Google Tablet as low as $149?

[teh603]

Originally Posted by wizwor

It never matters for MS. They jumped into the console space when Sony and Nintendo left no room for Sega. Microsoft has the cash and vision to attack a market niche until they own it.

They don't own the video game niche yet; the Wii still has pretty good sales. Not sure about the PS3; they lost me when they removed the "boot other OS" option and removed Linux support.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Google care.
Android is succeeding in the phone market because it is available on so many different hardware platforms, at different price points and with different features. That is possible because so many different companies are producing Android devices.

Google has nothing to worry about, because Samsung won't leave Android. The alternative options would see Samsung sales drop.

[jhempel24]

If this happens Im selling my Nook Color lol

[VaporPunk]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I love all these "economical tablets" that get better and better.

The only problem I see is that the MS Windows 8 tablet with complete backward compatibility, when it finally surfaces will be facing a steeper and steeper slope as far a being able to compete.

But heck maybe it won't matter by then.

Originally Posted by murraypaul

Google care.
Android is succeeding in the phone market because it is available on so many different hardware platforms, at different price points and with different features. That is possible because so many different companies are producing Android devices.

IF the $149-199 price tag is true, Amazon has the most to lose. Samsung and Windows 8 compete (or will) at the higher end vs the Ipad. That would be my guess, anyway.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Like they did with Zune?

Exactly. They wanted into a market owned by Apple. MS dumped a ton of cash into building excellent hardware, a slick interface, and a very good Zune store. No one bought the Zune. Windows phones are Zunes with dialers. Windows 8 is Zune on a desktop. If that doesn't work, they'll try something else.

They did this with their OS, they did this with their browser, they did this with their console, and they will do it with their portable device.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by teh603

They don't own the video game niche yet; the Wii still has pretty good sales. Not sure about the PS3; they lost me when they removed the "boot other OS" option and removed Linux support.

In North America, Xbox is the top seller right now. PS3 is doing better in Europe and much better in Japan. Wii is tailing off. I own and love all three, so no bias here...

http://www.vgchartz.com/

More important, they have the best selling game in all markets except Japan.

[kevinp]

Originally Posted by wizwor

Windows phones are Zunes with dialers. Windows 8 is Zune on a desktop.

Hilarious!!

[monkeyluis]

I'd buy this if it happens.

[taosaur]

I'm still waiting for the $250 7-inch quad core from Asus. Or, hell, a new iPad--those screens are pretty sweet.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wizwor

No one bought the Zune.

Little wonder; no app store. I considered it at one time, but the lack of apps made it a no go. Instead, I got an iPod touch.

[Dylrob]

Originally Posted by teh603

They don't own the video game niche yet; the Wii still has pretty good sales. Not sure about the PS3; they lost me when they removed the "boot other OS" option and removed Linux support.

Much of the success they have had in the gaming market really has to do with Sony's massive blunder that was the PS3 launch.

[monkeyluis]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I considered it at one time, but the lack of apps made it a no go.

same here.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Little wonder; no app store. I considered it at one time, but the lack of apps made it a no go.

Unfortunately, things haven't really changed much with WP7.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by Dylrob

Much of the success they have had in the gaming market really has to do with Sony's massive blunder that was the PS3 launch.

Don't kid yourself. Microsoft was willing to sell their console at prices Sony could not match. They did a great job acquiring and developing content at the top of the market while filling the low end with inexpensive fun. They also had a year to carve out a niche before the PS3 arrived, but that didn't help Sega.

The point is that Microsoft has a long and broad vision. When they choose to enter a market, Microsoft maked an impact.

[anamardoll]

OK, I'm a total Sony fangirl when it comes to the readers, and there is not and never will be an XBOX in our house, but no, Sony did not handle the PS3 well at all, imho.

They yanked out backwards compatibility for PS1 titles after the initial run, which meant that I ended up buying my PS3 from *eBay* rather than from Sony, just to be sure what model I was getting. (Great business move there.)

Then they spent a tremendous amount of money and goodwill by locking down the device after the fact and going after the people who'd disseminated the tools to jailbreak it for purposes of using it as it had been initially intended all along for those buyers.

Oh, and it's super cute that the PS3 refuses to interface to generic PS2 memory cards if they're not Sony issue, or at least I remember having that experience in the past with several of my generics.

So... yeah. Sony. I love their eReaders and I want to love their gaming systems, but they're heavily invested in being hateful and annoying to their customers. *sigh* YMMV.