New Kindles now directly competing with Nook

[kelsoanim]

Looks like Amazon is taking Barnes and Noble's competition to heart and is fighting back with directly competing hardware. They have announced today the Kindle Touch and the Kindle Fire, a color tablet reader with features that directly compete with the Nook Color. They are also including free cloud storage and the movie and TV streaming that comes with their Amazon Prime membership.

Barnes and Noble better get moving with their Nook Color 2, looks like the competition just got tighter.

(PS: just to clarify, I am a happy owner of a Nook Simple Touch and Nook Color. I just thought this was very interesting to see Amazon hitting back so hard at the competition.)

[OrganicJerk]

I hope that this competition drives B&N to do two things:

1) Make a 3G Nook

2) Bring prices down significantly

[OtterBooks]

theyll have a new NC soon, and I'm sure it will be nice.

[spedinfargo]

I'm not trying to be a fanboy here or anything, but not having physical page turn buttons on the new Kindle Touch would be a huge miss for me. It sounds stupid, but I really like not having to move my thumb around when I read...

[linux_author]

let the tablet wars begin!

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by spedinfargo

I'm not trying to be a fanboy here or anything, but not having physical page turn buttons on the new Kindle Touch would be a huge miss for me. It sounds stupid, but I really like not having to move my thumb around when I read...

I agree that they should have included at least a couple side pageturn buttons, but I guess they wanted to distinguish it even farther from the new kindle button models, for hardcore touchscreen preferring consumers.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by OrganicJerk

I hope that this competition drives B&N to do two things:

1) Make a 3G Nook

2) Bring prices down significantly

I don't think #1 is going to happen (costs) #2 ... hmmm.... I don't know. Amazon is losing money on those devices for sure. My believe is that they will recover that with actual product sales, via Kindle Fire, for instance: movie rentals, ebook purchases, etc.

B&N is not doing well in terms of cash flow. So I doubt they can go lower than 80 bucks or even lower than 100 bucks.

[MarkScheuern]

Originally Posted by jocampo

I don't think #1 is going to happen (costs) #2 ... hmmm.... I don't know. Amazon is losing money on those devices for sure. My believe is that they will recover that with actual product sales, via Kindle Fire, for instance: movie rentals, ebook purchases, etc.

B&N is not doing well in terms of cash flow. So I doubt they can go lower than 80 bucks or even lower than 100 bucks.

The prices of the directly competing models, the Nook STR and the Kindle Touch without ads, are the same so I really don't see this as Amazon having broken any new ground on pricing with these new e-ink models, though the color model is interesting.

[TrvlrsChick]

B&N might lease out ad space like Amazon does. THen they could directly compete with Amazon's price model. I still think the design of the STR is better, what with the concave back and the buttons on the sides. I thought I'd use the touch function more when I bought it; I actually use the buttons a little more than the touch screen.

[jersysman]

Competition never hurt anyone. This will only lead to better products in the future. I am sure that the Nook Color 2 will be able to keep pace. I just can't wait to see the rumors start flying now about it. I'm sure that soon B&N will start "leaking" information out about the next generation NC.

It will be a very interesting holiday season.

[powree]

I hope they make large software improvements for Nook STR Like file organizing etc. Then STR will stand strong

[eSheri]

Originally Posted by MarkScheuern

The prices of the directly competing models, the Nook STR and the Kindle Touch without ads, are the same so I really don't see this as Amazon having broken any new ground on pricing with these new e-ink models, though the color model is interesting.

But Amazon has a $99 version, and yes it has small, unobtrusive ads, but people are reporting how much they are enjoying the saving from the offers that are embedded in the homescreen.

[wymore]

Looking at the specs for the Fire, I don't see the need for B&N to make a Color 2. The two advantages the Fire has over the Color are not specs but price and content. B&N would do better to focus on reducing manufacturing costs as opposed to increasing specs. As for content, the Color app market isn't going to be able to compete with what Amazon can offer, but a rooted Color seems to me to beat Amazon because you can use Netflix, buy and read ebooks from Amazon and B&N, and buy apps either from the Amazon App Store or the Google Market.

[MarkScheuern]

Originally Posted by eSheri

But Amazon has a $99 version, and yes it has small, unobtrusive ads, but people are reporting how much they are enjoying the saving from the offers that are embedded in the homescreen.

True, and that's a good deal if you don't mind (or even like) the ads. I'd have to give it a try to see if the ads would bother me.

[log]

Originally Posted by eSheri

But Amazon has a $99 version, and yes it has small, unobtrusive ads, but people are reporting how much they are enjoying the saving from the offers that are embedded in the homescreen.

What is unobtrusive is different for everyone.

Personally, I consider being forced to see see advertisements everytime I go to read a book, or browse my library very intrusive.