Cambridge-based technology firm, Plastic Logic Ltd, has launched an e-reader which industry commentators believe could challenge the dominance of Amazon's Kindle reader.

The company unveiled its Que e-reader at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The device has been in development for 10 years and has benefitted from over $200million of investment. A report by the BBC said the Que, which has a touchscreen and connects to the internet through wireless and 3G, has been designed for use by “mobile professionals”.

However, the Que won’t be available in Britain immediately and is also more expensive than Amazon’s Kindle e-reader. The Que’s 4GB and 8GB versions will cost $649 and $799 respectively, while the Kindle costs either $259 or $489 depending on the model.

Plastic Logic said the device’s “sleek industrial design, intuitive user-interface and powerful applications define a premium reading experience”.

Content in the form of digital books will be available through bookstore chain Barnes & Noble. The company’s digital store now contains around 700,000 titles.