So far, though, those deals with mobile providers haven’t been made public. Txtr announced Wednesday that it is selling the Beagle directly online in Europe for €59 (USD $76). “We are in talks with mobile operators and will announce details of the packages offered soon,” the company says on its website (via Google Translate). “For those who do not want to wait any longer, we offer an exclusive and unique opportunity to acquire the txtr beagle.” The Beagle will also eventually be sold in the United States for $69.

However, deals with mobile providers appear to be on the way. Txtr’s COO, Thomas Leliveld, told me that Txtr is “in contract phase with a leading EU operator” that will offer a subsidized device under €20. “We are also in closing stage with five more major EU operators,” he said. “I hope to be able to announce the lead customer in the next few weeks.”

At €59, the Beagle isn’t a great deal: It’s a barebones, Wi-Fi-less e-reader that runs on two AAA batteries. Users transfer ebooks to it from their Android smartphones via Bluetooth; iOS is not yet supported. The €59 purchase price includes a €10 credit for ebooks. By comparison, Amazon sells its cheapest Kindle (which includes Wi-Fi) in Europe for €79 (USD $102).

Via The Digital Reader

“We believe e-reading is a great tool for mobile operators to strengthen their relationship with consumers,” Txtr CEO Christopher Maire said at the Tools of Change Frankfurt conference on Tuesday. He explained that mobile phone operators who subsidize the cost of the Beagle will drive subscriber acquisition and stand out from other mobile carriers. They will also receive a cut of ebook sales.

While the Txtr is indeed small and light, it is a very barebones e-reader that does not include Wi-Fi, a built-in battery or other features that are common on the cheapest American e-readers like the $69 Amazon Kindle. Readers add ebooks to the Beagle (from Txtr’s Android-based store of 700,000 titles) by connecting it to their smartphone with Bluetooth or by using an Android app app. (An iOS app is planned.)

Don’t mistake the Beagle, which runs on two AAA batteries, for a Kindle competitor. Rather, it is aimed at global mobile phone users who don’t read ebooks already and who might not be able to afford a more expensive. “We’re after the 80 percent of of the cell phone market that aren’t digital readers,” chief commercial officer Thomas Leliveld told Publishers Weekly.

Txtr is talking to mobile carriers in China, Japan and Europe and hopes to roll out the Beagle to some countries by the end of the year.