I already ranted in this week’s “State of the eBook” about Barnes and Noble’s passion for competing with themselves, but they are taking it to a whole new level here. eReader (a Barnes and Noble Company!) is offering the Foxit eSlick Reader for $259.99, the same price as a nook.

But there’s a twist that makes this a significantly better deal…

eReader is offering a $100 credit to buyers of the eSlick, making the effective price $159.99 if you count the book savings. The eSlick is an otherwise unremarkable device: e-ink screen, SD card slot, ePUB, PDB, PDF support, but no wireless connectivity. $259 is high for a device like that, but $159 is an EXCELLENT price. Remember, PDB support means support for not only eReader/Fictionwise books, but also Barnes & Noble branded eBooks as well. And the final cherry on top? ePUB support means you can grab books from your local library, the Sony Reader store, or any other ePUB compliant store.

If you don’t need wireless connectivity, and the multi-touch screen at the bottom of the nook doesn’t interest you, this is a far better deal. Especially since it is available immediately!

Just please, for your own health, don’t try to figure out why Barnes and Noble is maintaining three eBook readers and 4 eBook stores. It will just make your brain hurt…

Read more about this deal at eReader’s site.