Amazon invites press to Sept. 28 event for anticipated tablet reveal

Posted:
in iPad edited January 2014
Amazon on Friday sent out invitations to members of the press for a media event scheduled for next Wednesday, Sept. 28, where the retailer is expected to debut a new touchscreen tablet that aims to compete with Apple's iPad.



The invitation-only event will be held next week, though the notices sent to members of the press gave no indication as to what the event will entail. It simply reads, "Please join us for an Amazon.com press conference."



The media briefing is scheduled to take place next Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 10 a.m. Eastern, and the event is widely expected to be the unveiling of a new Amazon-branded touchscreen tablet with a color LCD screen.



Though the device has not been officially confirmed, TechCrunch had a hands on review of the hardware earlier this month. They revealed the device will cost $250 and sport a 7-inch color touchscreen while running a customized build of the Google Android mobile operating system.



"The interface is all Amazon and Kindle," MG Siegler wrote. "It?s black, dark blue, and a bunch of orange. The main screen is a carousel that looks like Cover Flow in iTunes which displays all the content you have on the device. This includes books, apps, movies, etc. Below the main carousel is a dock to pin your favorite items in one easy-to-access place. When you turn the device horizontally, the dock disappears below the fold."







The new Kindle will allegedly be priced the same as the Barnes & Noble Nook, a touchscreen tablet that also has a color screen, but focuses largely on reading content as opposed to Apple's plethora of more than 100,000 options on the iPad App Store. Apple does sell its own e-books for the iPad with the iBookstore.



Though the first tablet from Amazon is expected to be 7-inches, the company is reportedly also working on a 10-inch version that could arrive in early 2012. The iPad has a screen size of 9.7 inches, and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has slammed competitors who make 7-inch tablets, saying that screen size is too small for the average user's fingertips.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 47
    It's not the same thing without "and one more thing..."
  • Reply 2 of 47
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    "The main screen is a carousel that looks like Cover Flow in iTunes which displays all the content you have on the device. This includes books, apps, movies, etc. Below the main carousel is a dock to pin your favorite items in one easy-to-access place"



    At least they choose a different Apple product to copy....
  • Reply 3 of 47
    al_bundyal_bundy Posts: 1,525member
    you can compare specs all you want but the kindle to ipad ratio in NYC is like 100 to 1 from what i see



    rarely do i see an android tablet
  • Reply 4 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    So do we expect Apple to have an event next Tuesday or are we expecting the event to be on October 4th with an announcement next week?
  • Reply 5 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by al_bundy View Post


    you can compare specs all you want but the kindle to ipad ratio in NYC is like 100 to 1 from what i see



    rarely do i see an android tablet



    You see 100 Kindles before you see a single iPad? That seems like a wild exaggeration. I bet I see an Android tablet before I see 100 iPads simply from being in electronic stores.
  • Reply 6 of 47
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    I don't know about this tablet, seems like Amazon may be making a mistake.



    The one strength that the Kindle had was the e-ink screen which let people read books outside or anywhere really. And now they're coming out with this small 7" tablet instead with a LCD screen running skinned Android ? The screen is not even IPS like the iPad? Probably not, considering the price of the tablet.



    It may be a competitor to the Nook, but no fucking way is this thing even in the same league as an iPad.



    If somebody's really poor, I can see them getting this maybe.
  • Reply 7 of 47
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    You see 100 Kindles before you see a single iPad? That seems like a wild exaggeration. I bet I see an Android tablet before I see 100 iPads simply from being in electronic stores.



    Plenty of people have iPads in New York, but I think that there's a much greater chance that somebody is going to pull out their Kindle on the subway before somebody pulls out an iPad.
  • Reply 8 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Plenty of people have iPads in New York, but I think that there's a much greater chance that somebody is going to pull out their Kindle on the subway before somebody pulls out an iPad.



    I wouldn't pull out my iphone or ipad on any subway in this country. L.A. or New York
  • Reply 9 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    I don't know about this tablet, seems like Amazon may be making a mistake.



    The one strength that the Kindle had was the e-ink screen which let people read books outside or anywhere really. And now they're coming out with this small 7" tablet instead with a LCD screen running skinned Android ? The screen is not even IPS like the iPad? Probably not, considering the price of the tablet.



    It may be a competitor to the Nook, but no fucking way is this thing even in the same league as an iPad.



    If somebody's really poor, I can see them getting this maybe.



    1) Amazon adding a proper multimedia tablet to their HW lineup DOES NOT MEAN they will be dropping their eInk-based eReader from their lineup.



    2) At the reported price-point they don't have to match or beat Apple's HW features; hey simply have to appeal to a certain type of customer.



    3) With their ecosystem they have a much better chance at 1) appealing to those that don't want the iPad/Apple product, 2) don't want a $500+ tablet, 3) want a tablet that is more than eReader but not quite the "PC" replacement that Apple and others are trying to achieve.



    4) IPS has been out long enough that I think a $250 device with a 7" display might be a achievable, especially with Amazon willing to make it the razor (handle) for its (razor) blades ecosystem. Also, what about Pixel Qi's hybrid eInk and LCD technology?
  • Reply 10 of 47
    Betting Apple will do it's event either next thursday or friday. Why? To blunt any press growth on the kindle.



    Apple's announcements will smash Amazon's to pieces. Poof. Pulverized. Eliminated. Nuked. Dismembered. Blown to bits. Vaporized. anyone care to add.... jump on
  • Reply 11 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Plenty of people have iPads in New York, but I think that there's a much greater chance that somebody is going to pull out their Kindle on the subway before somebody pulls out an iPad.



    I would argue there's a much greater chance that somebody is going to pull out a less expensive handheld electronic device over a more expensive handheld device when on inter-city public transportation for obvious reasons.
  • Reply 12 of 47
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gijoeinla View Post


    I wouldn't pull out my iphone or ipad on any subway in this country. L.A. or New York



    I use my iPad in airports or on flights, but no way would I pull it out of my bag and use it on a NYC subway, especially at certain times of the day.



    If I had a non-iPad tablet, I would probably have no problem with using that since they're basically worthless and can be had for cheap in firesales and discounts online. Homeless people sleeping in subway cars probably have Touchpads.



    Pulling out an iPad is the same thing as waving at least 5 large bills in the air. Who wants to be on a subway waving hundreds of dollars of cash around with a bunch of strangers eying you?
  • Reply 13 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I would argue there's a much greater chance that somebody is going to pull out a less expensive handheld electronic device over a more expensive handheld device when on inter-city public transportation for obvious reasons.



    Oh man, I was a tourist in NYC this summer and had an iPhone (complete with wife's pink bumper) flailing for all to see on the subway like all the time.



    Did I narrowly escape death?



    Or does Manhattan not count?
  • Reply 14 of 47
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    I would argue there's a much greater chance that somebody is going to pull out a less expensive handheld electronic device over a more expensive handheld device when on inter-city public transportation for obvious reasons.



    Yes, precisely. That's the same point that I was making. I sometimes have my iPad with me in my bag, but you're not going to see me using it on a train or walking around on the street with it like a retard.
  • Reply 15 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by joelsalt View Post


    Oh man, I was a tourist in NYC this summer and had an iPhone (complete with wife's pink bumper) flailing for all to see on the subway like all the time.



    Did I narrowly escape death?



    Or does Manhattan not count?



    I think the overall chances are slim, but that's not the point. Odds for theft are greater for a higher valued item than a less valued item*.





    * Of a similar size, because obviously an item that is harder to transport will affect its value at an opportune moment.
  • Reply 16 of 47
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by joelsalt View Post


    Oh man, I was a tourist in NYC this summer and had an iPhone (complete with wife's pink bumper) flailing for all to see on the subway like all the time.



    Did I narrowly escape death?



    Or does Manhattan not count?



    ?We?ve been seeing an incredible trend of young people snatching these cellphones,? NYPD transit chief Raymond Diaz told the WSJ, adding that thefts are more common during the evening rush hour. He even names Manhattan?s Lexington Avenue lines, Brooklyn?s J and Lo trains, and Queens? M, R and 7 lines as being ?hot spots? for smartphone theft. The report adds that New York?s commuter rail lines have also seen a small rise in smartphone thefts.



    http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/22/subwa...iphone-thefts/
  • Reply 17 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Yes, precisely. That's the same point that I was making. I sometimes have my iPad with me in my bag, but you're not going to see me using it on a train or walking around on the street with it like a retard.



    Gotcha. We are on the same page.
  • Reply 18 of 47
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by joelsalt View Post


    Oh man, I was a tourist in NYC this summer and had an iPhone (complete with wife's pink bumper) flailing for all to see on the subway like all the time.



    Did I narrowly escape death?



    Or does Manhattan not count?



    To sum it up carefully -- Here in Los Angeles there are crews that carry guns that search the streets for people displaying an Iphone - in other words - they commit armed robberies to your apple device. Think I'm kidding? Trust me I know.
  • Reply 19 of 47
    A number two emerges in the market. Big deal. I'm more excited about the Ivy Bridge Macbook Air than some toy.
  • Reply 20 of 47
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ErosLWS View Post


    A number two emerges in the market. Big deal. I'm more excited about the Ivy Bridge Macbook Air than some toy.



    Didn't you get the memo: all Apple products are toys¡
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