Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet • Hacker News Board

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#311

Post by talmand » Thu, Sep 29, 2011, 2:02 PM UTC

orijing wrote: post #286

hyperbovine wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is Amazon responsible for the fact that your government chooses to impose import duties? For that matter, why didn't somebody in Europe start Amazon? Could it have anything to do with the high cost of doing business there? I think your complaints are misdirected.

I agree that it isn't Amazon's fault for governments imposing duties, but I think the parent was referring more to the fact that Amazon wasn't upfront about the total cost before he had to go through the entire checkout process. I think what he was suggesting was Amazon determine what country you are in, and show the prices for your country. I think that's a reasonable request to make of Amazon.

After reading his description of events I see nothing for him to be complaining about towards Amazon. He did say his country qualified for free shipping with some conditions. Maybe he triggered one of those conditions?

Most of the time complaints like these are misdirected because the cost discrepancy is usually due to government restrictions and taxes. You don't think Amazon would want to sell and ship products worldwide at roughly the same prices?

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#312

Post by mgkimsal » Thu, Sep 29, 2011, 2:32 PM UTC

hollerith wrote: post #187

jonknee wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Still, those B&M stores in America are incredibly popular They're actually an albatross. Ask Borders how popular physical book stores are. B&N is only still alive because of its digital business. Barely alive too, Amazon is 150x larger in terms of market cap. Digital sales are up, physical sales are down and at the end of the quarter they are losing a lot of money. The Kindle line is sold in Target. I'd wager Targe…

>Even better, it doesn't cost Amazon a dime to keep Target stores open. Since vendors often pay retailers for prime shelf space, Amazon might in fact contribute to keeping Target stores open. Still, I get what you mean.

Agreed. I can't help but think Apple has to be paying Target something for the 10 foot long Apple-branded cases/displays for the iPad/iPod lines. Maybe Target would pay for that themselves to have the privilege of selling ipads, but I'd be less surprised if Apple was paying for the space.

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#313

Post by dablya » Thu, Sep 29, 2011, 3:12 PM UTC

danssig wrote: post #305

"There are two types of companies: those that work hard to charge customers more, and those that work hard to charge customers less. Both approaches can work. We are firmly in the second camp." I've always had a lot of respect for Bezos and what he's done but this lowers my opinion of him. Not only is it a petty cheap shot, it's not even true (so does he not know somehow, or is he lying?). Most tablet makers were hav…

Maybe he was talking about this: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/08/999-ebooks-lawsuit/al...

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#314

Post by InnocentB » Thu, Sep 29, 2011, 3:14 PM UTC

Maxious wrote: post #309

whatusername wrote: post #292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in Australia. My local supermarket sells Kindles (woolworths). So does the local electronics store owned by the same brand (Dick Smiths). What's this Nook thing you're talking about?

Borders Australia, may it rest in peace with it's absurd over RRP pricing policy, sold them.

I think you might be confused with this: http://www.koboereader.com

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#315

Post by pnathan » Thu, Sep 29, 2011, 4:00 PM UTC

tszyn wrote: post #298

ableal wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't recommend trying web browsing on E-ink, unless it's through some Readability filter or similar. The screen updates are too slow for it, and the DX browser didn't render perfectly. I suspect the CPUs don't have the oomph for the modern web. Note that my experience is on a 2010 vintage DX with no WiFi - it is limited to 3G on Amazon's dime. In Europe that's only Wikipedia and the Amazon store.

Thanks. Reading from LCD screens gives me eye strain, so I was thinking of reading blogs, news and software docs on the Kindle. Do you think that might work?

My local Staples sells Kindles. I would suggest digging a physical one up and flipping through it for a while.

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#316

Post by mgkimsal » Thu, Sep 29, 2011, 4:04 PM UTC

danssig wrote: post #302

pork wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the minds of most people, Apple is sexy. They make stylish products that are easy to use. They have sexy stores and enjoyable ads on TV. The high price makes them status symbols. They are massively entrenched and can take advantage of network effects ("all my friends are ipad owners and they love it"). In the face of that, the only rational area to compete in is offering a functionally similar product at a much lo…

How would Samsung fight on price here? Amazon is using the Fire as a loss leader. They very likely lose money on every sale. But they make it up on extra Amazon conversions. What would Samsung make up their losses on?

sdks and a cut from app sales via a samsung app store. ???

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#317

Post by Vitaly » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 12:21 PM UTC

Now it doesnt have the most appealing difference the regular kindle had over iPad. With it's IPS display it will be now just as impossible to read in bright sunlight.

Re: Amazon Unveils $199 Kindle Fire Tablet

#318

Post by miles_matthias » Fri, Oct 07, 2011, 6:24 PM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #257

miles_matthias wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the clip I saw, Bezos looked awkward and nervous. He looked like the wind was already out of his sails, which doesn't help to create that rock concert environment if that's what he wanted. He paused a lot to wait for applause and got crickets. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whOlvV3HYFM

He paused a lot to wait for applause and got crickets. It's a press conference, not a public event. You measure interest by camera shutter clicks, rather than applause :-) He's already achieved his business objective, which is lots and lots of frothy press coverage and market position as a value provider. The longer the poor economic climate lasts, the more this pays off. I can see why you're skeptical, but I felt th…

Ha good point about shutter clicks.

I wasn't trying to make an assessment of the product though - I was just trying to make about his presentation style. I think he was hoping for a rockstar presentation where everyone would get energetic and excited from the way he presented alone (regardless of the product).

I think the new kindles are cool :)