In its debut today, the brand-new Barnes & Noble iPhone app hit the number three spot on the "Top Free Apps" list in Apple App Store's "Books" category--going head-to-head with two Amazon digital reader applications.

Today Barnes & Noble Bookstore launched their first iPhone app, a way to shop (and read reviews) via smartphone. Readers can also access web-only extras like videos, book lists, and information about 50,000 in-store events around the country. The free app is the third most popular free offering in the Books category, followed by Amazon's Kindle for iPhone and Amazon owned e-reader, Stanza.

Here's the gee-whiz special feature, from the release: "Barnes & Noble has partnered with LinkMe Mobile from Evryx Technologies, Inc. and Spotlight Mobile, Inc. so that users can simply snap a photo to search millions of products. Using the iPhone or iPod touch camera, just snap a photo of the front cover and within seconds get product details, editorial reviews, and customer ratings--even find and reserve a copy in the store closest to you."