More potential rivals are lining up to take on Amazon.com's electronic book reader, the Kindle, taking advantage of the device's temporary absence from the market.

The latest is Verizon Wireless. Reuters reports the company "is poised to have rivals of Amazon's popular electronic Kindle reader use its network to download material such as books and newspapers wirelessly."

Here's more from the Reuters story:

"Tony Lewis, who runs a program that helps third party vendors certify their products to work on Verizon's network, said in an interview ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show that he does not see the U.S. recession and concerns about weak consumer spending stalling manufacturers' plans to bring out even nonessential products such as e-readers.

"Competitors to the Kindle are out there and ready," said Lewis, who declined to name the company's e-reader partners. "In 2009 I'd expect them to come to the market."

There's been a steady stream of competitors entering the e-book space since Amazon sold out of Kindles during the holiday shopping season. They include various iPhone applications, a new device called eSlick and others. Sony has had its own e-book reader on the market for some time.

Verizon's interest in the space is noteworthy. Amazon uses Sprint's national high-speed (EVDO) data network for the Kindle's wireless connection. Verizon Wireless, which is owned by Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, started an Open Development Platform last year and expects to start supporting e-book readers in 2009.

Amazon has not revealed how many Kindles it's sold, though estimates range from 260,000 to a million units sold. Amazon will be coming out with a next-generation Kindle this year, though it's been coy on the timing. The Amazon website currently gives a 7 to 9 week wait for new Kindles, which are currently priced at $359.

[Flickr photo via jblyberg]