It looks like the future is bright for E Ink eBook readers. Literally.
Just a few days after reports of a new Kindle with a front-lit screen started making the rounds, Â Nate at The Digital Reader snagged a picture of a new NOOK Simple Touch eBook reader with a front-lit display.
Update:Â The NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight is now available for pre-order for $139. It will ship May 1st.
This isn’t a backlit LCD screen. Instead the eReader will have the same high contrast E Ink display found on the current NOOK Simple Touch, Amazon Kindle Touch, and a wide range of other eBook readers.
But it will have a light built-in, allowing you to read in dark rooms without shining a separate book-light on the device.
When you’re outdoors or in a brightly lit room you should still be able to read using ambient light, although it’s not clear whether you can actually turn the light off when you’re not using it.
The Digital Reader’s photo shows new promotional materials for the NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight. There’s no word on when it will go on sale, how much it will cost, or if B&N will get its shiny new eReader to market before Amazon.