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Amazon is bringing e-book lending to the Kindle, eliminating one of the key advantages of the rival Barnes & Noble e-reader, the Nook.

In a post on the Kindle Community site, Amazon said that the company would make magazines and newspaper subscriptions viewable on the free Kindle apps on the various platforms, so that users would be able to read them whether or not they actually owned a Kindle.

And, "later this year," Amazon will be adding lending to the platform.

"First, we are making Kindle newspapers and magazines readable on our free Kindle apps, so you can always read Kindle periodicals even if you don't have your Kindle with you or don't yet own a Kindle," "The Amazon team" said via a post. "In the coming weeks, many newspapers and magazines will be available on our Kindle apps for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, and then we'll be adding this functionality to Kindle for Android and our other apps down the road. Our vision is Buy Once, Read Everywhere, and we're excited to make this possible for Kindle periodicals in the same way that it works now for Kindle books. More details when we launch this in the coming weeks.

PC Mag has the details HERE!