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Amazon's Kindle Fire (1 Viewer)

CrossEyed

Footballguy
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Didn't see this anywhere else. At $250, I could see this being a nice way for folks to enter the tablet market. And it comes with a year of Amazon Prime, which would otherwise run you $79.

When it comes to making electronics, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), like Google, Inc. (GOOG), seems an unlikely candidate given that its core business is internet based and not directly related to hardware making. Amazon.com debuted the first successful e-reader, with the Kindle in November 2007.

I. Amazon's New Tablet OS

Now following months of rumors, a company that shaped the tablet revolution is revamping its veteran brand with a new tablet that features significant departures from its current lineup.

A detailed description of the device is at last available, thanks to TechCrunch, who viewed a near-production prototype.

Gone is the proprietary barebones eBook-centric operating system. In its place is Google's Android operating system (there were some previous signs that pointed to this possibility, namely Amazon.com's recently launched third party app store, Appstore for Android).

The new tablet will retail for $250 USD -- a psychologically significant price in that it matches Barnes & Noble, Inc.'s (BKS) Android-powered Nook Color and, further, is half the entry-level cost of an iPad.

While the device reportedly looks much like Research in Motion, Ltd.'s (TSE:RIM) BlackBerry PlayBook, it will look quite foreign to those familiar with Android tablets. Amazon.com has forked its own version of Android from a version prior to Android 2.2 "Froyo", and has taken to radically customizing it.

The result is that Amazon has essentially built its own operating system. It plans to maintain this operating system, building in its own useful features and staying abreast of changes in the Google codebase, occasionally injecting useful source from the main Android line. However, updates will come from Amazon directly -- users will not get access to upcoming Android builds like "Ice Cream Sandwich".

The basic layout includes a middle-of-the-screen element that looks like the "Cover Flow" in iTunes. Users can scroll through all their content (apps, music, books, movies, etc.) and drag their favorites down to a dock at the bottom of the screen. Above that dock is a notification tray with the battery and wireless internet indicators and notifications for app/OS updates. At the top is yet another bar with the name of the device and other details. TechCrunch claims the modified GUI looks very good, compared to the stock Android Honeycomb.

A tabbed web browser is included. The device has full access to the Kindle Books catalog (of course) and gets apps solely through Amazon Appstore for Android.

II. The Hardware

Gone is E Ink, the energy-savvy display technology. In its place is a 2-finger capable multi-touch capacitive, backlit 7-inch display, according to TechCrunch who spent time with a prototype. Note this multi-touch is less sensitive than Apple's 10-finger capable design, although relatively few iOS apps manage to fully utilize multi-finger touch.

The device features no (!) physical face buttons (we suppose this means that Apple can't sue Amazon). It comes with a single-core processor, making it less powerful than most Android tablets, but helping to keep the price in check. The device also only has 6 GB of flash storage, as it's intended to use the cloud to access music and movies. An SD slot is rumored, though TechCrunch said it didn't see it on the prototype.

The device will initially launch solely with Wi-Fi support. It features a rubbery back and comes with speakers, but no camera.

III. Launch and the Future

TechCrunch also noted that Amazon was trialing a new webpage layout over the weekend, which blogger Sarah Perez writes, "practically scream 'tablet-optimized."

In an email to Reuters, company spokeswoman Sally Fouts confirms the design launched in the final week of office, adding, "We are continuing to roll out the new design to additional customers, but I can't speculate on when the new design will be live for everyone."

One sweet feature of the new Amazon.com tablet is that it will come with a free subscription to Amazon.com Prime -- typically an $80 USD/year service. This will give you free two-day shipping on items, something Amazon.com surely hopes increases both impulse and regular shopping. And the service has the added perk of offering 9,000+ free streaming movies to users.

The tablet will reportedly launch in November and has analysts buzzing, despite the packed market. Forrester Research says that it may sell 5 million units in Q4 2011, given its bargain price and strong brand name.

Looking ahead to the future, Amazon.com is reportedly preparing a 10-inch design for a Q1 2012 launch. That design will reportedly include a dual-core processor. Amazon.com is reportedly in talks with U.S. wireless carriers to explore the possibility of cellular modem-equipped (3G or better) variants for 2012 launches.

Amazon.com is also reportedly working on a hybrid E-Ink/multi-touch screen device (perhaps two sided?), but TechCrunch warns, "[T]hat's nowhere near completion, I'm told."

While Apple has certainly stolen the thunder of Amazon.com when it comes to tablets, it should be interesting to see if one of the field's founding fathers can return triumphantly to the market it helped launch.
 
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I've been thinking of getting an e-reader. I wish this one would come out with an e-ink screen that's easy to read like the current Kindles. E-ink is easy on my eyes. Staring at an LCD - not so sure.

 
I'll be in the market for a tablet once someone comes out with the hybrid screen. Trying to read these things outside on a sunny day is a joke.

 
There is a demand for these tablets at the right price point, the whole HP touchpad fiasco illustrated that. I think $250 for and Android tablet will be a pretty big hit.

 
Lenovo has a 7" one for under $200 as well... it was either just released, or will be released in the very near future.

That one is at the top of my list at the moment.

 
There is a demand for these tablets at the right price point, the whole HP touchpad fiasco illustrated that. I think $250 for and Android tablet will be a pretty big hit.
here is a $200 one that looks top notch
Wow I may treat myself to one of those for my bday....
Very nice. Anyone have this?
Great review here on that model:LINK
not a great review and under comments section it seems like this company is bilking people out of their moneyhttp://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20097368-251/x10-airpad-puts-an-android-tablet-at-less-than-$200/

 
There is a demand for these tablets at the right price point, the whole HP touchpad fiasco illustrated that. I think $250 for and Android tablet will be a pretty big hit.
I think the problem will be it's not hitting the market until some time in November and there is a glut of dual-core tablets on the market already that you just know are going to be slashed for black Friday through New Year deals. The quad-cores are supposed to hit the market early 2012 and I doubt any vendor wants to face a product dump as epic as HP so I expect discounts to be very aggressive. Amazon is selling a single core tablet with a 7" screen, it will be interesting to see how much consumers factor in the Amazon Prime subscription. I love Amazon Prime, and the streaming video. Maybe they figure the streaming video will be huge draw for disgruntled Netflix subscribers. How well the tablet streams video and multi-tasks will be a make-or-break for the success of the device in my opinion. I would have launched it at $199. Keep in mind they can use the device, or their flavor of Android, to keep making $ on the books/movies/music/future Prime subscriptions. They aren't limited like most of the other Android hardware makers.
 
This is kind of what I was talking about...

http://www.target.com/p/Asus-Eee-Pad-Transformer-10-1-Android-Tablet-TF101-A1-with-16GB-Internal-Memory-Black-Brown/-/A-13470217?ref=tgt_adv_xasd0001&AFID=Performics_www.techbargains.com&LNM=Target%20Branding%20Banners

... so for $50 you get a 10.1" screen instead of a 7", you get a dual core processor instead of a single core processor, you get 16gb of memory instead of 6gb of storage, you get a device in your hands now instead of waiting for sometime in November, and lastly you get the Asus name(not sure who is actually going to produce the Amazon tablet). All this and black friday sales are still about two months away. I have to believe you'll be able to find this Asus and the Acer even lower once November rolls around. Asus/Acer are going to put major pressure on the "real" tablets to come closer and closer to the $200 mark. These hybrid tablet/e-readers are going to have to come in below(well below?) $200 to compete.

Of course, I also thought that $99 would be the magic # before e-readers took off and it's amazing just how popular they are for what they do.

 
This is kind of what I was talking about...

http://www.target.com/p/Asus-Eee-Pad-Transformer-10-1-Android-Tablet-TF101-A1-with-16GB-Internal-Memory-Black-Brown/-/A-13470217?ref=tgt_adv_xasd0001&AFID=Performics_www.techbargains.com&LNM=Target%20Branding%20Banners

... so for $50 you get a 10.1" screen instead of a 7", you get a dual core processor instead of a single core processor, you get 16gb of memory instead of 6gb of storage, you get a device in your hands now instead of waiting for sometime in November, and lastly you get the Asus name(not sure who is actually going to produce the Amazon tablet). All this and black friday sales are still about two months away. I have to believe you'll be able to find this Asus and the Acer even lower once November rolls around. Asus/Acer are going to put major pressure on the "real" tablets to come closer and closer to the $200 mark. These hybrid tablet/e-readers are going to have to come in below(well below?) $200 to compete.

Of course, I also thought that $99 would be the magic # before e-readers took off and it's amazing just how popular they are for what they do.
I'm not so sure what you're saying here. Is the Asus Transformer available for $50??
 
This is kind of what I was talking about...

http://www.target.com/p/Asus-Eee-Pad-Transformer-10-1-Android-Tablet-TF101-A1-with-16GB-Internal-Memory-Black-Brown/-/A-13470217?ref=tgt_adv_xasd0001&AFID=Performics_www.techbargains.com&LNM=Target%20Branding%20Banners

... so for $50 you get a 10.1" screen instead of a 7", you get a dual core processor instead of a single core processor, you get 16gb of memory instead of 6gb of storage, you get a device in your hands now instead of waiting for sometime in November, and lastly you get the Asus name(not sure who is actually going to produce the Amazon tablet). All this and black friday sales are still about two months away. I have to believe you'll be able to find this Asus and the Acer even lower once November rolls around. Asus/Acer are going to put major pressure on the "real" tablets to come closer and closer to the $200 mark. These hybrid tablet/e-readers are going to have to come in below(well below?) $200 to compete.

Of course, I also thought that $99 would be the magic # before e-readers took off and it's amazing just how popular they are for what they do.
I'm not so sure what you're saying here. Is the Asus Transformer available for $50??
I think he meant for $50 more than the price of the amazon tablet.
 
The 1 year of Prime subscription really caught my eye. As someone who already loves Prime and would have spent the subscription cost anyway, that basically drops the price of their tablet down to $170 for me and makes it much more attractive.

 
'culdeus said:
Still don't see spending more money than a touchpad even at ebay prices for any of this stuff.
How much are they going for on ebay? I completely agree that the hardware of the touchpad surpasses both but I'm also not sure how stable the Android ports are on the touchpad yet. I looked at one and it was going for ~$250 but I admittedly don't follow ebay very closely.
 
'Buckna said:
The 1 year of Prime subscription really caught my eye. As someone who already loves Prime and would have spent the subscription cost anyway, that basically drops the price of their tablet down to $170 for me and makes it much more attractive.
I'm in the same boat and absolutely love prime, e-books from amazon, their music service, streaming their video content. Love my Amazon experience in general. I'm just not sure if the Amazon tablet sounds like it will be powerful enough to give me the multi-media, multi-tasking experience I enjoy now on a laptop. Now the hardware on the touchpad or the acer or the asus... sounds much better. Maybe their tablet will be optimized to run their specific streaming video while using less resources. I guess it's possible. I'll likely just wait for the tegra3 unless a deal pops up that is just too good to pass up. It just seems like the tegra3 is going to make single core tablets look/feel like the original netbook when compared to multi-core "ultrabooks".I guess the free year subscription just piggy-backs onto your already existing account? If you are already a subscriber I'm not sure if it "feels" like added value even if it does save you from having to make that payment in however many months away.
 
'culdeus said:
Still don't see spending more money than a touchpad even at ebay prices for any of this stuff.
How much are they going for on ebay? I completely agree that the hardware of the touchpad surpasses both but I'm also not sure how stable the Android ports are on the touchpad yet. I looked at one and it was going for ~$250 but I admittedly don't follow ebay very closely.
The prices are varied. You can still get some at retail and more are being released soon. I wouldn't get any non-ICS based android tablet anyways at this point.
 
There is a demand for these tablets at the right price point, the whole HP touchpad fiasco illustrated that. I think $250 for and Android tablet will be a pretty big hit.
here is a $200 one that looks top notch
Count me out at 7", Ithink 10" is where the tablet market is at.
Me too, but for the wife....
My wife prefers 10". :shrug:
that's what she said
 
'Buckna said:
The 1 year of Prime subscription really caught my eye. As someone who already loves Prime and would have spent the subscription cost anyway, that basically drops the price of their tablet down to $170 for me and makes it much more attractive.
This is a major selling point to me. A 7" screen is too small though and I don't see what this has to offer over the current gen 10" tablets like the Transformer and Thrive - both of which have been available for $300 recently. I will be tempted to buy the 10" Tegra 3 tablet they are working on (code named Hollywood) if it also comes with Prime.
 
'Buckna said:
The 1 year of Prime subscription really caught my eye. As someone who already loves Prime and would have spent the subscription cost anyway, that basically drops the price of their tablet down to $170 for me and makes it much more attractive.
I'm in the same boat and absolutely love prime, e-books from amazon, their music service, streaming their video content. Love my Amazon experience in general. I'm just not sure if the Amazon tablet sounds like it will be powerful enough to give me the multi-media, multi-tasking experience I enjoy now on a laptop. Now the hardware on the touchpad or the acer or the asus... sounds much better. Maybe their tablet will be optimized to run their specific streaming video while using less resources. I guess it's possible. I'll likely just wait for the tegra3 unless a deal pops up that is just too good to pass up. It just seems like the tegra3 is going to make single core tablets look/feel like the original netbook when compared to multi-core "ultrabooks".I guess the free year subscription just piggy-backs onto your already existing account? If you are already a subscriber I'm not sure if it "feels" like added value even if it does save you from having to make that payment in however many months away.
I would guess your existing Prime would be extended by a year as you said. I'm not sure that $170 still makes it worthwhile instead of waiting for the next version or getting a different brand, but I was already considering a Kindle as a christmas purchase. Since the Kindle is $140 that certainly makes my purchase decision a little tougher.
 
If the 10" version is as competitively priced and comes with a free year of Prime, it just might have me rethinking my iPad purchase.

 
I would guess your existing Prime would be extended by a year as you said. I'm not sure that $170 still makes it worthwhile instead of waiting for the next version or getting a different brand, but I was already considering a Kindle as a christmas purchase. Since the Kindle is $140 that certainly makes my purchase decision a little tougher.
I would think when this Amazon tablet is announced they HAVE TO announce a $99 e-reader. If they won't you'd think Barnes and Noble would. Of course I thought that last year and it never came. They just sold too well to force the price down I suppose. There are many more options in a similar market space now than there was a year ago though. Some of those generic e-readers/tablets should apply the pressure. This is the #1 tablet selling at amazon depending on the week you look...http://www.amazon.com/PanDigital-72-70FW-7-Inch-Tablet-Computer/dp/B004QRIUOG/ref=pd_ts_zgc_e_3063224011_1?ie=UTF8&zgs=electronics&s=electronics&zgrt=top-sellers&zgid=3063224011&pf_rd_p=1313949342&pf_rd_s=right-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=2956501011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0N7TG7K5K01GJDRSPRPH... I've seen it as low as $70 and it gets pretty solid reviews. While it may not be cutting edge tech I think these are also the types of devices that make $250 mark unreasonable for the Amazon tablet, prime subscription thrown in or not. Keep in mind you and I love our Prime subscriptions but to a lot of people that don't plan to take advantage of streaming/storage/etc it's just a service that helps Amazon sell you more things by making the shipping more appealing.
 
$199. No word on whether that includes a year of Prime.

The Wall Street Journal9:22 a.m. CDT, September 28, 2011Amazon.com Inc. on Wednesday unveiled the Kindle Fire tablet, which at half the price, could be the biggest challenger to Apple Inc.'s dominant iPad tablet.The Kindle Fire will have a 7-inch display and sell for $199, compared with $499 for Apple’s cheapest iPad, Amazon executives told Bloomberg News. The device, a souped-up version of the Kindle electronic-book reader, will run on Google Inc.’s Android software, the Seattle-based company said.Shares of Amazon.com jumped more than 3 percent Wednesday morning following a report that the company plans to launch a new tablet device.The tablet from the Seattle-based company is seen posing a threat to the iPad's dominance due to Amazon's strong media offerings, history of aggressive pricing and its ability to market the device on its popular website.Among the features expected: touch-screen technology; a customized version of Google Inc.'s Android operating system; and access to Amazon's app store, streaming movies and TV shows. Some observers have speculated that the device could be priced below $300 -- a new iPad is $499 -- and could include Amazon Prime, the company's $79-per-year shipping and media service.An Amazon spokeswoman didn't respond to a request for comment.In a page lifted from Apple's playbook, Amazon distributed cryptic invitations -- containing nothing more than the company's name, an address, a date and time -- to a media event in New York. Reports that Amazon would launch a tablet to augment its popular Kindle e-reader have swirled for months.Amazon already has established it can successfully market a piece of hardware. As Apple's iPad sets the bar for tablets, Amazon's Kindle is the de facto standard for dedicated e-readers. Citigroup has estimated the Kindle will contribute about 10% of Amazon's total revenue by next year, or more than $6 billion, even as the company lowers prices on the machine.As for whether a new tablet could eat into Kindle sales, Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos has touted the compatibility of the Kindle and fuller-featured tablet devices in the past, saying many shoppers buy both. Amazon will also likely benefit from the millions of people who visit its website, which could serve as built-in promotion."Amazon has an advantage that other tablet manufacturers don't in that millions of people already visit its site on a regular basis," said Ken Sena, an analyst who covers Amazon for Evercore Partners.The iPad, credited with kicking off the consumer tablet-computer market, has won plaudits for its ease of use, elegant design and selection of over 90,000 apps that transform it into everything from a video player to a DJ turntable.The iPad already has left several high-tech bodies in its wake. Research In Motion Ltd.'s PlayBook, Hewlett-Packard Co.'s TouchPad, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s Galaxy Tab and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc.'s Xoom have all failed to attract mass audiences. Last month, just weeks after the tablet device had first gone on sale, H-P wound down its TouchPad project. Samsung, meanwhile, faces lawsuits around the world from Apple, which claims the Korean electronics giant copied the iPad's look and feel.Apple has sold about 29 million iPads since the product went on sale early last year and had 68.3% of the tablet market in the second quarter, according to data tracker IDC.Apple declined to comment for this story. The Cupertino, Calif.-based consumer-electronics giant has scheduled its own media event for next Tuesday, at which it is expected to unveil the latest version of the iPhone.Amazon's new tablet will also have to compete with Barnes & Noble Inc.'s Nook, a low-cost e-reader that offers a color screen and Web surfing.Still, Amazon appears intent on replicating Apple's most appealing qualities. On Monday, the company augmented its media offerings by striking a partnership with News Corp.'s Fox unit that places the network's shows, such as "24," on the Prime streaming service.The All Things D website, a sister publication to The Wall Street Journal, has reported that Amazon also has media partnerships to support the tablet with publishers Hearst Corp. and Conde Nast.News Corp. owns All Things D as well as the Journal.Amazon's longstanding relationships with consumers also means it has reams of sensitive information, including email addresses and credit-card data. That could make it easy for Amazon to market additional products for its tablet, as well as charge for them."They have an awful lot of consumer credit cards already on file," says Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at research firm Gartner Inc. "I don't think we've seen anyone quite in this position to present a different alternative."
 
Another story:

Update at 10:55 a.m.: More from Ed Baig on Fire:It features a carousel interface, so whatever you just looked at shows up on top. Bezos used a scene from X-Men to demonstrate.Fire display has 16 million colors, 169 pixels per inch, protective Gorilla Glass.When playing music, you can see the album cover art on screen. Users can also pull up the menu while reading and pause music from top menu from wherever you are.Bezos also demonstrated games with a round of Fruit Ninja. "You can see my Fruit Ninja skills are lacking," Bezos jokes.The device will sell for $199 and ship Nov. 15.Update at 10:47 a.m.: Bezos has confirmed the Kindle Fire with the 7-inch color display. The tablet will allow users to download books and full-color magazines, as well as free Amazon Cloud Storage to allow users to back up their purchases.Update at 10:31 a.m.: USA TODAY's Ed Baig, who is attending the Amazon event, reports Amazon unveiled a Kindle Touch with a touchscreen for $99, and a 3G version for $149.The company will also sell a version of the original Kindle for $79. It's available starting today. The Kindle Touch will launch in November.Update at 9/28/11, 9:45 a.m. ET: With Amazon's event about to start soon, Bloomberg has details on the Kindle Fire tablet.Citing Amazon executives, Bloomberg says Fire is indeed the name of the device, and it will sell for $199, far less expensive than the iPad, which starts at $499.It will reportedly feature a 7-inch display and Wi-Fi support, as well as a free, 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, the company's service for free shipping and streaming video.Among the bells and whistles missing: a camera and 3G support.We'll have more details once Amazon makes the official announcement.Our original postApple and its successful iPad tablet might soon have some extra competition.Several outlets including Reuters have reported online retail giant Amazon is expected to reveal a tablet computer at a press event on Wednesday.Although the reports have been light on details, TechCrunch claims to have more information on the device including the name: Kindle Fire.The tablet will reportedly feature a 7-inch backlit display and run on Google's Android operating system. It will also be integrated with Amazon offerings such as the Kindle bookstore and their MP3 service.Amazon's potential entry arrives as sales of tablets are beginning to take off. A recent report from research firm Gartner says global tablet sales will hit 63.6 million, a 264% increase from last year.
 
i think that the touchpad frenzy suggest the viability of this as a product. this is the pricepoint that consumers - those unwashed masses of apple devotees - are willing to pay for a device. sounds like for what it does, it might do the trick for amazon and consumer alike.

 
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It will have a dual core processor as well according to the Amazon website, contridicting earlier reports. Looks like Amazon did themselves a solid, I think this thing is going to fly off shelves.

 
Hmmm, as a Prime person the 30 day free trial sucks. I was actually thinking about getting one for my wife for Christmas, but now there isn't really an advantage to getting this over any other tablet.

 
Hmmm, as a Prime person the 30 day free trial sucks. I was actually thinking about getting one for my wife for Christmas, but now there isn't really an advantage to getting this over any other tablet.
Price point. As long as this is at $200 and most other tablets are at $300+, it has a pretty big advantage.
 
Yeah a little bummed it wasn't the $249 with a free year of Prime, but definitely makes more sense for amazon to go with the $199 base price. I have a buddy here at work that has already preordered this morning.

Really excited about the Kindle Touch as well. $99 is a heck of a lot cheaper than the $149 it was just a few days ago. Anyone have a kindle that can chime in about the cheaper advertisement version vs the $40 more expensive versions? I had one friend say the advertisements are really annoying and another say it didn't bother him at all.

 
Looks great. Glad there seems to be some serious competition in the industry, so perhaps price points will lower for the iPad. However, this isn't a direct competitor. It will chip away at the lower-end group that gets iPad's currently but doesn't need the full power of the device, and maybe now they'll opt for the cheaper and still useful Kindle Fire, but the tablet market is segmenting before our eyes...which is a good thing, provided competition comes in at each level. iPad is still lacking serious competition.

 
Looks to be a solid device, with a great price point, and awesome intergration with Amazon. As much as I love my iPhone, I may very well pick this over the iPad for my Christmas to me.

 
New e-ink Kindles at $79 & $99 for kindle touch + the Fire ......Looks like Amazon is going after a KO on B&N

 
I've been mulling an iPad for home use and this thing is a serious contender as a different option.
No camera, no microphone, lower power, fewer features, what is the app situation? etc etc etc. It's not a direct competitor, but if you just wanted a tablet pc to read books and surf, this might not be a bad choice. It's the sparse-featured tablet.
 
How much different is this from other Android tablets? My wife is wanting one for Christmas and has been looking at the Toshiba Thrive.

 

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