Engadget:amazon tablet shipping '11

[grumpy3b]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

I'll believe it when I see it released. That image is the same stock Photoshopped image we saw with the other Amazon tablet story. And I'm still not convinced that producing their own tablet gives them anything they don't have by letting other people produce tablets to run their software on. If it's just a locked-down color e-reader, it won't have anything distinct against the Nook. If it's a full-fledged tablet, it won't have anything distinct against all the other tablets out there.

Where's the advantage for Amazon?

have people learned nothing from the iOS device phenomena? Apple does not provide the best of anything; what Apple does provide is a brand people simply feel good about in a sea of option overload. It's the same logic for the existence of "value meals", special pre-defined coffee drinks in coffee houses, etc. These items are all to be had as individual options that actually can drive away people who simply don't like to decide or feel the might make a bad choice and maybe embarrass themselves. So a company that not only provides a trusted brand name but also relieves people of the need to decide will probably always be the choice of far more people.

Amazon needs a device to help people with the current Chinese Fire Drill that is Android. People just want a device they can use. Amazon has media they want to sell, slate devices might be the market segment which will grow the most over the next few year and people want a company with all the content to tell them what device to buy. Best for Amazon to put the Amazon brand on it because of the Kindle success. It really should not be a hard thing to connect those dots.

[Penforhire]

I think Google needs to step in the reduce the Chinese Fire Drill aspect in the future. Their hardware specs and update requirements are too broad. If you buy an Android device you have no guarantee the manufacturer will provide any OS updates, without essentially hacking the device on your own.

Now it is true Apple does not guarantee iOS updates but their track record is pretty good and they seem to have made an effort to keep older devices working as well as possible.

Grumpy, while I agree with you there is certainly a brand cachet with Apple it is not 100% of their success. Their hardware is generally put together well, they focus on the interface, and customer service is above average. The part you're pointing to is similar to how IBM dominated for many years. IT managers never got fired and only rarely criticized for buying IBM. In that regard Apple is the new IBM (and their stock value proves it, lol).

[=X=]

Originally Posted by L.J. Sellers

Another source, adding to the rumor.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20110502PD216.html

L.J.

Actually their the source that started the rumor. The reason so many people are buying into the rumor is because of digitimes credibility.

=X=

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by grumpy3b

have people learned nothing from the iOS device phenomena? Apple does not provide the best of anything; what Apple does provide is a brand people simply feel good about in a sea of option overload. It's the same logic for the existence of "value meals", special pre-defined coffee drinks in coffee houses, etc. These items are all to be had as individual options that actually can drive away people who simply don't like to decide or feel the might make a bad choice and maybe embarrass themselves. So a company that not only provides a trusted brand name but also relieves people of the need to decide will probably always be the choice of far more people.

I think you're underestimating Apple. iPods and iPhones (and later iPads) took off because of the interface. Apple really has a genius with interfaces. The other problem with the analysis is that people looking for a good color tablet already have good default options: iPad if you've got the money for it, and Nook Color if you've got a little less money for it. If Amazon was to get into the tablet space, they'd be entering a crowded field, and they'd be doing it for no good reason, because they can already push their media on almost every modern device.

The only people I can see being convinced to buy an Amazon tablet like this would be a die-hard Amazon fan that didn't already decide to buy a Nook or iPad. If Amazon had beaten B&N to market with a tablet, maybe they'd have a good shot. A tablet like this is really starting out life behind the 8-ball, though. It would be like Amazon deciding to sell a branded smartphone.

Originally Posted by AGB

Amazon needs a device to help people with the current Chinese Fire Drill that is Android. People just want a device they can use. Amazon has media they want to sell, slate devices might be the market segment which will grow the most over the next few year and people want a company with all the content to tell them what device to buy. Best for Amazon to put the Amazon brand on it because of the Kindle success. It really should not be a hard thing to connect those dots.

Amazon can sell content to anyone with any tablet (Android, Windows 7, and WebOS). Unless they can come up with something more unique than the Amazon logo to put on it, they stand a real chance of getting creamed in the tablet market. And it would be for nothing, because they can already sell their media on all the popular platforms.

If they were going to produce a reasonably-priced device with a Mirasol display, I might be willing to believe it would be a success. But another "me too" tablet? I just don't think it's worth it.

[ProfCrash]

I don't want a Nook. I don't want to have to root the device and then hope that it works ok. I don't want an IPad, it is pretty and it works nice but it is lacking features I would want and I don't what I have heard from Apple regarding taxing sales from the IPad.

I am leaning toward a Samsung Galaxy. I have until September to make up my mind and watch prices fall.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

... I am leaning toward a Samsung Galaxy. I have until September to make up my mind and watch prices fall.

I had first the Samsung Galaxy S, then the Vibrant. Both of them had significant issues, which Samsung took eons to fix, and in fact still has not fixed. And they were locked worse than Apple's products.

Now I have a Nexus S, which is still Samsung, but it is supported by Google. The Nexus S is a much better functioning device.

On the other hand, I still think that my old iPhone 3Gs still offered a slightly better user experience. But no Flash, and I needed to jailbreak it to work with other carriers (which never worked too well).

All this rambling is to say that I don't think I'd ever buy another Samsung-made Android device, unless it is supported by Google. And I wouldn't recommend it to others.

[Tomsk]

http://www.boehydis.com/eng/03_produ...m=170&pdvName=

I like the resolution of that 5.6" display - 1280x800. It would make a good pocket pdf viewer.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by Tomsk

http://www.boehydis.com/eng/03_produ...m=170&pdvName=

I like the resolution of that 5.6" display - 1280x800. It would make a good pocket pdf viewer.

Right. And it will come with a spiffy magnifying glass in matching colors.

Even on the 9.7" iPad and KDX, standard size PDFs are not readable.

[RoxyJ]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Since your imagining does not have a keyboard, why not just have the buttons equal size and on one side only? To read one handed, just rotate the page to match.

I'm always switching which hands are holding the ereader, if I had to flip the Kindle to use my left hand, I would be doing it quite often. I think, that for me anyways, that this would get a little annoying. Good idea though.

I think that the market is not over saturated yet. Just speaking from my own experience. I love the ipad, but it's way too big for ereading (for me) I am considering the nook, but they do not offer support outside of the USA (<--- this alone could be a great reason for Amazon to consider a low price color device, there is no comparable quality ereader to the nook anywhere else in the world). Not to mention that I view Amazon's quality to be comparable to Apple's (if not better) If Amazon came out with their version the the nook color I would probably be one of the first in line to purchase.

[RoxyJ]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

Amazon can sell content to anyone with any tablet (Android, Windows 7, and WebOS). Unless they can come up with something more unique than the Amazon logo to put on it, they stand a real chance of getting creamed in the tablet market. And it would be for nothing, because they can already sell their media on all the popular platforms.

If they were going to produce a reasonably-priced device with a Mirasol display, I might be willing to believe it would be a success. But another "me too" tablet? I just don't think it's worth it.

As far as I can tell, they are going to be offering something unique, a color lcd screen that performs well in sunlight. (Advanced fringe field switching (AFFS))
If they can pull this off, then this can be a real contender. Especially if they elect to price it at a similar price to the nook.

[dmikov]

Originally Posted by Sonist

Right. And it will come with a spiffy magnifying glass in matching colors.

Even on the 9.7" iPad and KDX, standard size PDFs are not readable.

They are quite readable if you have good eyesight. May I recommend investing in glasses?
I was vain enough not to use reading glasses for quite a long time, but I finally broke and now with x1.75 I can read all pdfs comfortably on 7" nook color (it's better if I crop margins in iceni, but not necessary).
If you have your eyesight failing and you have to keep books in hyper extended hands, very soon 14" devices won't be good enough.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Since your imagining does not have a keyboard, why not just have the buttons equal size and on one side only? To read one handed, just rotate the page to match.

Good in theory, but in practice... This is how the Opus does it's side buttons and I don't care for it personally.

[Sonist]

Originally Posted by dmikov

They are quite readable if you have good eyesight. May I recommend investing in glasses?
I was vain enough not to use reading glasses for quite a long time, but I finally broke and now with x1.75 I can read all pdfs comfortably on 7" nook color (it's better if I crop margins in iceni, but not necessary).
If you have your eyesight failing and you have to keep books in hyper extended hands, very soon 14" devices won't be good enough.

Actually, my eyesight is still good

Some PDFs have larger type and spacing.

But many don't. Try reading a PDF of something like one of the Lonely Planet guides, then tell me if it is comfortable to read it even on a KDX for any extended period of time.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by RoxyJ

As far as I can tell, they are going to be offering something unique, a color lcd screen that performs well in sunlight. (Advanced fringe field switching (AFFS))
If they can pull this off, then this can be a real contender. Especially if they elect to price it at a similar price to the nook.

How well does the Nook Color fare in light? If it does even reasonably well, then I think it's going to be a hard road for Amazon to go down, unless they somehow manage to price it less than a Nook Color.

Granted, that's not impossible, but I'm not holding my breath, either. I think there are a lot better ways for Amazon to be investing R&D than to chase the tablet craze. I'd rather see a color e-ink screen that doesn't do video or apps. I'd rather see a reader with micro-SD card access. I'd rather see them put a little more thought into the design of the keyboard (or a touch interface, failing that). How about removing DRM, or at least making it more invisible to the user?

I fear that a tablet would only be a costly distraction for Amazon. They have a lot of other things they could be doing that would be more productive.

[cfrizz]

Agreed Prof. I also don't want a Nook to have to root it & locked in to B&N, IPad is too expensive & locked in to Apple.

I'm waiting for a Honeycomb 7 inch tablet that doesn't cost too much, and will accept any/all reading apps that exist.

If Amazon will allow me to install apps that read epubs & pdfs at a good price, I would get one. But if it's a walled garden like their current Kindles, I'll continue to wait & watch.

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I don't want a Nook. I don't want to have to root the device and then hope that it works ok. I don't want an IPad, it is pretty and it works nice but it is lacking features I would want and I don't what I have heard from Apple regarding taxing sales from the IPad.

I am leaning toward a Samsung Galaxy. I have until September to make up my mind and watch prices fall.