Through a partnership with Google and a Korean multimedia device company, Target Corporation will be the exclusive U.S. seller of a new e-reader device, the Minneapolis-based retailer said Monday.

The device-the Iriver Story HD-will retail for $139.99 when it hits Target shelves nationwide on Sunday. It's the first e-reader that's fully integrated with Google's eBooks platform, and it will offer more than 3 million e-books at no cost; thousands more will be available for sale.

The device is made by Iriver, Ltd., a Korea-based developer of portable multimedia products; its products include e-readers and Tablet PCs, and Iriver already has a presence in the European e-reader market.

A Target spokeswoman said Monday that some smaller online retailers in the United States will begin selling the Iriver Story HD on August 27; until then, Target will be the exclusive seller-and after that, Target will be the device's exclusive brick-and-mortar retailer.

“With the rapid advancements of e-readers and tablets, the Iriver Story HD's superior features and integration with Google eBooks sets it apart,” Nik Nayar, Target's vice president of merchandising, said in a statement. “Target is excited to bring this new e-reader to our guests before any other retailer.”

The e-reader market is growing rapidly. Global market intelligence provider International Data Corporation, or IDC, forecasts that the worldwide e-reader market will ship 16.2 million units in 2011, representing a 24 percent increase over 2010.

According to IDC, Barnes & Noble's Color Nook prompted the company to take the lead in the e-reader market during the first quarter of this year-a first for it. The previous leader, the Amazon Kindle, came in second.

According to Target's Web site, it now sells various versions of the Kindle, and e-readers by Sony, Kobo, and Pandigital.

Here's a look at how the Iriver Story HD compares to other popular e-readers that are already dominating the e-reader marketplace (note that there are multiple versions of some of the products listed below; those listed have non-color displays and are the closest in price to the Iriver Story HD):

Iriver Story HD:

• Type: WiFi 
• Price: $139.99
• Weight: 7.3 ounces
• Display: 6 inches diagonal
• Touch screen: No
• Resolution: 768 by 1,024 pixels
• Battery life: Lets you flip up to 14,000 pages or keep the device on standby for up to six weeks on a single charge
• Memory: 2 GB (1.4 GB for user content; holds up to 1,500 books)

Barnes & Noble Nook:

• Type: WiFi
• Price: $139
• Weight: 7.48 ounces
• Display: 6 inches diagonal
• Touch screen: Yes
• Resolution: 800 by 600 pixels
• Battery life: Can last up to 2 months with WiFi off
• Memory: 2 GB (1 GB for user content; holds up to 1,000 books)

Amazon Kindle:

• Type: WiFi
• Price: $139
• Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Display: 6 inches diagonal
• Touch screen: No
• Resolution: 800 by 600 pixels
• Battery life: Can last up to 2 months with WiFi off
• Memory: 4 GB (3 GB for user content)

Sony Reader Pocket Edition:

• Type: WiFi
• Price: $179.99
• Weight: 5.47 ounces
• Display: 5 inches diagonal
• Touch screen: Yes
• Resolution: 800 by 600 pixels
• Battery life: 14 days
• Memory: 2 GB (can carry up to about 1,200 books at a time)