$149 Nook: The E-Reader's Demise Begins With a Race to the Bottom

Barnes & Noble has just revealed its Wi-Fi-only Nook, the first serious attempt at undercutting Amazon's Kindle e-reader business with a store and hardware combo. But it's more than that: It's a sign of the changing e-reader game.

The Nook Wi-Fi is basically the same as the original 3G-enabled Nook e-reader, with all the expensive 3G wireless tech taken out. Think of it as the Nook equivalent to the Wi-Fi-only iPad--and just as with Apple's machines, the simpler device costs less as there's...