New Nook next week

Barnes & Noble (slogan: “No you’re thinking of Borders, we’re still in business”) has sent out invites for an event on Monday, presumably to announce a new version of the Nook reader. This is significant because it’ll be seen, fairly or not, as B&N’s answer to the Kindle Fire, which moves the reader platform more toward being a tablet. That evolution actually started with the Nook Color so it’ll be curious to see if it advances further along with Monday’s announcement. Also, can B&N possibly match the price point of $199 that Amazon set with the Fire? Nook and Kindle have been in a price war for a while but that’s a war that Amazon, with its stronger overall position, can afford to win.