Borders, the large book retailer has launched its $150 Kobo e-reader, and started taking pre-orders today.

The device will ship on June 17th, and will tie into Border's upcoming e-book store.

The Kobo is a bare-bones e-reader, and does not include Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity. The device has a 6-inch e-ink display, just like the Amazon Kindle and B&N Nook, but the screen has only 8 levels of gray, not 16 like its rivals.

However, the Kobo does have Bluetooth connectivity and 1GB of internal memory, with an SD slot as well.

Because the device is bare-bones, the price is its main selling point, and may be its only selling point as it is about $100 cheaper than the Kindle and Nook.

The Apple iPad, which includes e-reading capabilities and connection to the iBookStore recently just sold its millionth unit.

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AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is writing a new alternative to Flash, dubbed Gianduia.

The technology was first introduced last summer and is being described as "a client-side, standards-based framework for rich Internet apps."

Apple has been using the tech in its retail support applications, including its "One to One" program, the iPhone reservation system and programs for the Genius Bar.

Gianduia makes sense for Apple, considering it has practically banned Adobe Flash from its "i" devices. The company says it will support HTML5, JavaScript and CSS instead.

Adobe, feeling spited by the move, has complained to the FTC, saying Apple's behavior in regards to Flash is in violation of anti-trust laws.

You can read more on the ongoing Apple vs. Adobe "battle" here: Apple vs. Adobe Round 2: Steve Jobs and Shantanu Narayen duke it out

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19-year old Thor Morris, a surfer from North Carolina, was arrested last month after his plans to hack dozens of ATM machines was undone by undercover FBI agents.

Morris was arrested after traveling to Houston in an attempt to steal about $300,000 from 35 different ATMs.

FBI agent Karen Ann Marinos said the suspect "planned to use a confidential operator's manual to reprogram a specific brand of ATM so that the machine would issue $20 for every $1 requested."

In an attempt to remain anonymous, Morris purchased a $400 "Walmart Green Dot PrePaid card," which would then be used to withdraw the money from each of the hacked machines. Morris used the alias "Barack Obama" and wore a "Rick James Wig," using an unsecured wireless hotspot to activate the card.

The card was activated as Barack Obama, with a Washington, D.C. address of "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue" to boot.

When Morris tried to re-program one of the machines in Houston, the FBI swooped in on him.

Read the full affidavit here: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0504101atm1.html

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The popular streaming music service Spotify, which continues to see a delayed launch for the United States, is headed to the Netherlands on May 18th.

Spotify is now available in the UK, France, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Finland and has been expected for the U.S. for months now.

CTO Paul Brown says they are currently looking to servers in the U.S., and a launch should be coming this year.

The news of the streaming company heading to Netherlands comes from Tobias Edström, newly minted manager for Spotify Netherlands who says: "I have been here since January working on the launch and searching for an office. Meanwhile my sales and account manager have also come over."

The Netherlands, while not densely populated (it has 17 million citizens) does have very high Internet penetration.

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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said this weekend that anti-piracy measures will be increased substantially for the upcoming 3DS handheld, with the company hoping to stop the widespread software piracy that has plagued the DS and DSi.

The console, which is set for launch at the E3 event next month, will include "3D" displays without the need for special glasses.

There is little other known about the console except that it will be released sometime before March 2011.

While he admitted that piracy is not as bad in the United States, in Europe and Asia it is rampant and has led to strong declines in software sales, especially in Europe.

Adds the president: "We fear a kind of thinking is become widespread that paying for software is meaningless. We have a strong sense of crisis about this problem."

Additionally, Iwata added that the 3D functions of the device could be "easily" turned off, so any worries that continued exposure to the 3D would have adverse effects on people's eyes are off base.

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Nokia, the world's largest phone maker, has sued Apple again this week, this time over patent infringement related to the iPad 3G.

The five patents "involve technology used to enhance speech and data transmission and antenna innovations for compact devices."

Nokia and Apple are currently in a giant dispute over patents relating to the iPhone, and this latest suit is just the next step in a battle that should continue for years as the two companies fight over smartphone market share.

"We've taken this step to protect the results of our pioneering development and to put an end to continued unlawful use of Nokia's innovation," sasy Paul Melin, general manager of patent licensing at Nokia, via the BBC.

Nokia adds that over the last twenty years they have spent $50 billion USD on R&D, and collected 11,000 patents.

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Apple has announced that starting on May 28th, the popular iPad tablet will be headed to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

In the UK, the device will cost £429 for the basic model (Wi-Fi, 16GB) and £699 for the 3G/Wi-Fi/64GB model.

The iPad saw 450,000 sales on its launch day, and recently announced 1 million unit sales. Additionally, 15 million apps have already been downloaded from the iPad App Store, as well as almost 2 million e-books from the iBookStore.

International would-be buyers can pre-order starting next week.

The prices, at least in the UK, are much more expensive then comparable U.S. pricing, but Apple says it is due to VAT, and higher transport costs.

You can read the full pricing list here: Apple reveals UK iPad prices

The company will release the iPad in 9 more nations in July as well: Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.

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