Jeff Bezos interview

[Andrew H.]

Here's a link to an interesting interview with Jeff Bezos made after the new Kindle announcement.

http://allthingsd.com/20120906/makin...it-all-mostly/

[kevinp]

...it's ONLY $499

No biggee for a multi-millionaire (or is he a billionaire?)

[fjtorres]

Heh. Heh.

Bezos: We treat Android like Linux, and so it’s a base operating system layer. We have a large dedicated team that customizes Android and that’s what you see on the Kindle Fire.

Considering Android itself is essentially Java on Linux and most Kindles are customized Linux, it's easy to see where he's coming from.

And where he's headed.

Good find.

[copyrite]

Thanks for the link... I sent it to my Kindle to read later. LOL

[TimW]

Originally Posted by kevinp

...it's ONLY $499

No biggee for a multi-millionaire (or is he a billionaire?)

19.1 billion, according to Forbes. JB has probably lost way more than $499 under his couch cushions.

[kennyc]

Multi-Billionaire! 20 Billion or so...


http://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/

[fjtorres]

Those pennies add up after a while, huh?

[TimW]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Multi-Billionaire! 20 Billion or so...


http://www.forbes.com/profile/jeff-bezos/

Great minds think alike, huh? Successfully consulted the G Oracle...

[tubemonkey]

Is the price of the Kindle Fire HD with LTE ($499) subsidizing the data plan?

Bezos: I’m not going to break out the economics of any particular piece with you, but you’re right, it’s an astonishing price point.

Astonishingly expensive! It's an outrageous price point!

[StoryEnthusiast]

Good on him for his vision.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Astonishingly expensive! It's an outrageous price point!

Outrageous? I dunno.

First, the price isn't likely to be subsidized: the price isn't terribly than AT&T's plans for iPads on a byte per byte basis.

Second, the tablet's price breakdown is pretty clear: The 32GB WiFi-only runs $369 so the price of the (low-volume, custom) LTE modem is $130.

That simple: you either think $130 is a tolerable price for a 4G LTE modem or you don't.
Note that Apple *also* charges a $130 premium for the LTE modem ($729 vs $599).

The data cap on the entry level data plan is irrelevant because you can always get your 3GB or 4G data plan from AT&T instead of the $50 plan.

Most people will probably go with the WiFi only which makes the LTE version a low volume premium item. But, that "premium" Amazon product is still priced with the 16GB WiFi-only iPad so it is hardly outrageous.

Basically, Amazon decided that FireHD9 should cost $200 less than the nearest iPad competitor across their entire line. What's wrong with that?
(Other than the fact that their line goes all the way up to $599?)

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

That simple: you either think $130 is a tolerable price for a 4G LTE modem or you don't.
Note that Apple *also* charges a $130 premium for the LTE modem ($729 vs $599).

When the part costs $41.50 (for iPad 3), I consider charging an extra $130 to be outrageous.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Basically, Amazon decided that FireHD9 should cost $200 less than the nearest iPad competitor across their entire line. What's wrong with that?
(Other than the fact that their line goes all the way up to $599?)

Wonder how this will play out? Taking Apple head on. When I saw the 8.9" being introduced, my first thought was - they're going after Apple. It'll be interesting to see if they can pull it off.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Wonder how this will play out?

I haven't the faintest idea.
But I have plenty of popcorn handy as I watch it play out...

[rkw]

Tf300 - 10.1", 32GB, tegra 3, micro sdhc slot, micro hdmi port...~$349 to $379ish these days. Sure the 1.2" smaller device has a much, no vastly, improved panel on spec. But the premium is beyond reason to anyone that works for a living.

I already have a 4620l mobile broadband 4G router with a 50GB softcap for $69/mo which provides for ALL my comm needs. Meaning wifi is fine for me.

I loved my Kindle readers, my KF less so and find my tf300 acceptable, see nothing in the new KF's to make me want to write bad checks. Still waiting for tablets to graduate from the modern day equivalent of keeping the Sears catalog in the john. Perhaps the new Win8 devices will make that long ago promised device to appear.

Too small for my tablet needs and too big for the pocket device I need. Bezos seems to not even be considering productivity designs...not unlike the very Apple he seemed to hate. Now he is that Apple.