Why Amazon is waiting to release it's tablet (it's the OS?)

[RockdaMan]

Jason Perlow, a senior editor at ZDNet has been tweeting about Android this morning. Something he said strikes me as somewhat likely:

This is why I think Amazon has been biding its time. It either wants clean HC source, or they are forking out Gingerbread.

http://twitter.com/#!/jperlow/status/62949518206959616

I doubt they are forking an old version of Android; it's more likely that they are going to do every thing in their power to make sure that they hit a Honeycomb home-run with reviewers for stability and price when it's released.

He's been tweeting about Android since this morning, some good, some bad: http://twitter.com/#!/jperlow

[kjk]

I also think they are just waiting/working on making sure they aren't selling a beta product when they launch. Quite frankly, I doubt they are worried about "missing the boat" at this point.

I'm unclear what constitutes a 'fork' though...if Amazon goes without the Android Market, (replacing it with the Amazon Android App Store) but otherwise provides a full Honeycomb experience, plus full hooks to Kindle, Amazon Video, Amazon Music,etc.) ...does that count as a fork?

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by kjk

I also think they are just waiting/working on making sure they aren't selling a beta product when they launch. Quite frankly, I doubt they are worried about "missing the boat" at this point.

I'm unclear what constitutes a 'fork' though...if Amazon goes without the Android Market, (replacing it with the Amazon Android App Store) but otherwise provides a full Honeycomb experience, plus full hooks to Kindle, Amazon Video, Amazon Music,etc.) ...does that count as a fork?

I don't think they can sell a device and not give users access to the Android Market. That would bring the wrath of the fanboys and possibly even Google down on them. No, they'll sell it with both, with their own market being the 'preferred' destination.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

I don't think they can sell a device and not give users access to the Android Market. That would bring the wrath of the fanboys and possibly even Google down on them.

Well the Nook Color did exactly that, no?

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Well the Nook Color did exactly that, no?

I don't think the upgrade is Honeycomb.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

Jason Perlow, a senior editor at ZDNet has been tweeting about Android this morning. Something he said strikes me as somewhat likely:



http://twitter.com/#!/jperlow/status/62949518206959616

I doubt they are forking an old version of Android; it's more likely that they are going to do every thing in their power to make sure that they hit a Honeycomb home-run with reviewers for stability and price when it's released.

He's been tweeting about Android since this morning, some good, some bad: http://twitter.com/#!/jperlow

Or they might not be working on an Android tablet at all.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

I don't think they can sell a device and not give users access to the Android Market. That would bring the wrath of the fanboys and possibly even Google down on them. No, they'll sell it with both, with their own market being the 'preferred' destination.

But you are assuming their target market is Android fanboys. So far none of the tablets from other companies are competitive on price with Apple at the moment as they are still thinking about tablets as a big phone and want same kind of margins with the help of Telcos. Amazon is in the best position to create and sell a tablet at cost as their major aim would be to earn from apps and ebooks and they have a large customer base trained to buy e-goods so I do expect them to be successful at it.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

But you are assuming their target market is Android fanboys.

No, I'm assuming they don't won't to alienate them.

[boswd]

anyword if this will be an amazon's version of the nook color IOWS an ereader or a regualr tablet?

If it's marketed as an ereader, Gingerbread would be just fine.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by boswd

If it's marketed as an ereader, Gingerbread would be just fine.

And a lot less buggy than Honeycomb.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by RockdaMan

I doubt they are forking an old version of Android;

Gingerbread is not "an old version of Android", just different than HoneyComb. and if anything, more mature.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by boswd

anyword if this will be an amazon's version of the nook color IOWS an ereader or a regualr tablet?

If it's marketed as an ereader, Gingerbread would be just fine.

Since it doesn't exist just yet there's no way that there can be any word on how closed it is.

[kennyc]

Wow! Something Nate and I agree on.