TechBytes: Barnes & Noble's Kindle Killer?

Oct. 21, 2009— -- Barnes & Noble has unveiled an electronic book reader to compete with Amazon's Kindle and several other rivals. The Nook is about the size and weight of a paperback book and has a color touch screen below the display to search through books. It also stores and plays music files and photos. Users can lend their copies of electronic books to friends as well. The $259 Nook will be available next month.

Apple is looking to revolutionize the mouse with the world's first multi-touch mouse. The company introduced what it calls the Magic Mouse on Tuesday. It responds to the touch of fingers, much like the screen of the iPhone. Users can scroll, swipe and click, even though there are no scroll wheels or actual buttons to press. The Magic Mouse will be sold standard with iMac computers or by itself for $69.

General Electric has uncovered what it hopes is the future of ultrasound technology. The Vscan is a handheld device that looks similar to a flip phone crossed with an iPod. It has a small screen on its top half, a button pad on its bottom, and a wand for non-invasive scans of organs or fetuses. Primary care doctors could use the device instead of sending patients to a specialist, but it will not be available until next year.

Some of the most popular shows on cable will soon be available online, at least for Comcast customers. The cable company says shows like HBO's "Entourage" and AMC's "Mad Men" will be on the Web by the end of the year at no extra cost to subscribers. Comcast will be the first cable company to put these shows and movies on the Web, matching what's available on television through video on demand. Time Warner Cable and other rivals plan to offer similar services soon.