PDA

View Full Version : Amazon unveils $199 Kindle Fire tablet



Teh One Who Knocks
09-28-2011, 04:42 PM
By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer


http://i.imgur.com/6veIH.jpg

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on Wednesday showed off the Kindle Fire, a $199 tablet computer, challenging Apple's iPad by extending its Kindle brand into the world of full-color, multipurpose devices.

Bezos also took the opportunity to show off a new line of Kindle e-readers with black-and-white screens and lower prices, further pressuring competitors like Barnes & Noble Inc. that are trying to break Amazon.com Inc.'s dominance in electronic book sales.

The Kindle Fire will go on sale Nov. 15. It's about half the size of the iPad, making it a close match with Barnes & Noble's Nook Color tablet, which came out last year. But while Barnes & Noble sees the Nook Color as jazzed-up e-reader, Amazon has broader goals for the Fire, as a platform for games, movies, music and other applications.

Even before its release, the Kindle Fire was heralded as a worthy competitor to Apple's iPad. Amazon is nearly unique in its ability to sell content such as e-books, movies and music suited for a tablet — just like Apple does.

But competing with Apple won't be easy. Many have tried to copy the iPad's success, but so far, it is the overwhelming front-runner in the tablet computer category. Apple sold 28.7 million of them from April 2010 to June 2011. Analysts at research firm Gartner Inc. expect the iPad to account for three out of four tablet sales this year.

The Fire runs a version of Google Inc.'s Android software, used by other iPad wannabes, and will have access to applications through Amazon's Android store. Unlike the iPad, the Fire doesn't need to be backed up on a PC. Instead, it backs up its contents wirelessly on Amazon's servers.

"That model that you have to back up your own content is a broken model. We want to take responsibility for that," Bezos said in a dig at Apple. He was speaking at a press event in New York.

Amazon's cheapest new Kindle will cost $79, and dispenses with the keyboard the Kindles have carried since the first model launched in 2007. Previously, the cheapest Kindle cost $114.

Amazon is also bringing out the first black-and-white Kindle with a touch screen. It will cost $99 and is reminiscent of Barnes & Noble's latest Nook. A version with access to AT&T's cellular network for book downloads will cost $149.

PorkChopSandwiches
09-28-2011, 04:49 PM
I bet they will win this war, hit the correct price point, no contract required, all ready have a full webstore. :tup:

Loser
09-28-2011, 05:29 PM
Exactly, iPad's are toast. They can't compete with the lower prices, so they're suing everyone on bullshit patent claims.

Muddy
09-28-2011, 05:38 PM
It'd be awesome if someone brought their own unique product to the market, instead of always chasing the competition.

Teh One Who Knocks
09-28-2011, 05:56 PM
It'd be awesome if someone brought their own unique product to the market, instead of always chasing the competition.

You do realize that a handheld tablet device isn't Apple's invention don't you?

Loser
09-28-2011, 06:02 PM
You do realize that a handheld tablet device isn't Apple's invention don't you?

Sadly, most people do think that, but I believe HP was the first tablet maker.

Muddy
09-28-2011, 06:20 PM
You do realize that a handheld tablet device isn't Apple's invention don't you?


Oh who's is it?

Loser
09-28-2011, 06:37 PM
According to wikipedia, microsoft came out with the fully functional tablet pc back in 2000/01, but then again, apple's ipad isn't really "fully" functional now is it? ;)

samarchepas
09-28-2011, 07:10 PM
According to wikipedia, microsoft came out with the fully functional tablet pc back in 2000/01, but then again, apple's ipad isn't really "fully" functional now is it? ;)

That's how Apple works...take something that already existed for years and make it shine = instant success.

Muddy
09-28-2011, 07:23 PM
That's how Apple works...take something that already existed for years and make it shine = instant success.


Kinda like what Microsoft did when they ripped off IBM..

Loser
09-28-2011, 07:36 PM
And so "IT" begins....

http://i52.tinypic.com/2my0yev.gif

Teh One Who Knocks
09-29-2011, 12:13 AM
http://i.imgur.com/QR6IZ.jpg

Godfather
09-29-2011, 04:44 AM
The Amazon App store is going to hurt it... for this reason it seems like some analists are saying it won't kill the iPad :-k Hope it's wrong

But this is exciting. I told a friend of mine "dude, I know you want an iPad, but check out the Amazon Fire. Pretty sexy device"
He said "No, the money is not the problem, I just want the best ipad, not an inferior product"

:huh: I just gave him an "...lol" and carried on with my day.

Otherwise it's perfect... 8gb is a little small and a camera would be nice but whatever. $199 is a VERY sexy price.

Teh One Who Knocks
09-29-2011, 10:25 AM
The Amazon App store is going to hurt it... for this reason it seems like some analists are saying it won't kill the iPad :-k Hope it's wrong

But this is exciting. I told a friend of mine "dude, I know you want an iPad, but check out the Amazon Fire. Pretty sexy device"
He said "No, the money is not the problem, I just want the best ipad, not an inferior product"

:huh: I just gave him an "...lol" and carried on with my day.

Otherwise it's perfect... 8gb is a little small and a camera would be nice but whatever. $199 is a VERY sexy price.

That's the mindset of the crApple sheeple...anything made by crApple is perfect and nothing can compare, even in the face of the facts that there are superior products out there that cost a whole lot less than crApple products. :rolleyes:

Arkady Renko
09-29-2011, 02:20 PM
I'm fairly sure the new amazon tablet will shake up the market quite a bit, but it seems to me that there's still a lot of room for other competitors. It all depends on what people want to do with their tablets. If they want one for reading ebooks, a simple Kindle will do just fine, while the kindle fire is neither fish nor flesh, really. it doesn't have the e-ink screen ad its hardware is too weak to do much more than e-mail, brwose crippled web sites and watch movies in mediocre resolution.

But then again the ipad is a huge success even though it has many limitations, so who knows what the next hype will be?


Oh who's is it?

stanley kubrick's. there's a scene in Space Odyssey where the astronauts watch TV on tablet devices.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3949GAIokg

Arkady Renko
09-29-2011, 02:23 PM
That's the mindset of the crApple sheeple...anything made by crApple is perfect and nothing can compare, even in the face of the facts that there are superior products out there that cost a whole lot less than crApple products. :rolleyes:

definitely. And Apple are very good at exploiting that. they managed to get a temporary injunction against the german branch of Samsung banning them from supplying retailers with their new Galaxy Tab 10.1 by claiming that the Galaxy Tab's design was almost an exact copy of the iPad's design. Even though the injunction will probably be overturned by court of appeals, it will stay in effect until mid december so the christmas season is lost for Samsung...

Jezter
09-29-2011, 03:26 PM
it doesn't have the e-ink screen ad its hardware is too weak to do much more than e-mail, brwose crippled web sites and watch movies in mediocre resolution.


What else would you do with a slate? They are like oversized smartphones without the phone function...except for Skype and I think some have phone too... but really, they are not even comfortable and designed for anything else than those activities you mentioned IMHO. If you really want to work and do something useful, laptop is the way to go.

Muddy
09-29-2011, 04:23 PM
Otherwise it's perfect... 8gb is a little small and a camera would be nice but whatever. $199 is a VERY sexy price.

It's small though.. It isn't comparable to the ipad..

Jezter
09-29-2011, 07:00 PM
It's small though.. It isn't comparable to the ipad..

Then again, I don't think it is a straight competitor for iPad in the first place... There's plenty of other tablets/slates that beat iPad though.

Muddy
09-29-2011, 09:51 PM
Then again, I don't think it is a straight competitor for iPad in the first place... There's plenty of other tablets/slates that beat iPad though.

At the end of the day though who really cares? Its a stupid tablet computer we're talking about.. :dance:

Jezter
09-30-2011, 01:49 PM
At the end of the day though who really cares? Its a stupid tablet computer we're talking about.. :dance:

iSheeples care. :tup:

Muddy
09-30-2011, 02:50 PM
iSheeples care. :tup:

And apparently non "isheeples" do as well.. ;)

RBP
11-28-2011, 01:39 AM
I heard a rumor that Amazon is going to blow out some kindle fire's at midnight tonight to kick off cyber monday. :-k

But I wonder if this isn't a better option: http://www.amazon.com/R90L200-ARM11-Android-Tablet-Computer/dp/B004U28VUA/ref=sr_1_18?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1322443503&sr=1-18 9 in vs 7 inch

Godfather
11-28-2011, 01:58 AM
Still can't get the Fire up here :(

The one you posted looks like a good deal. Whether Pandigital makes a good product, I'm not sure.. I bought my dad a Blackberry Playbook for Christmas. They're on for $200, off from $500. Not sure it would be my first Tablet choice but he wanted one and that's a fair price.

RBP
11-28-2011, 02:04 AM
Still can't get the Fire up here :(

The one you posted looks like a good deal. Whether Pandigital makes a good product, I'm not sure.. I bought my dad a Blackberry Playbook for Christmas. They're on for $200, off from $500. Not sure it would be my first Tablet choice but he wanted one and that's a fair price.

It's for my mom, so what would she get from the fire that she couldn't get for $65 less for that tablet?

Griffin
11-28-2011, 02:13 AM
It's for my mom, so what would she get from the fire that she couldn't get for $65 less for that tablet?


She would have the free "Amazon Cloud" storage for her media, but then that might be as big a pain to use as Apple's proprietary iTunes.

Godfather
11-28-2011, 03:26 AM
It's for my mom, so what would she get from the fire that she couldn't get for $65 less for that tablet?

My only concern was the reviews being average, but the price is fantastic and I'm sure the features are perfect.

RBP
11-28-2011, 03:31 AM
My only concern was the reviews being average, but the price is fantastic and I'm sure the features are perfect.

Well but that depends right? I mean some reviews say that if the primary function is to read books, then you're better off with the e-ink technology because the color back lit display is harder on the eyes.

Godfather
11-28-2011, 05:38 AM
Well but that depends right? I mean some reviews say that if the primary function is to read books, then you're better off with the e-ink technology because the color back lit display is harder on the eyes.

For sure. I have a Kindle and love it. Between that, a smart phone and a laptop I don't really personally have a need for a tablet

JoeyB
11-28-2011, 05:56 AM
For sure. I have a Kindle and love it. Between that, a smart phone and a laptop I don't really personally have a need for a tablet

.

RBP
11-28-2011, 06:41 AM
For sure. I have a Kindle and love it. Between that, a smart phone and a laptop I don't really personally have a need for a tablet

Right so kindle touch it is then. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005890G8Y/ref=famstripe_kt

Godfather
11-28-2011, 07:03 AM
Awesome :mrgreen:

I got the Kindle Keyboard because the Touch isn't available up here yet either :(

The Touch is a really nice device though. I charge mine once a month, load it with tons of books (and a few dozen songs!). Great for giving gifts later too. My parents bought me a leather case with a built in light that draws power from the Kindle which I love. And holy crap does it ever safe me a lot of money in books (even when I actually purchase them :P )

RBP
11-28-2011, 07:07 AM
Awesome :mrgreen:

I got the Kindle Keyboard because the Touch isn't available up here yet either :(

The Touch is a really nice device though. I charge mine once a month, load it with tons of books (and a few dozen songs!). Great for giving gifts later too. My parents bought me a leather case with a built in light that draws power from the Kindle which I love. And holy crap does it ever safe me a lot of money in books (even when I actually purchase them :P )

Did you use it for text books? I am thinking about getting another one in the future because the text books are so much cheaper that way, but I am not sure I will use it like I do physical books where I can flip around sections as I am writing.

Godfather
11-28-2011, 07:11 AM
I didn't no, I only got one this year. But if I were in school now I would to save money on textbooks too!

Flipping around isn't too hard. You would get fast at it, and you can make notes too (you might actually like the Kindle Keyboard if that's what you'd be doing)

RBP
11-28-2011, 07:13 AM
I didn't no, I only got one this year. But if I were in school now I would to save money on textbooks too!

:-k

something to consider anyway. I will play with mom's new kindle and see how I like it.

RBP
11-28-2011, 07:21 AM
Flipping around isn't too hard. You would get fast at it, and you can make notes too (you might actually like the Kindle Keyboard if that's what you'd be doing)

fucking edits! :lol:

Yeah I would want to use it like a regular text book. I would also want to load the pdf files of journal articles we have to read every week.

btw... despite missing 4 weeks of school I made everything up and I think I pulled A's in both classes. I rock. :lol:

Muddy
11-28-2011, 03:05 PM
What are you trying to do as a profession when you get out of school, RBP?

RBP
11-28-2011, 03:33 PM
What are you trying to do as a profession when you get out of school, RBP?

I am going to be a mental health counselor, aka a therapist.

Muddy
11-28-2011, 03:35 PM
That sounds like fun.. Do you want to be able to write prescriptions or will you just pre interview for the psych doctors?

RBP
11-28-2011, 03:39 PM
That sounds like fun.. Do you want to be able to write prescriptions or will you just pre interview for the psych doctors?

It's a separate process from the psychiatrists. Some states are looking at allowing therapists to write limited 'scripts but likely no, I'll just concentrate on therapy.

Muddy
11-28-2011, 04:18 PM
It's a separate process from the psychiatrists. Some states are looking at allowing therapists to write limited 'scripts but likely no, I'll just concentrate on therapy.


My dad spends 55 minutes with the therapist, and 5 minutes with the psych...

RBP
11-28-2011, 05:14 PM
My dad spends 55 minutes with the therapist, and 5 minutes with the psych...

Exactly. you get it.

Griffin
11-28-2011, 10:49 PM
A psychiatrist was conducting a group therapy session with four young mothers and their small children. "You all have obsessions," he observed.

To the first mother he said, "You are obsessed with eating. You even named your daughter Candy."

He turned to the second mom. "Your obsession is money. Again, it manifests itself in your child's name, Penny."

He turned to the third mom. "Your obsession is alcohol and your child's name is Brandy."

At this point, the fourth mother got up, took her little boy by the hand and whispered, "Come on, Dick, let's go home."

RBP
11-28-2011, 11:14 PM
A psychiatrist was conducting a group therapy session with four young mothers and their small children. "You all have obsessions," he observed.

To the first mother he said, "You are obsessed with eating. You even named your daughter Candy."

He turned to the second mom. "Your obsession is money. Again, it manifests itself in your child's name, Penny."

He turned to the third mom. "Your obsession is alcohol and your child's name is Brandy."

At this point, the fourth mother got up, took her little boy by the hand and whispered, "Come on, Dick, let's go home."

:rimshot:

Teh One Who Knocks
11-28-2011, 11:22 PM
It's a separate process from the psychiatrists. Some states are looking at allowing therapists to write limited 'scripts but likely no, I'll just concentrate on therapy.

Can I have some Oxy? :-s

Muddy
11-28-2011, 11:25 PM
Can I have some Oxy? :-s

You can get that shit at CVS w/o a prescription...

http://www.acnetreatmentforum.com/image/articles/Oxy%202%20oxy_5.jpg=450.jpg

RBP
11-28-2011, 11:27 PM
Can I have some Oxy? :-s

:-s

Have a ball.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3KEkBqDahg

Muddy
11-28-2011, 11:29 PM
For real though Rainbow... Valium... Hook a bro up?

RBP
11-28-2011, 11:31 PM
For real though Rainbow... Valium... Hook a bro up?

order them from China :)

Teh One Who Knocks
11-28-2011, 11:34 PM
For real though Rainbow... Valium... Hook a bro up?

Oxy :slap: