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Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

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Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#71

"While that store doesn’t offer all the apps found in Google’s Android Market..." With tablet hardware providing little differentiation, software is the main value proposition. In light of this, providing a subset of the second largest app selection is a questionable move.

You're still thinking apps. Amazon features the largest eBookstore, one of the largest MP3 stores, one of the largest tv/movie streaming libraries.

That's the value proposition. I think the App store is going to be like the Browser on the kindle: some will use it, but it's not going to be the main focus.

Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#72
post #66
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

a better name would be "the kindle tablet"

Or "Kindle Prime". But who knows? I thought iPad was silly name at first. "Too close to iPod." Seems to work now.

The problem with "Kindle Prime" is that it takes two of Amazon's strongest brand names and muddles them. Reminds me of Microsoft's marketing back in the early 2000's where they'd append .Net to everything, or take a sqlite-like library for smartphones and call it "SQL Server 2003 Compact Edition."

Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#73
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is Kindle bookstore really a differentiator? What will Kindle bookstore do that Kindle for iPad does not?

Well for starters it will be an integrated experience, something Apple has made sure Amazon can't do on iPad. Amazon also has a lot more than books to fill the Fire with--they have a much more extensive collection of video than Apple (including free streaming content for Prime members).

Got it. Thanks.

Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#74
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe people who want e-ink just buy a Kindle.

Or maybe people who want e-ink are a single-digit percentage of the market.

If a consumer does research, as I did, and looks for comparison of the eInk of the Nook and of the Kindle, you quickly discover side by side photos of the Nook and Kindle and conclude that the Kindle eInk is better (it does use a more current version of eInk than the Nook after all). If you wanted color - you with w/ the Nook because that was the option you had out of the big two, otherwise, with the Kindle.

Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#75
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but what happens when Google's Android market place remains dominant, they release new versions of Android for Tablet and SmartPhone that become incompatible with Amazon's version of Amadroid? It doesn't have to be forever - if new games, new high-demand software is released for Android phones and Tabelts, even if it takes 6 months for Amazon to make their OS compatible and 6 more for app developers to put out…

> Sure, but what happens when Google's Android market place remains dominant, they release new versions of Android for Tablet and SmartPhone that become incompatible with Amazon's version of Amadroid? Nothing will happen. Kindle Fire users will continue to read their books, watch their movies / tv shows and browse the web as before. This is being marketed as a Kindle for a reason.

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Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#76
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but what happens when Google's Android market place remains dominant, they release new versions of Android for Tablet and SmartPhone that become incompatible with Amazon's version of Amadroid? It doesn't have to be forever - if new games, new high-demand software is released for Android phones and Tabelts, even if it takes 6 months for Amazon to make their OS compatible and 6 more for app developers to put out…

> Sure, but what happens when Google's Android market place remains dominant, they release new versions of Android for Tablet and SmartPhone that become incompatible with Amazon's version of Amadroid? Nothing will happen. Kindle Fire users will continue to read their books, watch their movies / tv shows and browse the web as before. This is being marketed as a Kindle for a reason.

I am not sure how you can be so confident. Amazon is selling the app store to users along with the Kindle as part of the $300 price. Users will play Angry Birds on their Kindles, look at their other friends playing other new games and using other interesting apps on their Google Market based devices. They won't be able to get to those if stock Android and Amazon Android diverge even further. Game devs and App devs won't be first to put their stuff on Amazon's store because of a) incompatibility issues and b)Phones are where it is with Android and they all run Google's market.

I am not saying this is what will happen - just a potential scenario. I am actually pretty sure Amazon will have a plan to preserve compatibility with stock Android. I was refuting OP's point that Amazon will have a different 2.1 based Android going forward and they won't bother with rebasing to Google releases.

Re: Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

#77
I'm a bit pessimistic; if the hardware is old and rushed, why would the software or overall experience be any better?

I suspect Lab126 is cooking up something much better--but, unfortunately, it's not yet ready for prime time.

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