A new version of the Nook – Barnes & Noble’s e-reader device – is to run on the Android platform, paving the way for the US book giant to launch its own apps store. According to a PC World report, the 7-inch touchscreen Wi-Fi Nook Color will cost US$249 – half the price of the iPad2 – and comes with a software update that will “bring the e-reader closer to a full-featured Android tablet.” The update will add a Web browser (with Adobe Flash support) and an e-mail client. It already features a music player and can play videos in MP4 format.

Around eight apps will be available at launch “and more will become available after the April update,” according to a product listing for the new device. Apps supported include popular titles such as Angry Birds, Lonely Planet Phrasebook and Drawing Pad.

If Barnes & Nobile continues down the route of launching a fully-fledged app store it would mimic the strategy of its book store rival Amazon, which launched its own Android-based store last week. However, Amazon’s store is not designed to work on its own Kindle e-reader and is available only on Android-based smartphones.