iRex today more officially stepped into the US market for e-book readers by cementing a deal for the Barnes & Noble online bookstore. The company now plans to integrate the digital book service both with its own readers as well as for "other devices." It's not specified which readers would be involved or when the deal will take effect.

The union virtually confirms rumors of iRex launching a 3G reader for the US and by extension hints that Barnes & Noble will be the primary but not sole source of paid books over the cellular link. It's believed to be a small touchscreen reader that would be the first of its kind for iRex as well as the firm's first reader for the country.

Despite the deal, iRex isn't the only hardware builder to be supporting Barnes & Noble and will be joined by Plastic Logic's own 3G-capable reader next year.