Whispersync and the new Amazon tablet

[David Marseilles]

IW: Byte ~ Amazon's Upcoming Tablet To Be WiFi, Contract-Free

Either I'm confused about what whispersync is, or informationweek is.

Whispersync, Amazon's syncing service, works in tandem with Whispernet, a free cellular-based network. Piggybacking off Sprint, 3G Kindle users already connect to it for free. Up until this week, Amazon used Whispersync mainly for bookmarking Amazon e-books. It allows readers to pick up where they left off reading, even when switching between different Kindle devices and platforms.

So far, so good. Some 3rd party readers try to do page syncing with dropbox and the like, but Amazon integrates their own service with kindles and kindleware. With Cloud Drive, they're expanding just what they'll store for you in Amazonville.

A free-to-use syncing and sharing technology requiring no Wi-Fi or contracts and operating via cellular, WhisperSync is not just about bookmarks, it turns out. It is the large-scale distribution mechanism behind the syncing and uploading of textbooks in Amazon's new textbook rental service, announced Monday.

...

The effort begins now with books, sources told BYTE, but it ends with music and video and perhaps even e-mail on an Amazon tablet that we could see in less than 90 days. Amazon has not confirmed the tablet's existence and has yet to confirm or deny it to BYTE.

The tablet is rumored to ship in a nine-inch form factor. Whispersync essentially turns the future tablet--or a Kindle--into a WiFi-free cell device that uses Cloud Drive to share and sync huge volumes of rich media, including books, music, photos and video, sources told BYTE.

"It's an unusual feature that's appealing to a lot of people because they can just look at the gadget and say 'yep, I've got a signal' and then they can buy stuff," says Forrester's Gillett. "Furthermore, there's no monthly network charge… it's a simplicity thing."

I think they're confusing whispersync (Amazon cloud storage to sync whatever across devices, network neutral) with whispernet (free cellular data network access on kindle, sometimes used to provide access to whispersync). They really anticipate a free, no contract delivery (the article does not just implicate syncing of placement, but delivery) of music and video over cellular data? Do they have any clue how much bandwidth it takes to deliver Netflix-style (what Amazon Instant Video is supposed to offer) content?

Whispersync will be a big feature, but it's got nothing to do with Amazon providing a free wireless connection. It's a service, much like dropbox. If Amazon tablets come with a cell data radio, they'll either be limited to sync duties (not distro), or you'll pay for them like any other data plan.

Or am I missing something?

[luqmaninbmore]

Amazon uses AT&T now, not Sprint.

[Nate the great]

Or am I missing something?

Nope. You found the flaw in the article.

[David Marseilles]

IW Byte: Is Amazon Hiding A Tipping Point In Its New Tablet?

They're doubling down, but with slightly better facts/terminology. Theory one is free bandwidth for Amazon portal apps, theory 2 is free x GB/MB of bandwidth monthly. The free limited bandwidth examples in the piece (1-3GB) are amounts people would pay $15-$30 a month for, so I think they're still teetering on the edge of absurdity.

Between a premium on hardware (I actually expect Amazon to price low), increased profits from content sales/prime subscriptions, I could see them swinging some limited amount just for Amazon apps, especially kindle/mp3/app store. Harder to believe that they'd include prime video unless they've got a super low res streaming option and other limits (x videos per month). Seems more likely they'd bundle access to all ATT wifi hotspots or something.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by David Marseilles

IW Byte: Is Amazon Hiding A Tipping Point In Its New Tablet?

They're doubling down, but with slightly better facts/terminology. Theory one is free bandwidth for Amazon portal apps, theory 2 is free x GB/MB of bandwidth monthly. The free limited bandwidth examples in the piece (1-3GB) are amounts people would pay $15-$30 a month for, so I think they're still teetering on the edge of absurdity.

1-3GB free 3G data would indeed be a pretty amazing deal.

Google's Chromebooks have a deal with Verizon for free 3G for 2 years-but that is for 100MB/month.

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by David Marseilles

IW Byte: Is Amazon Hiding A Tipping Point In Its New Tablet?

They're doubling down, but with slightly better facts/terminology. Theory one is free bandwidth for Amazon portal apps, theory 2 is free x GB/MB of bandwidth monthly. The free limited bandwidth examples in the piece (1-3GB) are amounts people would pay $15-$30 a month for, so I think they're still teetering on the edge of absurdity.

Between a premium on hardware (I actually expect Amazon to price low), increased profits from content sales/prime subscriptions, I could see them swinging some limited amount just for Amazon apps, especially kindle/mp3/app store. Harder to believe that they'd include prime video unless they've got a super low res streaming option and other limits (x videos per month). Seems more likely they'd bundle access to all ATT wifi hotspots or something.

I assume that Amazon's price will be fairly low, or at the least competitive with some of the bigger names in the tablet game. I could see them putting out a fairly powerful device and going with the free monthly data (to a point) for a relatively low price. It would make me look closer at actually getting a tablet to replace the Nook Color.

[SCION]

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

... It would make me look closer at actually getting a tablet to replace the Nook Color.

Same here.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

It would make me look closer at actually getting a tablet to replace the Nook Color.

What makes a rooted Nook Color not a tablet?

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

What makes a rooted Nook Color not a tablet?

Uh... The fact you ultimately have to root it in order to "unlock" said tablet functionality? Whereas with an actual tablet...you don't need to root to use it as a tablet?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

Uh... The fact you ultimately have to root it in order to "unlock" said tablet functionality? Whereas with an actual tablet...you don't need to root to use it as a tablet?

But that only takes a few minutes and is more than worth it to save several hundred dollars.

Bottom line: the Nook Color is an actual tablet.

[wodin]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

But that only takes a few minutes and is more than worth it to save several hundred dollars.

Bottom line: the Nook Color is an actual tablet.

I think someone on XDA-developers is even selling a microSD card that you just pop in, and wallah! Rooted!