For literary types who revel in electronic books and the advent of electronic readers like the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader but are distressed by the current lack of real competition, take heart.

Barnes & Noble yesterday bought Fictionwise, an electronic-book vendor, for $15.7 million, setting itself up for an entry into the world of e-ink. From B&N's short press release:

"Barnes & Noble said it plans to use Fictionwise as part of its overall digital strategy, which includes the launch of an e-Bookstore later this year."

"Digital strategy?" Could a "Barnes & Noble"-branded e-reader—a la the Amazon Kindle—be far behind?

So far, Amazon’s marketing department has done wonders for the Kindle, arguably besting the Sony Reader in terms of visibility. But unlike Sony (and like Amazon), Barnes & Noble is already a recognizable name in the book-retailing world. Will its brand help it launch a viable competitor to the $360 Kindle 2 and the $400 Sony Reader?

What do you think? Weigh in below.