TechCrunch: Amazon’s Kindle Tablet Is Very Real

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by Ditchleyportrait

i have a question.
will there be free 3g for web browsing? sounds like that would be impossible. ppl would probably stop paying for internet.

I seriously doubt it. I don't see how Amazon could afford to include free 3G at that price; not for a tablet. That's tons of data usage. If they did have it come with free 3G, though, it would be like dropping a bomb on the tablet market.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by boswd

You do know that the Android Market has an ecosytem of
Apps
Movies
Books
Games

don't you?

https://market.android.com/

add to that the support for amazon MP3, Netflix, Hulu+,Blockbuster, Nook, kindle, Kobo and sonyreader apps and what you have is a much more versatile and more open ecosystem than what you get with iOS which is iTunes or nothing.

You keep speaking as if you buy an android tablet and then you have nothing to put on it.

Android does have an outwardly impressive ecosystem. But its not very closely integrated with its hardware and is missing or deficient in key areas.
Look at this article:

LINK

The key point here, which we've made before, is that Android tablets will need an application ecosystem that can compete with the one for the iPad and iPhone. With the iPad, Apple leveraged excellent product design and the very healthy App Store ecosystem of applications to succeed with a new hardware platform. People forget that applications define the success of most hardware platforms. They did with the iPhone, and they did with the personal computer. Applications will define competition for tablets too.

It's no accident that Nvidia's Huang points to a dearth of custom applications as the number one problem with Android tablets. And, unfortunately, the hardware makers lining up behind Android have little control over the delivery of compelling new applications.

Moreover, Apple has that system of Apple Stores to help walk those tech newbies through the Apple ecosystem.

We continue to believe that Apple has a distinct advantage when it comes to distributing iPads, and this is likely to continue to be the case going forward. Apple is not only better able to explain its product to consumers through dedicated sales people, but it also captures more margin than competitors who have to share margin with retail partners. This makes it tougher for rivals to compete on price and awareness, which is especially important as we move into a new era of computing where the traditional lines of definition and differentiation are blurring."

When I bought my iPad at Best Buy, freakin' NOBODY was around to do more than point out where the iPads were. I'm sure they are showing the same wonderful sales skills to potential Android tablet customers.

Apple has the one cohesive marketing strategy to find customers and the one customer service and support system to bind them.

Finally, the one iTunes isnt the disadvantage techies think it is. There is ONE software program that customers need to learn to download, organize and play its media, one store to buy from, one account to manage , one customer service to haggle with if there is a problem, one password to remember... Get my drift yet?

Apple's ecosystem has a lot of advantages over Android Market . Amazon's ecosystem has a lot of the advantages of the Apple system-which is why analysts think Amazon's offering will be more competitive. Again, these advantages tend not to be apparent to Android fans, who are focused on specs, hardware, and "rooting" devices, but thse are the advantages that count in the broad marketplace.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

New Velocity Micro Cruz for $240. link.
Amazon Appstore App pre-installed. interesting. That gets even more significant as I think about it. Amazon's appstore pre-installed on a non-Amazon device, not Google's.

So Google and Amazon appear to be in COMPETITION with each other. HOOCOULDANODE?
I guess Tim Cook and the Apple team are buying peanuts and heading for the gallery along with the rest of us.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by stonetools

So Google and Amazon appear to be in COMPETITION with each other. HOOCOULDANODE?
I guess Tim Cook and the Apple team are buying peanuts and heading for the gallery along with the rest of us.

ok so I'm not crazy for thinking that was popcorn-worthy. phew.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by stonetools

I guess Tim Cook and the Apple team are buying peanuts and heading for the gallery along with the rest of us.

As they watch potential iPad buyers pick up new Kindle Tabs this Christmas

[boswd]

Originally Posted by stonetools

Android does have an outwardly impressive ecosystem. But its not very closely integrated with its hardware and is missing or deficient in key areas.
Look at this article:

LINK



Moreover, Apple has that system of Apple Stores to help walk those tech newbies through the Apple ecosystem.



When I bought my iPad at Best Buy, freakin' NOBODY was around to do more than point out where the iPads were. I'm sure they are showing the same wonderful sales skills to potential Android tablet customers.

Apple has the one cohesive marketing strategy to find customers and the one customer service and support system to bind them.

Finally, the one iTunes isnt the disadvantage techies think it is. There is ONE software program that customers need to learn to download, organize and play its media, one store to buy from, one account to manage , one customer service to haggle with if there is a problem, one password to remember... Get my drift yet?

Apple's ecosystem has a lot of advantages over Android Market . Amazon's ecosystem has a lot of the advantages of the Apple system-which is why analysts think Amazon's offering will be more competitive. Again, these advantages tend not to be apparent to Android fans, who are focused on specs, hardware, and "rooting" devices, but thse are the advantages that count in the broad marketplace.

Actually having an ecosytem NOT tied to a device is one the most attractive advantages Android has over iOS. That blogger can blog until he's blue in the face, it's still amounts to nothing more than his opinion.

Look at this way. I go out and buy an Asus Transformer, get involved in my ecosytem through the likes mentioned above. 2 years later, Motorola comes out with an Awesome Xoom 4, im drooling. I can pick one up and all my media comes with me apps, music, movies, books etc.

I don't see how tying an ecosystem into the hardware is advantageous at all.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by boswd

Actually having an ecosytem NOT tied to a device is one the most attractive advantages Android has over iOS. That blogger can blog until he's blue in the face, it's still amounts to nothing more than his opinion.

Look at this way. I go out and buy an Asus Transformer, get involved in my ecosytem through the likes mentioned above. 2 years later, Motorola comes out with an Awesome Xoom 4, im drooling. I can pick one up and all my media comes with me apps, music, movies, books etc.

I don't see how tying an ecosystem into the hardware is advantageous at all.

Yep, gotta agree. And from Amazon's point of view, allowing other tablets into their ecosystem will yield more content sales.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by boswd

Actually having an ecosytem NOT tied to a device is one the most attractive advantages Android has over iOS. That blogger can blog until he's blue in the face, it's still amounts to nothing more than his opinion.

Well, his opinion and the opinion of the overwhelming majority of people buying tablets. Apparently the advantages of no integrated ecosystem aren't quite attractive enough. Or possibly they are disadvantages, which given the realities of the current tablet market is 100% more likely.

[transmitthis]

It is advantageous to the company....

They want us tied in to one particular place, Amazon for example,
will be on a massive win win, as customers buy all their digital media
from books, to movies, games, music and apps from them, saving Amazon
on delivery costs as its downloaded. Then make more by having the customer buy
anything and everything else they sell because of the "free" prime membership.

There are a lot of normal users, that see nothing wrong with being tied in, and probably consider it useful and easy to have everything in one place. For the rest of us who value competition and market forces and choice, well we can root and hack and spend our money wisely ;0

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by boswd

Actually having an ecosytem NOT tied to a device is one the most attractive advantages Android has over iOS. That blogger can blog until he's blue in the face, it's still amounts to nothing more than his opinion.

Look at this way. I go out and buy an Asus Transformer, get involved in my ecosytem through the likes mentioned above. 2 years later, Motorola comes out with an Awesome Xoom 4, im drooling. I can pick one up and all my media comes with me apps, music, movies, books etc.

I don't see how tying an ecosystem into the hardware is advantageous at all.

Ios is PROOF that you are wrong. Amazon's attempt to mirror Ios on the Android side is further proof that you are wrong. The failure of Android tablets-including the Xoom-in the consumer marketplace is yet more proof that you are wrong.

It is not opinion, but fact, that nine million iPads sold last quarter and that Apple could sell 50 million iPads this year.
Its a fact that 95 per cent of prospective tablet consumers want an Ipad.
It is a fact that developers are flocking to the Ios platform and are earning far money there than on Android.
It is a fact that consumer satisfaction for Apple products are generally the among the highest
It is a fact that consumers consistently find Apple products the easiest and most intuitive to use.

The reason is simple. Apple controls and fine tunes the user experience all the way from product development to customer support. They know what the customer wants and what works best. Then they execute really well.

Heck, forget Apple. Look at Amazon. They built the store( Amazon),the hardware (Kindle) and the software that integrates the two. The Kindle store is to the Kindle as iTunes is to Ios devices. Guess which ebookstore dominates the market, and has the greatest customer loyalty?

In light of all that, you may want to reconsider your opinion about tying hardware to ecosystem. Sure I know that you are quoting to me Android fanboy dogma, but seriously?

[teadonkey]

I think I'd rather an e-ink touch screen than a color screen. At least now I won't feel the need to replace my Kindle.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Yep, gotta agree. And from Amazon's point of view, allowing other tablets into their ecosystem will yield more content sales.

Amazon is going to come at things a little differently from Apple. Amazon wants to maximize conntent sales: Apple hardware sales. That means that Amazon isn't going to copy Apple in every detail. I think Amazon is going to be open in certain ways Apple is not , and vice versa.
I think its possible and even likely that Amazon may not allow any other bookstore apps on its tablet, for example. But it will be OK with allowing people to buy the aps in their store for installatiion on OTHER tablets.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by boswd

I don't see how tying an ecosystem into the hardware is advantageous at all.

.

Tying an ecosystem into the hardware allows a better experience, a more mature product, and a more stable software, total control but in a good way.

Because the company owns everything, it gives you more control over drivers and software design in general. Otherwise, the patches are more difficult to deploy and the portability to other devices is also limited. That's why HP bought webOs and that's why Google bought Motorola cellphone division.

I should not expect same support from Google on any future Android devices which are not Motorola. They will push their Motorola devices for sure, instead of Samsung of any other major brand, like HTC.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Well, his opinion and the opinion of the overwhelming majority of people buying tablets. Apparently the advantages of no integrated ecosystem aren't quite attractive enough. Or possibly they are disadvantages, which given the realities of the current tablet market is 100% more likely.

but there is an intergrated ecosystem one that is tied to OS platform Go to the Android market and you have an a place to buy movies, games, apps, books etc. my point is it's not tied into one particular piece of hardware.

It is more advantageous to the consumer not to be locked into a single device. If want to go from Asus to Samsung my media comes with me. With iOS you have one piece of hardware. Sure it's great for apple but you are slave to the companies next hardware model. and if you don't like it then you are SOL. If I own the Asus and I don't like their next model but love Samsung I can move on and the ecosystem of the Android market and even Amazons cloud and MP3 comes with me.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by stonetools

Amazon is going to come at things a little differently from Apple. Amazon wants to maximize conntent sales: Apple hardware sales. That means that Amazon isn't going to copy Apple in every detail. I think Amazon is going to be open in certain ways Apple is not , and vice versa.
I think its possible and even likely that Amazon may not allow any other bookstore apps on its tablet, for example. But it will be OK with allowing people to buy the aps in their store for installatiion on OTHER tablets.

1- Amazon is also going after the crowd who thinks $500 is too much to pay for a tablet.

2- Amazon already does this; except for Kobo, which is in the appstore. And it's pretty much a given that their tablet will be locked in and that other tablets will be allowed in. After all, Amazon is content driven; and you can't sell content if you turn customers away.