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Amazon acquires touch-screen maker for future Kindle project - Page 2

post #41 of 74
2/3/10 at 9:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Orlando View Post

That is completely wrong. No one had heard of the Sony ebook readers (which I think were already on Gen3 when the Kindle first came out). However, Amazon has done a great job of raising public awareness of ebook readers and the Kindle. No one thinks the Kindle is an iPad rip-off.

Sony was on their second generation when the Kindle came out. Sony released their 3rd Gen E Ink touch screen after the 1st Gen Kindle.

And it is also incorrect to say that no one heard of the Sony Readers before. Sony partnered with Borders in 2006 (before the Kindle) and had had a presence at every one of Borders stores (the main stores at least, not the Bordres Express stores). Sony had demo units for people to play around with all over Bordres stores (and still do) and have a spot on Border's online store.
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post #42 of 74
2/3/10 at 11:09pm
What if you consider Apple and Amazon competing from a totally different perspective? Let's say they don't offer competitive devices... rather competitive online shopping experiences!!!

Crazy? Maybe so, maybe no!

Consider this Apple patent application from 2006:

http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/200...-patent-f.html


Some points to consider if Apple chooses to compete across the board in online shopping-- it is 3 years later and:

1) Apple has 2 (soon to be 3) proven online stores that sell digital media

2) Apple has millions of customers and millions of credit cards on file for painless shopping.

3) Apple has millions of devices that are a touch away from instant conection to their online stores (anywhere, anytime)

4) the offline distribution of physical goods can be handled by 3rd-party fulfillment houses (Amazon uses these for goods they do not stock themselves)

5) Based on Market Value, Apple could acquire Amazon with its cash reserves. Although, this is not the way Apple [typically] enters a market.

It might explain the need for that North Carolina Server Farm!


I have recently come to believe that the iPhone, iPod Touch and now the iPad are not so much about making calls, playing music, surfing or running apps...

... I tell myself: It's about the shoppng, stupid!

*
"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
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post #43 of 74
2/4/10 at 12:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MatLu View Post

Sony was on their second generation when the Kindle came out. Sony released their 3rd Gen E Ink touch screen after the 1st Gen Kindle.

And it is also incorrect to say that no one heard of the Sony Readers before. Sony partnered with Borders in 2006 (before the Kindle) and had had a presence at every one of Borders stores (the main stores at least, not the Bordres Express stores). Sony had demo units for people to play around with all over Bordres stores (and still do) and have a spot on Border's online store.

I bought a Sony ebook reader so yes clearly some people had heard of them; however, it was the efforts of Amazon with the Kindle that truly brought mainstream attention to e-book readers.

As for whether Sony was on the second or third gen when the Kindle launched; it depends if you count the Japanese only ebook reader Sony released way back in 2005.
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post #44 of 74
2/4/10 at 12:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by paxman View Post

I know lots of people love the idea of a stylus but I think it's bygone technology. Multitouch is very cool but can get overly complicated (like a five or seven button mouse), so I see little value in the ability to use limitless touch points.

Agreed that the original stylus has been replaced by the finger, but if you've ever tried doing fine arts on a touchscreen you realise how desperately you need something with a finer tip than the sausages most of us call fingers
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post #45 of 74
2/4/10 at 1:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetz View Post

Depending on how much they paid, it could be a good acquisition.
...
But I am sceptical that iBooks will outsell the Kindle store.

What Amazon should be doing is plotting a price drop. Both Kindles were ridiculously priced to begin with. The Kindle 2 should be under $100. And the Kindle DX should be under $200.

And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.

Amazon probably bought the company for pocket change, so it does not matter much if they use it successfully or not. At least they'll have the patents in their arsenal.

I think iBooks will outsell the Kindle store many times over because it will provide a much richer reading experience for all ages. Also, Amazon has already lost their pricing advantage. Many people will buy the iPad for other features but also use the iBooks store. iPad is much more suitable for kids, college students etc...

Amazon already has their Kindle ported to the iPhone and iPad but they need to offer a richer experience to attract younger kids and others because the iPad will radically change the whole eBooks industry. They can also leverage other platforms from HP, Google, Palm, Sony etc...

The hardware/software business is cut-throat so... Perhaps Amazon should consider buying Palm in order to offer a richer experience to readers.

Time will tell.
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post #46 of 74
2/4/10 at 2:34am
There's no point in having a responsive input mechanism, without marrying that to a responsive display technology.

Unless Amazon dumps e-ink, this isn't going to improve the Kindle much.

C.
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post #47 of 74
2/4/10 at 3:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eriamjh View Post

Who says Apple's touch screen cannot detect unlimited touch points? We only have 10 fingers!

If you want to use it with your ass...

PS. maybe one could wipe your ass with it, it is digital paper isnt it?
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post #48 of 74
2/4/10 at 5:11am
Maybe the server farm has a lot to do with Apple is heading?

with all of the information (CC's, names, address etc.) they have a HUGE leg up on just about everyone. As pointed out by someone else here, it's about the shopping.

It won't be long before Apple and company will know;

- What we want
- When we want it
- How much we are willing to spend
- How long we are willing to wait for what we want
- How many "Early" models we will purchase, waiting to get the one we REALLY want

Hell, it won't even be a matter of shopping. Said item(s) will just show up at our door step, without us even had ordering them and we'll be surprised, excited, and wondering why it took so long to get here

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post #49 of 74
2/4/10 at 5:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by habi View Post

If you want to use it with your ass...

PS. maybe one could wipe your ass with it, it is digital paper isnt it?

Hey, if anyone is interested, I do sell "Custom" rolls of toilet paper

1 roll or a box full

Custom imprint with whatever you want it to say on it. And the imprint is then repeated over and over, till you get to the last piece.

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post #50 of 74
2/4/10 at 6:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bloggerblog View Post

Hahahahahaha!

I couldn't agree more. What the heck is Amazon thinking here? Next thing you know, Wal-Mart will start building cars and Microsoft will start selling a line of women's underwear.

What is it with these companies that don't understand the importance of focusing on what they're good at?
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post #51 of 74
2/4/10 at 6:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

I couldn't agree more. What the heck is Amazon thinking here? Next thing you know, Wal-Mart will start building cars and Microsoft will start selling a line of women's underwear.

What is it with these companies that don't understand the importance of focusing on what they're good at?

Stupidity and hubris. Always.
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post #52 of 74
2/4/10 at 7:11am
What a dumb idea, here we go again another company stepping outside there core competency. This is as bad as Google trying to be a hardware company. When times get tough and money is short the first place Amazon will cut it this acquisition.

Amazon sell cheap books and provide store store fronts so other can sell cheap stuff, Their last great idea was one-click, ow wait they lost that case.
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post #53 of 74
2/4/10 at 7:26am
Google is also very busy working with NSA to figure out how and who has accessed its network. Prospective partnership a posibility.
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post #54 of 74
2/4/10 at 7:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetz View Post

Depending on how much they paid, it could be a good acquisition.

I really don't see iPad and the Kindle in direct competition. It's more like Kindle and iBooks in direct competition. And on this front, Kindle is strong. Kindle fans tend to be as obsessive about e-ink as Apple fans tend to be about the 'experience'. That's exactly what the Kindle offers to avid readers. A more book reading type experience. A person who spends $489 on a Kindle DX is not likely to be the type of person who will want to read an e-book on a 1.5 pound computer with a glossy screen (though he might get an iPad to watch movies and surf the web when he travels). And they probably aren't going to be all that interested in spending $130 more for the device + $30/mo in data charges with limited global roaming functionality just to get access to content. That's not to say the iPad won't outsell the Kindle. It will. General devices always sell out niche devices. But I am sceptical that iBooks will outsell the Kindle store.

What Amazon should be doing is plotting a price drop. Both Kindles were ridiculously priced to begin with. The Kindle 2 should be under $100. And the Kindle DX should be under $200.

And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.

The Kindle DX cost $10 less, weighs 18.9 ounces vs. the entry iPad's 24 ounces. Not that much different.

The iPad data plan is pay as you go, not a fixed monthly plan.
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post #55 of 74
2/4/10 at 7:50am
all Amazon has to do is to develop Kindle software for iPad that is better than iBooks.
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post #56 of 74
2/4/10 at 8:43am
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post #57 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:03am
Even if Amazon acquired Fort Knox, they still wouldn't be able to compete with the iPad. Kindle vs. iPad is like Bicycle vs. Ferrari.
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post #58 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MatLu View Post

Apple has the cash and cash equivalents of 7.6 billion USD. Amazon has a 52 billion dollar market cap.

http://iphonasia.com/?p=7394 says they have 40
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post #59 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bedouin View Post

No one was even talking about the Kindle until the iPad was announced. It has existed for a couple years now but it's already seen as the cheap iPad rip off to many

No one? 3 million "no one" have bought Kindle readers
American centrism dominates 50% of the population here. That half don't think outside the box ... or perhaps just don't think. © digitalclips
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American centrism dominates 50% of the population here. That half don't think outside the box ... or perhaps just don't think. © digitalclips
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post #60 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MatLu View Post

Apple has the cash and cash equivalents of 7.6 billion USD. Amazon has a 52 billion dollar market cap.

Sorry... Apple has current cash position of approx. $40 Billion:

http://www.businessweek.com/technolo..._40_billi.html

at 9:25 AM PST AMZN Market Valuet$ 50,485,817,800


BTW, AMZN has a cash position of $4 Billion:

http://ycharts.com/companies/AMZN


So...

Code:


+  $40 Billion  AAPL Cash
-   $51 Billion  AMZN Market Value
+    $4 Billion  AMZN Cash
-------------------------------

-    $7 Billion Net cost  (Stock/Debt) to AAPL to purchase AMZN at Market Value



What's $7 Billion among skilled negotiators?

Close counts... in everything except: Horseshoes, Hand grenades and Dancing!

*
"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
Reply
"So at the end of the presentation, Steve came up to me and said: Is the iPhone worth criticizing? And I said: Make the screen five inches by eight inches, and you’ll rule the world."
– Alan Kay –
Reply
post #61 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetz View Post

And on this front, Kindle is strong. Kindle fans tend to be as obsessive about e-ink as Apple fans tend to be about the 'experience'.

Reading from e-Ink and LCD/OLED/CRT screen is totally different expirience.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetz View Post

What Amazon should be doing is plotting a price drop. Both Kindles were ridiculously priced to begin with. The Kindle 2 should be under $100. And the Kindle DX should be under $200.

An e-Ink display is very expensive itself. There is only manufacture of e-Ink displays in the world. That's why e-redaer are so expensice.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetz View Post

And as far as technology goes...before worrying about touch-screens (which aren't really all that necessary on an e-reader), colour should be a priority.

Yes, it's a point. But think about printed books. It's possible to print books in color, it doesn't cost much more, but the most books are black and white. Why?
Color is mostly critical for magazines, textbooks and kid's books
American centrism dominates 50% of the population here. That half don't think outside the box ... or perhaps just don't think. © digitalclips
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American centrism dominates 50% of the population here. That half don't think outside the box ... or perhaps just don't think. © digitalclips
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post #62 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gin_tonic View Post

No one? 3 million "no one" have bought Kindle readers

How do we know this is the real number of Kindles? I've never seen it officially stated (e.g. within AMZN financials which would require some semblance of truthfulness).

  Google Maps: ("Directions may be inaccurate, incomplete, dangerous, or prohibited.")

 

  MA497LL/A FB463LL/A MC572LL/A FC060LL/A MC700LL/A MD481LL/A MD644LL/A MD388LL/A

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  Google Maps: ("Directions may be inaccurate, incomplete, dangerous, or prohibited.")

 

  MA497LL/A FB463LL/A MC572LL/A FC060LL/A MC700LL/A MD481LL/A MD644LL/A MD388LL/A

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post #63 of 74
2/4/10 at 9:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post

That does happen. However assuming they did think it through they now need an OS ... as I said before, Google may get involved here.

Nook eBook from Barnes and Noble already got ... Android OS
American centrism dominates 50% of the population here. That half don't think outside the box ... or perhaps just don't think. © digitalclips
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American centrism dominates 50% of the population here. That half don't think outside the box ... or perhaps just don't think. © digitalclips
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post #64 of 74
2/4/10 at 10:00am
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post #65 of 74
2/4/10 at 10:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bageljoey View Post

Maybe true, maybe not. But the technology sounds interesting and could lead to all sorts of posibilities if it is really viable. I'm all for it if it has the possibility to move us forward.

Besides, I believe Amazon is showing that they understand the future of the game--if they did not make a play for the hardware, they would have *nothing* when competitors like Apple came out with snazzy devices like the iPad linked directly to their iBook store.

I don't think it is a done deal that Apple has this market sewed up in the future, but it would be much more likely if all Amazon had was apps on everyone else's hardware....

I give Amazon credit for the push they are making (even if the idea of a Kindle apps store competing seriously with Apple's app store is ludicrous).

Sure and there is room for more than one product, especially if it still has e-ink. Now if the rest of them would add a comprehensive search function...
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post #66 of 74
2/4/10 at 10:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MatLu View Post

Apple has the cash and cash equivalents of 7.6 billion USD. Amazon has a 52 billion dollar market cap.

(a) As has been pointed out, your cash number is wrong; (b) More important, what does cash have to do with a company's ability or willingness to purchase an asset?
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post #67 of 74
2/4/10 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

I couldn't agree more. What the heck is Amazon thinking here? Next thing you know, Wal-Mart will start building cars and Microsoft will start selling a line of women's underwear.

What is it with these companies that don't understand the importance of focusing on what they're good at?

Yeah! Don't companies know they should limit themselves only to what they've always done and not think of growth and expansion? Next thing you know Apple will tell us they're gonna make a phone!!!!
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post #68 of 74
2/4/10 at 11:25am
[QUOTE]What a dumb idea, here we go again another company stepping outside there core competency. This is as bad as Google trying to be a hardware company. When times get tough and money is short the first place Amazon will cut it this acquisition.

Amazon sell cheap books and provide store store fronts so other can sell cheap stuff, Their last great idea was one-click, ow wait they lost that case./QUOTE]

and Apple didn't step outside their core competency when they made the first ipod, or the iphone?
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post #69 of 74
2/4/10 at 1:09pm
According to this article here:

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=17608

Google is involved, and then some. Makes sense to me - if Google wants to enter tablet market (which is sort of natural expansion for touchscreen smart phone platforms), they do need strong partner in ebook market. And who's better than company that is strong, yet under pressure from Apple tablet efforts?
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post #70 of 74
2/4/10 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blastdoor View Post

What is it with these companies that don't understand the importance of focusing on what they're good at?

Just imagine if Apple had said they would stick to computers. A computer company selling mp3 players, phones and personal media players? Crazy.
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post #71 of 74
2/4/10 at 2:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nikon133 View Post

According to this article here:

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=17608

Google is involved, and then some. Makes sense to me - if Google wants to enter tablet market (which is sort of natural expansion for touchscreen smart phone platforms), they do need strong partner in ebook market. And who's better than company that is strong, yet under pressure from Apple tablet efforts?

Hmmm.... Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see anything in that article that suggests that Google is working with Amazon, just some speculation about what Amazon might do and what Google might do.

One problem for Google is that apparently any tablet from them would be running Chrome, which kind of puts them in the MS Win/WinMo camp, with two seperate tracks for mobile and larger scale-- at the same time Apple is leveraging their "iOS" across platforms (and bearing in mind that it's actually just a flavor of their desktop OS).
They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.
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They spoke of the sayings and doings of their commander, the grand duke, and told stories of his kindness and irascibility.
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post #72 of 74
2/4/10 at 4:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by addabox View Post

Hmmm.... Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see anything in that article that suggests that Google is working with Amazon, just some speculation about what Amazon might do and what Google might do.

One problem for Google is that apparently any tablet from them would be running Chrome, which kind of puts them in the MS Win/WinMo camp, with two seperate tracks for mobile and larger scale-- at the same time Apple is leveraging their "iOS" across platforms (and bearing in mind that it's actually just a flavor of their desktop OS).

You are right - title is misleading; based on a title one would expect that Amazon and Google are almost like merging to fight Apple.

I did initially only a quick read and what caught my eye was the part about ...the Touchco folks will soon be neighbors to Apple, moving into Google's Kindle hardware division, Lab126 ... but that is likely a mistake and should say Amazon's Kindle hardware division.

That being said... if Google is planning to expand to tablets, having strong partnership with ebook publisher/store is absolute necessity, and Amazon looks like logical partner for that. Likewise, if Amazon is planning on expanding Kindle platform, they need decent OS - and Google looks like the best choice, short of Apple's OS (which they can't have anyway)... so in a way, Google and Amazon are natural allies.

Since article is purely speculative, we don't know if (still hypothetical) tablet from Google/Amazon will have Android OS, or Chromium. Wasn't Chromium supposed to be netbook OS, Linux running on x86 architecture - Atom, Ion etc? I'd expect that tablet will be running Tegra-grade hardware, not Atom.

We'll see. Interesting times before us.
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post #73 of 74
2/5/10 at 5:10am
Now which company is playing catch-up? Amazon.
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Never quote idiots, they just clog up...
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http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp

Never argue with idiots, they'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience. - a bumper sticker

Never quote idiots, they just clog up...
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post #74 of 74
2/5/10 at 4:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eriamjh View Post

Who says Apple's touch screen cannot detect unlimited touch points? We only have 10 fingers!

What about fingerprint identification? Short of having a laser under that screen, an unlimited touch surface might be able to scan lots of information. And, who is to say that multiplayer gaming wont need more than "10 fingers" across 2 or more players?

That said, however, I think iPad will destroy Kindle. Have you ever used that Kindle? BOOOOORING. \
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