Online retailer Amazon. com Inc revealed to have acquired a New York Technology Company Touchco that features touch-screen technology that could bolster its Kindle electronic reader, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing a person briefed on the deal.

The company's interpolating force-sensitive resistance technology permits for flexible, transparent, pressure-sensitive touch-screens that could cost as little as $10 a square foot.

The acquisition is cited to be an apparent maneuver by Amazon to beef up its Kindle electronic reader's capabilities as the e-books war heats up with the emergence of Apple Inc's iPad device in stores in late March.

In contrast, the capitative touch-screens in the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad are far more expensive and moreover, are unable to detect the unlimited amount of simultaneous touch points that Touchco's technology allows.

Also it is revealed that the new Touchco's technology can distinguish between the differing pressures produced by a finger or stylus.

Amazon's purchase of Touchco is speculated to be a direct response to Apple's iPad, and the technology acquired could be included in the next iteration of its Kindle e-reader.

However, Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Touchco's co-founders could not be immediately communicated.