Lock & home screen ads aid Amazon's aggressive pricing of Kindle Fire HD

123468

Comments

  • Reply 101 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post





    We'll see. The response they quote doesn't say what the article says. The letter basically says they'll think about it.

     


     


     


    "I understand that you would like to opt out of the special offer and willing to pay extra for opting out special offer. Options for unsubscribing special offer will be announced soon"


     


    Maybe you and I are reading this differently, but they seems they are stating that the options will be announced soon.  I have no reason not to believe this, since the option has been offered on their other kindles.  Maybe they will suprise me, but it seems likely that they will have a one time expense to get rid of the advertising as they do with their other devices.

  • Reply 102 of 146
    The advertisements throughout Kindle's OS are advertised as a feature on Best Buy shelves.

    A feature:lol:


    Edit: All right, Just_Me, if this is trolling, care to show pictures of Best Buy cards that don't show this? Or perhaps an intelligent, sourced argument as to why OS-level advertisements that cannot be removed or hidden are good? I'm willing to be shown that I'm wrong in not wanting to be spammed while using a device, and I'm willing to be shown that I'm wrong in wanting a device, too, but the latter will take some serious work. Amazon's deluded as all get out.

    I like the new you!
  • Reply 103 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Cash907 View Post


    So if they can get movies, books, Netflix, etc on a $199 Kindle Fire versus a $499 iPad, that's what they are going to buy, because all they care about are those services, not the shiny box it comes in.


     



     


    I think that you underestimate the so called over 40 crowd, which you claim to know about. Plenty of older people use Apple's devices, and just because somebody is over 40, that doesn't mean that their senses, such as sight and feel, are not functioning anymore. I bet that even an average 80 year old person can tell the difference between the super fluid iPad and non responsive Android tablets.



     


    How old was Steve Jobs when...


     


    I was in the room when Steve said he didn't trust anyone over 30... I was 40 at the time.


     


    Steve returned to Apple in 1996 -- at the age of 41...  Many say Steve's best work was done between the ages of 46 and 56 (2001-2011).

  • Reply 104 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Cash907 View Post


    So if they can get movies, books, Netflix, etc on a $199 Kindle Fire versus a $499 iPad, that's what they are going to buy, because all they care about are those services, not the shiny box it comes in.


     



     


    I think that you underestimate the so called over 40 crowd, which you claim to know about. Plenty of older people use Apple's devices, and just because somebody is over 40, that doesn't mean that their senses, such as sight and feel, are not functioning anymore. I bet that even an average 80 year old person can tell the difference between the super fluid iPad and non responsive Android tablets.


     


    How old was Steve Jobs when...


     


    I was in the room when Steve said he didn't trust anyone over 30... I was 40 at the time.


     


    Steve returned to Apple in 1996 -- at the age of 41...  Many say Steve's best work was done between the ages of 46 and 56 (2001-2011).



     


    This, I believe, is much more a result of the market finally being ready for him then his best work. Apple computers were a fantastic consumer level breakthrough (particularly in ease of use and intuitiveness) compared to what existed beforehand, but the world just wasn't ready yet.

  • Reply 105 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Wovel View Post





    Fascinating response. You said.

    You believe he is out of his league because he thinks consumers want devices that deliver services and not just devices that are devices. Maybe you had no point. I said he has quite a bit of experience figuring out what consumers want. I also suggested he was in a much better position than you were to know that.

    What part of my response missed the point? There are maybe 5 people in the world that are likely to know as much as he does about what consumers want. If you think I missed the point, you should clarify it. How is he out of his league? What do you know that consumers don't? If you actually heard his statement you would realize it could have just as easily been uttered by Steve Jobs.

    Perhaps you missed his point.


     


     


    :-)


     


    I appreciate the laugh this late in the day, I needed it.  I'll try to explain myself a bit better, because I do have a point.  


     


    I said he's out of his league because while I think he's a genius, and a great entrepreneur, he's facing some very strong headwinds going against Apple and Google, plus every other tablet maker out there.  I'm not arguing that Amazon will sell many, many of these.  I just don't agree with him (or Steve Jobs back in the day) standing up there telling me (the consumer) what I "don't need" or what I "don't want" and I suspect i speak for a lot of other consumers on that.


     


    Again, I'll say for the 3rd time, he's a genius, I admire him, always have.  But Amazon is no Apple and will never be.  I sincerely hope I answered the question.  Cheers.

  • Reply 106 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Baka-Dubbs View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Cloud30000 View Post


    How useful would Apple Insider be if it posted articles but never sourced the information or provided links?


     


    Please think before you post.



    Appleinsider is a news/rumors site, I am not(wasn't sure if you were aware).  Comparing a persons comment on a forum to an article on news site is rediculous. 


     


    All i am saying is that for something that is really easy to find, consult google.  If it is some statistic/quote/etc where the detail is important, then provide a link.  Otherwise, the person asking for the link is being lazy.



     


     


    The way I see it, is if a poster is asked to supply a link -- he probably should have supplied one in his original post --  humor/sarcasm aside.


     


    The poster usually knows if his assertions are controversial or will be challenged... so it is just common courtesy to back them up.  Sometimes people post and cannot immediately find the correct sources (links) -- but state they will find them later and update or add a new post.  Often, others in the conversation will supply additional or missing links.


     


    Kinda' the way you want people to treat you... and the way you should treat them in return.

  • Reply 107 of 146
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    baka-dubbs wrote: »

    "I understand that you would like to opt out of the special offer and willing to pay extra for opting out special offer. Options for unsubscribing special offer will be announced soon"

    Maybe you and I are reading this differently, but they seems they are stating that the options will be announced soon.  I have no reason not to believe this, since the option has been offered on their other kindles.  Maybe they will suprise me, but it seems likely that they will have a one time expense to get rid of the advertising as they do with their other devices.

    I guess I missed that sentence.

    That said, the story has been updated twice.
    Update 2: We've gotten in touch with Amazon ourselves, and they say that there's been a mix-up in support -- there won't be any opt-out choice. Sorry, folks. If you don't like ads, you'll have to hope there's a change of heart between now and launch.
  • Reply 108 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bigpics View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post





    Gadgets subsidized with ads is relatively new, but ad subsidized products and services that are not new. Magazines, newspapers, cable & satellite TV come to mind. You pay for the product or service, and you still pay by ad exposure.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post





    But, what if he is right?

    What if, instead of bombarding you with random ads, the OS and Amazon's servers could monitor your current interests and show you only [mostly] ads of interest -- helping [serving] you rather than spamming you?

    Amazon's web site already tracks your interests, reminds you of them, and suggests other items that may be of interest to you.

    Done properly, this could work as a personal shopper's assistant... Rather than a carnival barker!




    I let a friend staying over for a week or so use my computer - THREE YEARS ago - and he browsed Amazon, the iTunes Store and other sites on my computer.  And I'm still getting recommendations for the products HE was interested in - none of which are of any interest to me. "Personal shopper's assistant" my sweet patootie.



    It's also frightening to me sometimes (tho' occasionally hilarious) what gets placed in my gMail and facebook screens based on a few random words in some email, post or message. And the, yes, eye-catching electronic billboards on the interstates have come close to making me a dangerously distracted driver on more than one occasion of late.



    But 99% of the time I've trained my eyes to simply ignore the constant "BUYBUYBUYBUYBUYBUY" prompts we receive as we move through both the analog and virtual worlds......  ...making me luckier than some of my friends who get more distracted to either a) their consternation and botherment or b) their impending bankruptcies because they're driven by the marketing messages......



    PS:  Still, I see many in this Apple-centric crowd underestimating Amazon.  Don't discount the Bezos.  People say the company doesn't "make money," but the stock's up over 12,0000% since the years ago IPO.  Somebody's doing something right.  And Amazon may yet prove the most formidable competitor to AAPL in the tablet space.  



     


    I hear ya'...  


     


    I said "done properly" -- and, I agree that Amazon doesn't meet that standard.  There should be a way to purge items that are no longer of interest.


     


    Here's one from an email I received yesterday:


     


     



     


    Maybe I can get my 16-year-old granddaughter to drive/chaperone me on a date :)


     


    ...been a long time since I needed a dueña!

  • Reply 109 of 146
    What's that so wrong about Kindle Fire's ads? It's not like iAds, that appear when using an app, just on lock and home screens, isn't that better?. And they seem to be high-quality, just like iAds too. As an iPad user, I wouldn't mind an enticing ad from time to time on my screen. Actually, it may lift some boredom or give some novelty to the day-to-day screen. And if that subsidizes $200 off the price, why would that make me feel a cheapskate? I still prefer an iPad 3, because I have more use to it than just consuming media or playing games, but for people like my parents or friends that would give a light use to it, I would certainly recommend them a Kindle Fire HD 8.9" ($299)
  • Reply 110 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dasanman69 View Post





    The over 40 crowd are the true fans of Apple products. Most of the young whipper snappers never heard of Apple before the iPod.


    I agree, how old do you think the people who grew up with Apple ]['s are today? And I'd also say that a young person is much more likely to buy some inferior, cheap, discounted Android device with ads. Youth unemployment is very high, and many young people are broke today.


     


    Most people have money by the time that they're 40, and a hundred bucks here or there means nothing to them. Most people over 40 are also wiser than young kids, and I bet that many of them value quality over cheapness.



     


    I would add to that... the current generation is much into entitlement and instant gratification.  Older generations, not so much.  My wife and I went years without dining room and bedroom furniture because we could not justify spending the price for what we wanted.. as did our parents.  


     


    It was demonstrated to us by our parents:  "better to do without, than to buy shoddy".   In those days those people who had [trashy] everything, but obviously couldn't afford it -- they were called "filthy rich".

  • Reply 111 of 146
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post





    Gadgets subsidized with ads is relatively new, but ad subsidized products and services that are not new. Magazines, newspapers, cable & satellite TV come to mind. You pay for the product or service, and you still pay by ad exposure.


     


    Ads in magazines, newspapers and traditional TV are completely fine because they are not invading anyone's privacy (with or without permission).  For 50+ years those kinds of ads exist, and they are targeted at the demographic that is likely to be reading or viewing a particular type of content at that particular time.  No problem, it helped support free and cheap media for decades.


     


    The big difference now is that these (borderline evil) companies are no longer satisfied with decent targeting, they want micro/personal-targeting, and that requires compiling the equivalent of electronic dossiers on hundreds of millions of (mostly unsuspecting) individual consumers.  And that information gets bought and sold in back channels.  Evil stuff.  Most people still think they are somewhat anonymous when they browse the net and are not signed into a particular service, but that's just not the case anymore.  Not to mention companies like Amazon have a complete track history of your purchases and probably most of what you've been browsing for as well.  That's just too much information to be trusted in the hands of ANY corporation.  It's guaranteed to be misused or abused at some point.

  • Reply 112 of 146
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    I hear ya'...  

    I said "done properly" -- and, I agree that Amazon doesn't meet that standard.  There should be a way to purge items that are no longer of interest.

    Here's one from an email I received yesterday:

    Maybe I can get my 16-year-old granddaughter to drive/chaperone me on a date :)

    ...been a long time since I needed a dueña!

    There is a way to remove items. Go to your account, "Your Recommendations" then "Your Browsing History" and you should see a list of items which you can delete. There is even a button for "Delete All Items".

    You got that ad through Amazon? The worst I get is ads for partner clothing stores, though I never look at or buy clothes through Amazon.
  • Reply 113 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post





    That said, the story has been updated twice.


     


    If this ends up being final, then it is a huge mistake on Amazon's part.  I don't find the adds obtrusive on the Kindle Touch, but thats because I spend 99% of the time in a book.  The menu's only function for me is to load the next book(or occasionally purchases directly on the device).  On a tablet, this would not be the case.  The lockscreen advertising wouldn't bother me(I am assuming a static advertisement).  Seeing adds when I am switching apps, browsing, etc makes this seem, for lack of better words, cheap.

  • Reply 114 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by JeffDM View Post




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post



    I hear ya'...  



    I said "done properly" -- and, I agree that Amazon doesn't meet that standard.  There should be a way to purge items that are no longer of interest.



    Here's one from an email I received yesterday:



    Maybe I can get my 16-year-old granddaughter to drive/chaperone me on a date image



    ...been a long time since I needed a dueña!




    There is a way to remove items. Go to your account, "Your Recommendations" then "Your Browsing History" and you should see a list of items which you can delete. There is even a button for "Delete All Items".



    You got that ad through Amazon? The worst I get is ads for partner clothing stores, though I never look at or buy clothes through Amazon.


     


    Ahh... thanks for the info!  Often, the things I buy on Amazon are to fill a specific need or the need is perishable -- in that once satisfied, the need no longer exists.


     


    No... I don't know where the sender got my email address...  But I am curious what the silhouetted model is wearing -- if anything.

  • Reply 115 of 146
    boredumbboredumb Posts: 1,418member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Baka-Dubbs View Post


    http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/07/amazon-confirms-yes-you-can-opt-out-of-ads-on-new-kindle-fire/


     


    I have seen the error of my ways



    Fascinating - thanks for the link...


    It may be very awkward for Amazon to have to "regretfully inform" pre-orderers that they'll be paying a premium for "ad-free" if they choose to revise their orders!

  • Reply 116 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by j1h15233 View Post


    I think I'd rather pay more than go for something cheap and constantly be bombarded with ads.



     


    not to mention how this might hurt your battery. or what about if you get the LTE version, do the ads come via cell data. does it count against you for that 250MB. if it does what happens when it goes over that amount. do you lose all cell data service for the rest of the month or can you pay overages, what are the fees

  • Reply 117 of 146
    baka-dubbs wrote: »
    News and Sports are the only reason I haven't cut the cable(well, on demand is nice too, but that more was more or less a response to online content anyways).  Everything else is more convenient to either watch online or wait for the DVD's

    Of course, AppleTV provides access to MLB, NBA and NHL. Roku provides access to MLB, MLS, NBA, NHL, UFC. I don't understand why the NFL is a holdout.
  • Reply 118 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


     


    Just because you've blocked them out of your mind, that doesn't change the reality of things. They're still there and people will notice them. Victims of brutal crimes, like assault, armed robbery and rape do sometimes try and block the incident from their mind, that doesn't mean that it didn't happen.



     


    You're seriously comparing non invasive ads to violent personal crimes? What heck is wrong with you?

  • Reply 119 of 146

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


     


    I think that you underestimate the so called over 40 crowd, which you claim to know about. Plenty of older people use Apple's devices, and just because somebody is over 40, that doesn't mean that their senses, such as sight and feel, are not functioning anymore. I bet that even an average 80 year old person can tell the difference between the super fluid iPad and non responsive Android tablets.



     


    As I'm currently knocking on 40's door, yes, I do think I know a thing or two about that demo. And no, they really don't care. Yes, there are diehard fanatics like you that strictly adhere to one brand or another, but many at that age and beyond just don't care as long as it works. This is why they buy boring yet reliable vehicles like Honda Accords and such when many could easily afford something more expensive and flashy. In their minds, getting to and from with the least amount of hassle at a reasonable price is all they care about. Mock that mentality if you must, but understand it exists, and in much greater quantities than those akin to yours.

  • Reply 120 of 146
    Just to update everyone with the latest information. Amazon has corrected previous comments and explicitly stated that the advertisements do not offer an opt out. (1)

    1. John P. Falcone. 7 September 2012. [URL=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-3126_7-57508526/amazon-confirms-all-new-kindle-fires-stuck-with-ads/?Media]Amazon confirms: All new Kindle Fires stuck with ads.[/URL] [I]CNET[/I]. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
Sign In or Register to comment.