The "real" Amazon Strategy

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I strip and convert,...

Did you just join some kinky religious cult?

[StoryEnthusiast]

Originally Posted by jbcohen

I have the ultimat ecell plan - free unlimited calls, free unlimited text, free unlimited surfing, free phone.

I like it, but then again there must be cost hidden somewhere.

[kennyc]

$1/min carrying fee.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Well, it's true for the kindle. Not for Amazon mp3.

Not true for iTunes music either.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by StoryEnthusiast

I like it, but then again there must be cost hidden somewhere.

Yep. The maintaining of a minimum GPA and mowing the lawn once a week.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by kennyc

That would be great. I strip and convert, read a lot on my Sony 505.

Apprentice Alf's tools don't work for me. i am a Linux user. The only Linux solution I could find, required me to actually own a Kindle, which I don't.

So, for the sake of the freebies I get at Amazon, the cloud reader is good enough for now. It would be unacceptable were it to be anything I had to pay for, which is why I only buy physical books from Amazon. Beggars can't be choosers, but if amazon migrates to being available for all e-readers naturally, then I'd certainly not complain

[pholy]

Apprentice Alf's tools don't work for me. i am a Linux user. The only Linux solution I could find, required me to actually own a Kindle, which I don't.

Actually, once I used a Windows machine _once_ to find my key, I could use the tools on my Linux box to my heart's content. I still use a Windows or Mac box to download purchased files, but that's almost the only thing I use it for. I haven't tried downloading to my Sony and then transferring to my Linux box...might work.

I suppose one could have a fine philosophical discussion about the purity (in the RMS sense) of using proprietary software to make purchases prior to unlocking the purchase for use with free applications. But I'm just a simple-minded programmer, not a philosopher, so I don't bother.

[StoryEnthusiast]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Yep. The maintaining of a minimum GPA and mowing the lawn once a week.

That's no problem . Getting straight A's was what I did in the past, and mowing the lawn once every two weeks is what I do now.

[spindlegirl]

Originally Posted by pholy

Actually, once I used a Windows machine _once_ to find my key, I could use the tools on my Linux box to my heart's content. I still use a Windows or Mac box to download purchased files, but that's almost the only thing I use it for. I haven't tried downloading to my Sony and then transferring to my Linux box...might work.

I suppose one could have a fine philosophical discussion about the purity (in the RMS sense) of using proprietary software to make purchases prior to unlocking the purchase for use with free applications. But I'm just a simple-minded programmer, not a philosopher, so I don't bother.

See my pm, I am interested in learning more.

[djulian]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Seriously? I mean, seriously?

While Apple pioneered the 'walled garden' approach, Amazon has embraced it whole-heartedly.

Don't drink that Kool-Aid!

Color me confused (which is the color my lips turn after drinking the purple kool-aid).

I thought Apple's 'walled garden' was problematic because they sought to lock out the ability for competitors to provide media over Apple devices (blocking flash, in-app purchases, etc) without providing Apple a significant cut. They wrote into their terms that you are not allowed to install or distribute their OS on a non-Apple device, and they hinder attempts to develop software that will sync mp3s between iTunes and non-Apple media players. In every case, they seek to limit the user to their hardware, software, and media distribution channels.

Amazon's 'walled garden' is, as far as I can tell, "If you buy a Kindle book, you can read it on a Kindle, on the web, on a PC, on a tablet, on a phone, on a watch (if you can hack it), in fact, you can read it everywhere except on a competitor's e-ink device." The only limit they seem to seek to place on folks is that they make it hard to read ebooks on Nooks/Sonys/etc.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by khalleron

Seriously? I mean, seriously?

While Apple pioneered the 'walled garden' approach, Amazon has embraced it whole-heartedly.

Don't drink that Kool-Aid!

I think apple could make a ton of money selling/licensing iLife and GarageBand for windows. The only logical reason not to do this is to restrict use of their 'amazing' software to their commodity hardware (intel inside, right?)

I can use Amazon video or Netflix on my Amazon Fire. I can use Amazon video or Netflix on my Sony SMP-N200. Amazon could choose to not support Netflix on the Fire, but, instead, they entice me to use Amazon Prime by bundling Amazon video.

It's a different approach.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I just had to give up my unlimited data in 3G to move to 4G.

But I got Unlimited Talk and unlimited text.

If you had upgraded to 4G prior to the effective date of the new data plans you could have grandfathered your unlimited data.

[kennyc]

Perhaps, but they are fudging on that as well from what I'm reading. All the providers are going this way. It's really not that big a deal for me as I've never gone over my data allocation (Xoom or Phone) but have gone over both text and voice limits....

[kennyc]

And now Amazon shipping locations in your grocery store:

Amazon's New Secret Weapon: Delivery Lockers
Online Retailer Expands Use of Cabinets for Package Deliveries

By GREG BENSINGER

Customers at a Gristedes grocery store walk past an Amazon Locker in New York.

Amazon.com Inc. AMZN -0.42% is doubling down to combat a problem that has long bedeviled online retailers: failed package delivery.

The Web giant has quietly installed large metal cabinets—or Amazon Lockers—in grocery, convenience and drugstore outlets that function like virtual doormen, accepting packages for customers for a later pickup. Amazon began putting lockers in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and New York state about a year ago.

And the company is now ramping up the service. In the past few weeks, Amazon has opened its first lockers sites in the San Francisco Bay area.

By adding the lockers, Amazon is addressing concerns of some urban apartment dwellers who fear they'll miss a delivery or have their items stolen from their doorstep. Amazon is also taking on some of its rivals who are shipping to appointed sites, such as other retailers or United Parcel Service Inc. UPS -0.18% stores.
....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...829784538.html

[MidnightBlue]

Originally Posted by EowynCarter

Was it really worth it ?
Is 4G that fast ? We don't have 4g plan yet in france, but i don't feel like it's that usefull.

I have it here when I am at work, but not when I am at home. Where I live is not a 4G coverage area. I can't tell the difference between 4G at work or 3G at home unless I look at the connection icon on my screen. The 3G is not noticeably slower. I think that it is all just advertising hype for most people. Even streaming a movie, either one works transparently in that you see no difference other than the little bar that indicates how much has been streamed reaches the end a bit quicker. It makes no difference to the movie that you are watching.