Internet search giant Google’s Android Market has started offering e-books, allowing users to browse, purchase and download a broad range of titles from different categories like mysteries, science fiction, biographies and all that.

The new service allows users to view the title of their choice straight on the web or to download it on an Android-based device. The downloaded title can be read afterwards using the Google Books app, which is available for free.

Google is offering e-books at competitive prices, as compared with equivalents from the likes of Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The average price for the existing New York Times bestseller ranges from 9.99 dollars to 12.99 dollars.

In December 2010, the Android Market seemed to have doubled in size to 200,000 apps.

Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble has updated its Nook for Android app for devices based on Android operating system.

Reports are also emerging that Google is preparing to launch a new music service, which will let users back up their favorite music online and play it back on Android-based devices.