Wow! If you can wait no longer to purchase an ereader that uses eink technology you should consider this deal:
NOOK original on sale
It is on sale for $79, normally priced at $149.
NOOK with 3G+wi-fi
It is on sale for $139, normally priced at $199.
My only caution is that prices will surely continue to drop on tablets. The NOOK COLOR is $249.
I did some digging around online yesterday and found that B&N had posted NOOK COLORs for $200 or $199 instead of $249, using ebay as the source of the sale. It was a short-lived opportunity though; one that I missed unfortunately. I am going to be checking as regularly as possible for similar deals.
The deals I linked are being sold by B&N via ebay.
NOTE: These are not new units; they have been refurbished by B&N or its partners.
"Manufacturer refurbished: An item that has been professionally restored to working order by a manufacturer or manufacturer-approved vendor. This means the product has been inspected, cleaned, and repaired to meet manufacturer specifications and is in excellent condition. This item may or may not be in the original packaging. See the seller’s listing for full details." I would note that the site says the ereaders are in "excellent condition" and would expect to retrieve one in such condition.
(Thanks to reader, Jennifer G, who found the information about refurbishments for me!)