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Things might be starting to look up for booksellers, authors, and publishers. A report released today by the Pew Research Center shows that one-fifth of U.S. adults have read an e-book in the last year and that e-reader owners not only prefer to buy rather than borrow books, but they also read more books.

"Those who have taken the plunge into reading e-books stand out in almost every way from other kinds of readers," the report's authors write. "Foremost, they are relatively avid readers of books in all formats: 88 percent of those who read e-books in the more

It appears LG is making good on its promise to bring flexible displays to e-book readers, as the Korean consumer electronics company revealed that it has started mass production of the "world's first" plastic electronic paper display (EPD).

The screen measures 6 inches diagonally and has a resolution of 1,024x768 pixels. It can bend at a range of 40 degrees from the center of the screen, and it's also about one-third thinner and half as light as current glass EPDs, LG says, meaning it'll be even easier to carry than the e-book readers today.

LG also cites durability as a benefit of its plastic EPD. The company ran numerous stress tests on the display, including dropping it from a height of about 5 feet and hitting the screen with a small urethane hammer (how do I get this job?), and saw no damage. Presumably, this means you could toss your reader into your bag sans case without fear of scratching up the display.

The free Kindle app for Android is a rock-solid e-reader option that seamlessly ties to your Amazon account. It may not have many bells or whistles, but it does its job well, and can easily reach into Amazon.com's enormous library of downloadable works.

The app opens up directly into your Kindle library, which shows all of the books tied to your account. If you want to expand your library, you can tap the Kindle Store button on the top right and sift through Amazon.com's catalog of books, magazines, and newspapers. And thanks to a recent update, more

Holy unexpected bundles, Batman!

While supplies last, Barnes & Noble is offering a refurbished Nook Color e-reader and Nook Simple Touch e-reader for $149 shipped.

The deal is available only through eBay. To get it, click the above link, scroll down a bit until you see the Special Offer section, click the check box next to the Simple Touch (which is shown at $79 but will drop to just $20 in your cart), and then click the Buy These Items button on the right.

This is a fairly unprecedented bundle. The Nook Color alone is a steal at $129, especially more

Shopping for an e-book reader? At first glance, the task seems daunting--there are more choices than ever before. The good news is that the list of worthwhile choices is actually pretty short. The other good news? Prices and features are better than ever.

When we say "e-book readers," we're now really referring to three classes of products: black-and-white e-ink readers ($80 to $150); 7-inch color LCD media tablets ($200 to $250); and full-size color tablets like the iPad (most $400 and above). The market has consolidated around a handful of major players: Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble are the leaders, with Kobo, Sony, and a host of Android tablet manufacturers bringing up the rear.

Choosing among those three categories of readers is the dilemma facing any shopper today. But don't worry; CNET's here to help. If you're an experienced shopper, you can jump straight to our current recommendations--or check our lists of top e-book readers and top tablets. And, if you're just trying to decide between a Kindle Fire and a Nook Tablet, check out Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: How to choose. But if you're looking for a more in-depth discussion, read on to consult this quick guide, which boils the purchase decision down to seven questions:

iBooks is a stylish, crisp-looking, colorful e-book reader and storefront that runs on Apple's iOS devices. The latest version of the software includes support for textbooks, a new addition to the iBookstore for students.

As with other e-book readers, iBooks responds to the device's accelerometer and switches between landscape and portrait modes. Its controls disappear when unused, and a swipe (or tap on the left or right side of the screen) will cause the pages to turn. iBooks' page-turning is smooth and engaging, with page corners digitally curling toward you as you advance, but this behavior is only more

Extra-short show today to make room for this morning's Apple iPad HD coverage, but we'll quickly speculate about the deal-making features that would push us to run out and buy an iPad HD--we'll also talk about the possibility of a haptic feedback display, a new AppleCare+ program, and what sites you should use to sell your old tablet if you upgrade.

Can e-readers help independent writers and publishers? Amazon thinks so. The e-commerce giant announced today that not only did it top 100,000 titles in its Kindle Lending Library but also that more Amazon customers are reading independently published books.

"After a year of marketing 'Whispers from the Ashes' in book clubs, genealogical magazines, and local newspapers with steady, but slow results, I joined the KDP Select program," author Patricia Hester said in a statement. "The results have been absolutely amazing - I have now accomplished every author's dreams: worldwide interest, fan enthusiasm, and wonderful sales."

Amazon's Kindle more

Recent news of Apple killing it with fourth-quarter earnings and holiday spending showing more people shopping online was re-confirmed today by market research company The NPD Group.

Their numbers show that these fourth-quarter trends actually held true for all of 2011.

According data crunched by NPD, U.S. consumer electronics sales reached $144 billion in 2011, with Apple topping as the No. 1 brand. Additionally, in-store sales fell by 2.5 percent in 2011, while online sales jumped by 7 percent.

The top five categories for electronic spending were PCs, TVs, tablets and e-readers, mobile phones, and video game hardware, more