Yeah, except it's all of rather poor quality. The whole experience is something that is quite un-Apple-like, meant to appeal to a completely different segment of the market.
Perhaps that is the point.
On other issue they'll invetiably have confront: If they are successful with this (and I wish them nothing but success), they'll discover that scaling up will involve management of upstream and downstream hardware supply/retail chain and quality control/service issues the likes of which are not at easy to navigate. Apple has decades of experience doing that.
Before the Kindle, I'd agree this is a concern for Amazon. But, with the Kindle, Amazon has climbed the learning curve of managing manufacturing millions of units (QC, supply chain, etc.). Sure, their experience is not as long as Apple's. But let's not forget that, before Tim Cook, Apple was not reputed to be the supply chain master that they are today. As for distribution, Amazon has that under control. Most importantly, Amazon is not the one-trick pony that the public perceives to be. They are the gorilla in more than the books business.
I don't under the part about poor quality - "un-Apple-like" does not have to mean poor quality. Most Kindle customers are quite happy. I have friends who own both the Kindle and the iPad, and prefer to read on the Kindle (I don't get it personally because of the lack of color). So yes, they have a different following.
Yeah, and they have no expertise or track record in operating systems and associated software. You know, that part is kinda important.
I'm not writing off Amazon, BTW, but just having your own content distribution channels does not make you an Apple competitor.
You're dead wrong about their lack of track record on OS and software. I don't think you understand the reaches of Amazon technology. Sure, they don't roll their own OS like Apple, but the scope and scale of their software experience rival if not exceed that of Apple.
Who will be next to bring out a tablet I wonder? Walmart, Verizon, Mattel ...? I say this seriously. Why? Because obviously manufacturers are geared up to make this junk even if RIM, HP and some original players drop out. Android is free, so why not! I can imagine there will be OEM version soon small companies can have personalized like pens and tee shirts. The good news for Apple is none of this matters to the iPad market.
Speaking of Walmart... they're offering the 16g RIM Playbook for $249 in Canada... so the Fire has some "real" competition.
Actually, I would imagine that RIM will be selling the 16g Playbook at $149 by the end of November... and we'll probably see sales of the Fire around the same price... at least for the holiday season.
I'll take a new eInk-based reader if it has touch screen & an improved eInk display (faster switching, better contrast), but I have no need for another cheaply made Android tablet.
I would not be surprised if Amazon sells more new Kindles and Tablets than Apple sells iPads in the 4th Qtr.
Uh, that's insane. I bet my kidneys it won't happen.
Quote:
Yes, I know they are more low-end and smaller screened than the iPad at least RIGHT NOW. But two larger, more powerful Amazon tablets, 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch tablet sizes, will be introduced early in 2012 at least according to the analyst's report. So once they are, if they are, Amazon will have an impressive 5 tablet lineup starting with a low end 6-inch Kindle up to a 10.1-inch tablet that may very well prove to be a credible, formidable adversary to Apple's iPad lineup.
Sigh. God gave them eyes, but they cannot see. THERE IS NO TABLET MARKET. There is an iPad market. So far I've run into only 1 of our 10,000 members that understands that. And apparently no manufacturer understands that either...except The Copyist.
Quote:
Amazon is the only company that I hold in equal high esteem to Apple. Amazon also has the entire Eco-system as does Apple in providing a vast array of services that are highly integrated with their hardware. Also their customers, including me, love Amazon's vast selection of everything with accompanying helpful customer reviews, very low prices, free shipping AND truly great customer service.
That's fine. I like them too. But to think they can compete with Apple just because of that ecosystem? Nope.
Quote:
I do agree with others who think Amazon will be the 1st true competitor to Apple giving many consumers a genuine choice in selecting the right tablet or tablets for themselves and their families.
There is absolutely no indication that will happen.
Quote:
In fact, I'll go one step further by stating I will be very surprised if Amazon's tablet lineup doesn't battle Apple with successful forays and advances in the personal and home market starting much sooner than we may now think. Anyway, an Apple, Amazon confrontation will certainly be good for the consumer and the vast worldwide market is certainly big enough for both companies to succeed.
Looking more closely at the table, the Hollywood (Fire, presumably) states the display suppliers being eInk and LGD (LG Displays).
So, is this a typo/mistake? will the Fire have a hybrid eInk and IPS LCD display? If so, that would be pretty damn interesting. And is the first I've heard of it.
As others have said, I see the Fire being moderately successful -- it's in a different market to the iPad, so shouldn't be compared to that. Really the Fire's biggest competitor is the standard Kindle (or Kindles) itself.
The Kindle was never intended as a competitor to the iPad. They are addressing different markets. The iPad is great for apps, videos, games, etc but I wouldn't read a book in the park on it. The Kindle is perfect if you just want a light, cheap eBook reader. I'm sure a lot of people have both.
I was hoping they would bring out a colour eInk version. The current model is great for books but not great for magazines or newspapers with a lot of colour photos.
I would not be surprised if Amazon sells more new Kindles and Tablets than Apple sells iPads in the 4th Qtr. Yes, I know they are more low-end and smaller screened than the iPad at least RIGHT NOW. But two larger, more powerful Amazon tablets, 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch tablet sizes, will be introduced early in 2012 at least according to the analyst's report. So once they are, if they are, Amazon will have an impressive 5 tablet lineup starting with a low end 6-inch Kindle up to a 10.1-inch tablet that may very well prove to be a credible, formidable adversary to Apple's iPad lineup.
Amazon is the only company that I hold in equal high esteem to Apple. Amazon also has the entire Eco-system as does Apple in providing a vast array of services that are highly integrated with their hardware. Also their customers, including me, love Amazon's vast selection of everything with accompanying helpful customer reviews, very low prices, free shipping AND truly great customer service.
I do agree with others who think Amazon will be the 1st true competitor to Apple giving many consumers a genuine choice in selecting the right tablet or tablets for themselves and their families. In fact, I'll go one step further by stating I will be very surprised if Amazon's tablet lineup doesn't battle Apple with successful forays and advances in the personal and home market starting much sooner than we may now think. Anyway, an Apple, Amazon confrontation will certainly be good for the consumer and the vast worldwide market is certainly big enough for both companies to succeed.
sniff...sniff....ahhhhh...the sweet smell of fresh cut astro-turf.
Jobs says it's not about the hardware specs but the experience - unfortunately for Amazon, their experience is truly the anti-Apple. Is there an update for your device? Who knows? Who can tell? And if one version gets it, another may not, because... hey, no real reason, just because Amazon decided not to. I love my Kindle DX for reading, but that's entirely due to the great e-ink screen, NOT thanks to the godawful software and end-user experience that Amazon delivers. Oh, not to mention the awful keyboard. B&N came late to the party and has been doing laps around Amazon. And now Amazon is going to be the mighty Apple challenger? Seriously?
Your first part is a bunch of fud. Mainly because you don't know enough about the tablet. There's no reason to cast doubt on Amazon's ability to support their devices given the good job they've done with their current Kindle devices.
Also I'm not sure where the venom and defensiveness is coming from given that the drumming up of Amazon going toe to toe with Apple has generally been a media creation because the media needs an 'iPhone' 'iPad' killer on the forefront to keep tech nerds raging and increasing their click revenue.
The Amazon tablet sounds to me like a low cost solution for consumers to get access to their ebooks, cloud music, videos and other Amazon services on a portable device. The tablet provides an avenue for Amazon to promote their ecosystem and control the environment in which their content is presented. The OMAP 3 is more than suitable for providing that experience, and if Amazon does a good job optimizing Android 2.2 or 2.3, it will be just as snappy as the iPhone 4 or original iPad in delivering the experience.
I think one of the reasons, if not the main reason Android tablets haven't caught on is the lack of integration with a regulated source of downloadable content. Amazon will be able to provide this. They are a familiar and trusted brand in online retail. I don't see them competing with Apple in the same way BMW don't compete with Fiat. What they will do is appeal to the many people buying the lower priced tablets from the likes of Creative, Archos, Tabtech, A1CS, Viewsonic etc who find themselves at the mercy of the google marketplace, if they can get it to recognise their device, and a lack of manufacturer support. Amazon already has downloadable books, music and apps(in the US) and will hopefully offer easy integration with their tablet as they have with Kindle downloads.
Looking forward to seeing what they come up with but I won't be trading my ipad anytime soon
Looking more closely at the table, the Hollywood (Fire, presumably) states the display suppliers being eInk and LGD (LG Displays).
So, is this a typo/mistake? will the Fire have a hybrid eInk and IPS LCD display? If so, that would be pretty damn interesting. And is the first I've heard of it.
I was wondering the same thing myself. I've also never heard of such a hybrid. If Amazon has managed to get ahold of some proprietary tech, things will get very interesting. I tend to think it's probably a typo though.
I have a Kindle, but I don't know if I'd buy a tablet from them. The Kindle is great mostly for the readability, weight, battery life, and physical keyboard layout. It has a browser but that is a joke compared to the iPad's browser. We'll see. It'll take a lot much (or less regarding price) to make me itch to buy.
Looking more closely at the table, the Hollywood (Fire, presumably) states the display suppliers being eInk and LGD (LG Displays).
So, is this a typo/mistake? will the Fire have a hybrid eInk and IPS LCD display? If so, that would be pretty damn interesting. And is the first I've heard of it.
Both Apple and Amazon have been reported to be toying with a combo LCD/e-ink display. If I placed bets on first to market, I'd guess Amazon early next year.
Why Amazon does not stick on what it does best instead of chasing Apple? another epic failure in the making.
They're not chasing Apple. They're going down a road blazed by Apple but already trod by plenty of others. Having a conduit to a specific digital marketplace (text, music, films) is now an inevitable goal because the previous models of each either has ceased to exist, is a ghost town or is facing that in the future. In ten years there will be three companies left standing who will be the only places to go for new content, and I don't doubt that Amazon will be one of them.
Both Apple and Amazon have been reported to be toying with a combo LCD/e-ink display. If I placed bets on first to market, I'd guess Amazon early next year.
I'm thinking it must be a typo as well. Other sources have indicated Amazon is still working on a hybrid but that it's a ways off. I would be shocked if they came out with it now. It would be pretty cool though.
Comments
Yeah, except it's all of rather poor quality. The whole experience is something that is quite un-Apple-like, meant to appeal to a completely different segment of the market.
Perhaps that is the point.
On other issue they'll invetiably have confront: If they are successful with this (and I wish them nothing but success), they'll discover that scaling up will involve management of upstream and downstream hardware supply/retail chain and quality control/service issues the likes of which are not at easy to navigate. Apple has decades of experience doing that.
Before the Kindle, I'd agree this is a concern for Amazon. But, with the Kindle, Amazon has climbed the learning curve of managing manufacturing millions of units (QC, supply chain, etc.). Sure, their experience is not as long as Apple's. But let's not forget that, before Tim Cook, Apple was not reputed to be the supply chain master that they are today. As for distribution, Amazon has that under control. Most importantly, Amazon is not the one-trick pony that the public perceives to be. They are the gorilla in more than the books business.
I don't under the part about poor quality - "un-Apple-like" does not have to mean poor quality. Most Kindle customers are quite happy. I have friends who own both the Kindle and the iPad, and prefer to read on the Kindle (I don't get it personally because of the lack of color). So yes, they have a different following.
Yeah, and they have no expertise or track record in operating systems and associated software. You know, that part is kinda important.
I'm not writing off Amazon, BTW, but just having your own content distribution channels does not make you an Apple competitor.
You're dead wrong about their lack of track record on OS and software. I don't think you understand the reaches of Amazon technology. Sure, they don't roll their own OS like Apple, but the scope and scale of their software experience rival if not exceed that of Apple.
Who will be next to bring out a tablet I wonder? Walmart, Verizon, Mattel ...? I say this seriously. Why? Because obviously manufacturers are geared up to make this junk even if RIM, HP and some original players drop out. Android is free, so why not! I can imagine there will be OEM version soon small companies can have personalized like pens and tee shirts. The good news for Apple is none of this matters to the iPad market.
Speaking of Walmart... they're offering the 16g RIM Playbook for $249 in Canada... so the Fire has some "real" competition.
Actually, I would imagine that RIM will be selling the 16g Playbook at $149 by the end of November... and we'll probably see sales of the Fire around the same price... at least for the holiday season.
I would not be surprised if Amazon sells more new Kindles and Tablets than Apple sells iPads in the 4th Qtr.
Uh, that's insane. I bet my kidneys it won't happen.
Yes, I know they are more low-end and smaller screened than the iPad at least RIGHT NOW. But two larger, more powerful Amazon tablets, 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch tablet sizes, will be introduced early in 2012 at least according to the analyst's report. So once they are, if they are, Amazon will have an impressive 5 tablet lineup starting with a low end 6-inch Kindle up to a 10.1-inch tablet that may very well prove to be a credible, formidable adversary to Apple's iPad lineup.
Sigh. God gave them eyes, but they cannot see. THERE IS NO TABLET MARKET. There is an iPad market. So far I've run into only 1 of our 10,000 members that understands that. And apparently no manufacturer understands that either...except The Copyist.
Amazon is the only company that I hold in equal high esteem to Apple. Amazon also has the entire Eco-system as does Apple in providing a vast array of services that are highly integrated with their hardware. Also their customers, including me, love Amazon's vast selection of everything with accompanying helpful customer reviews, very low prices, free shipping AND truly great customer service.
That's fine. I like them too. But to think they can compete with Apple just because of that ecosystem? Nope.
I do agree with others who think Amazon will be the 1st true competitor to Apple giving many consumers a genuine choice in selecting the right tablet or tablets for themselves and their families.
There is absolutely no indication that will happen.
In fact, I'll go one step further by stating I will be very surprised if Amazon's tablet lineup doesn't battle Apple with successful forays and advances in the personal and home market starting much sooner than we may now think. Anyway, an Apple, Amazon confrontation will certainly be good for the consumer and the vast worldwide market is certainly big enough for both companies to succeed.
So, is this a typo/mistake? will the Fire have a hybrid eInk and IPS LCD display? If so, that would be pretty damn interesting. And is the first I've heard of it.
As others have said, I see the Fire being moderately successful -- it's in a different market to the iPad, so shouldn't be compared to that. Really the Fire's biggest competitor is the standard Kindle (or Kindles) itself.
I was hoping they would bring out a colour eInk version. The current model is great for books but not great for magazines or newspapers with a lot of colour photos.
I would not be surprised if Amazon sells more new Kindles and Tablets than Apple sells iPads in the 4th Qtr. Yes, I know they are more low-end and smaller screened than the iPad at least RIGHT NOW. But two larger, more powerful Amazon tablets, 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch tablet sizes, will be introduced early in 2012 at least according to the analyst's report. So once they are, if they are, Amazon will have an impressive 5 tablet lineup starting with a low end 6-inch Kindle up to a 10.1-inch tablet that may very well prove to be a credible, formidable adversary to Apple's iPad lineup.
Amazon is the only company that I hold in equal high esteem to Apple. Amazon also has the entire Eco-system as does Apple in providing a vast array of services that are highly integrated with their hardware. Also their customers, including me, love Amazon's vast selection of everything with accompanying helpful customer reviews, very low prices, free shipping AND truly great customer service.
I do agree with others who think Amazon will be the 1st true competitor to Apple giving many consumers a genuine choice in selecting the right tablet or tablets for themselves and their families. In fact, I'll go one step further by stating I will be very surprised if Amazon's tablet lineup doesn't battle Apple with successful forays and advances in the personal and home market starting much sooner than we may now think. Anyway, an Apple, Amazon confrontation will certainly be good for the consumer and the vast worldwide market is certainly big enough for both companies to succeed.
sniff...sniff....ahhhhh...the sweet smell of fresh cut astro-turf.
It's like watching a train wreck in sloooow motion. You want to look away, but you just can't.
I couldn't have said it better myself?and I'm a writer
Jobs says it's not about the hardware specs but the experience - unfortunately for Amazon, their experience is truly the anti-Apple. Is there an update for your device? Who knows? Who can tell? And if one version gets it, another may not, because... hey, no real reason, just because Amazon decided not to. I love my Kindle DX for reading, but that's entirely due to the great e-ink screen, NOT thanks to the godawful software and end-user experience that Amazon delivers. Oh, not to mention the awful keyboard. B&N came late to the party and has been doing laps around Amazon. And now Amazon is going to be the mighty Apple challenger? Seriously?
Your first part is a bunch of fud. Mainly because you don't know enough about the tablet. There's no reason to cast doubt on Amazon's ability to support their devices given the good job they've done with their current Kindle devices.
Also I'm not sure where the venom and defensiveness is coming from given that the drumming up of Amazon going toe to toe with Apple has generally been a media creation because the media needs an 'iPhone' 'iPad' killer on the forefront to keep tech nerds raging and increasing their click revenue.
The Amazon tablet sounds to me like a low cost solution for consumers to get access to their ebooks, cloud music, videos and other Amazon services on a portable device. The tablet provides an avenue for Amazon to promote their ecosystem and control the environment in which their content is presented. The OMAP 3 is more than suitable for providing that experience, and if Amazon does a good job optimizing Android 2.2 or 2.3, it will be just as snappy as the iPhone 4 or original iPad in delivering the experience.
Looking forward to seeing what they come up with but I won't be trading my ipad anytime soon
So far I've run into only 1 of our 10,000 members that understands that.
Two!
Now that's a much smaller ratio! 1:5,000 instead of 1:10,000.
Looking more closely at the table, the Hollywood (Fire, presumably) states the display suppliers being eInk and LGD (LG Displays).
So, is this a typo/mistake? will the Fire have a hybrid eInk and IPS LCD display? If so, that would be pretty damn interesting. And is the first I've heard of it.
I was wondering the same thing myself. I've also never heard of such a hybrid. If Amazon has managed to get ahold of some proprietary tech, things will get very interesting. I tend to think it's probably a typo though.
Looking more closely at the table, the Hollywood (Fire, presumably) states the display suppliers being eInk and LGD (LG Displays).
So, is this a typo/mistake? will the Fire have a hybrid eInk and IPS LCD display? If so, that would be pretty damn interesting. And is the first I've heard of it.
Both Apple and Amazon have been reported to be toying with a combo LCD/e-ink display. If I placed bets on first to market, I'd guess Amazon early next year.
Why Amazon does not stick on what it does best instead of chasing Apple? another epic failure in the making.
They're not chasing Apple. They're going down a road blazed by Apple but already trod by plenty of others. Having a conduit to a specific digital marketplace (text, music, films) is now an inevitable goal because the previous models of each either has ceased to exist, is a ghost town or is facing that in the future. In ten years there will be three companies left standing who will be the only places to go for new content, and I don't doubt that Amazon will be one of them.
Both Apple and Amazon have been reported to be toying with a combo LCD/e-ink display. If I placed bets on first to market, I'd guess Amazon early next year.
I'm thinking it must be a typo as well. Other sources have indicated Amazon is still working on a hybrid but that it's a ways off. I would be shocked if they came out with it now. It would be pretty cool though.