-art technology, apps that offer a first-to-market social reading experience and a knowledgeable customer service support team at Kobo available to answer their questions on devices and eBooks," said Borders CEO Mike Edwards.