Borders Doesn't Drop Price Of Kobo eReader, Offers $20 Gift Card Instead

Considering all the hub-bub that the Amazon Kindle, and Barnes and Noble nook (both versions) received yesterday, we were shocked that some of the other eReaders out there didn't follow suit. Apparently it took a day for the news to hit the competition, because today sees the announcement from Borders that, for the same price as the "nook Lite," you can pick up the Kobo variation, plus a little gift.

Just in case you didn't hear, the B&N nook just dropped in price, to $199. The reason for that change? Well, the bookseller managed to wrangle up a WiFi-only model, which is only $149.99. And then, sure enough, Amazon dropped the price of the Kindle to $189.99, still with its free 3G and WiFi connectivity. So where does the Kobo eReader stand amongst the pack? $149.99 gets you the Borders-backed eReader, but now Borders is including a $20 Borders gift card with the purchase of a new device.

Is that a good enough deal to make it stand out? $20 might not go all that far in the digital book marketplace, but then again, it's a free $20 gift card. And a free gift is a free gift — nothing wrong with that. Although, considering the competition is either the same price, or within striking distance, we're not sure we could overlook the nook or the Kindle. So, Sony, where's your move?

[via The Digital Reader]