Do you ever go into a bookstore and just skim a little though the pages of a book to decide whether to buy it or not? Barnes & Noble knows how common and important this practice is, and has now launched Nook for Web, giving you the ability to do this from your own computer.

Nook for Web is a new, free browser experience allowing users to browse and read free samples of books from nearly any Web browser, including Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. Moreover, this feature does not require you to download any software, sign in or have a Barnes & Noble Nook account in order to use the service. You will, however, need an account if you decide to buy a title. Once purchased, you can read the book on the Nook, as well as from your computer's browser.

"NOOK for Web makes it easier than ever for anyone - from NOOK customers to those experiencing digital content for the first time - to access and read books online," said Barnes & Noble's President of Digital Products Jamie Iannone. "There's no need to download special software to access your digital library - NOOK for Web seamlessly combines Barnes & Noble's best-in-class digital reading experience and unrivaled NOOK Store to deliver an immersive, easy-to-use solution for readers to consume millions of titles right from their Web browser."

To further entice new customers, Nook for Web is also offering free downloads of six bestselling titles, including James Rollins' "Map of Bones," Candace Bushnell's "Sex and the City" and Kim Carpenter's "The Vow," through July 26. Also, Barnes & Noble said support for Internet-enabled tablets and smartphones will arrive later this fall.

In a separate report, CNET comes with more exciting news: according to "a credible source," Barnes & Noble is reportedly set to roll out a new 7-inch model, sporting "revolutionary screen technology." CNET said its source would not go into the specifics of that technology, but mentioned it was developed in-house by Barnes & Noble, with the help of "another company," and had not been seen in another product before. Also, while it is yet unclear whether the new model would be thinner, the source said it would be lighter.

Furthermore, CNET's source added that Barnes & Noble will continue to focus on the "reading experience," adding new features in this regards, but will also expand the Nook Store with additional media options, including some previously unseen on a tablet. The source did not elaborate on what those options were specifically, but noted that the new Nook Tablet will continue to run on a skinned version of Android, not on Microsoft's Windows 8. There is no word on pricing or availability yet, nor has this rumor been confirmed. CNET said, however, that the source in question has "proven reliable in the past.