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With the sagging economy making consumers shy away from gadgets, this could well be a blessing for Amazon.com. Popular talk-show host Oprah Winfrey on Friday endorsed Amazon.com’s Kindle, a blessing that will likely give the e-book reader a big boost against its major rival the Sony Reader.

Oprah has revealed that the Amazon Kindle is her favorite new gadget. Earlier speculation that the celebrity would give the nod to the device was sparked by a 24-second video ad on the Amazon home page. The ad said Winfrey would discuss on her show a gadget that was “life-changing for me” and “the wave of the future.” The ad ran directly above a promotion for the Kindle.

On her show, Winfrey, who was joined by Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos, said that although the Kindle was pricy at $359, she looked at as an environmentally friendly investment. “I know it’s expensive in these times, but it’s not frivolous because it will pay for itself,” she said, according to her Web site. “The books are much cheaper, and you’re saving paper.” All books are $9.99 or less on Amazon.

It would be interesting to see how Oprah’s endorsement of the Amazon Kindle will affect its sales.

American Idol fame singer Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother have been found dead Friday at a South Side home, and police were seeking a missing child who is the nephew of the singer and Oscar-winning actress. “We can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation concerning the deaths of Jennifer Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson,” Hudson’s personal publicist, Lisa Kasteler, said in a statement. “No further comment will be made and the family has asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time.”

The deaths are speculated to be results of domestic abuse. Deputy Chief Joseph Patterson said a family member entered the home around 3 p.m. Friday, found a woman shot on the living room floor and left to notify authorities. Responding officers found a man shot in the bedroom, Patterson said. There was no sign of forced entry.

The tragedy comes as Hudson, who grew up in Chicago, continues to reach new heights in her career. Her song Spotlight is No 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts and her recently released self-titled debut album has been a top seller.