TechCrunch: Amazon’s Kindle Tablet Is Very Real

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Apple fanboys are crazy in a numb, passive way, which is bizarre enough as it is.

If that's the way you view things, then you haven't really met any fanboys. Let's face it, the current Apple makes darn good and innovative products and there are plenty of people who buy their devices. However, an Apple device user does not a fanboy make.

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

Android nuts are consumed by hatred-- psychotic. Amazon seems to be stirring up their ire as well, and I suspect the AmTab's version of android will be treated like Judas.

Unfortunately true. It's a good thing Amazon's target market probably aren't the die-hard Android geeks looking for a feature-packed tablet. They're probably gunning for regular folks - likely the same folks who bought Kindles and didn't really care that you can't use Kindle ebooks on readers aside from the Kindle (prior to the DRM being cracked and apps for the iPhone/iTouch being released).

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

If that's the way you view things, then you haven't really met any fanboys. Let's face it, the current Apple makes darn good and innovative products and there are plenty of people who buy their devices. However, an Apple device user does not a fanboy make.

There's a difference between fanboy and merely liking the brand. Apple does make very good products. I'd buy a MBA if it werent so expensive.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

There's a difference between fanboy and merely liking the brand. Apple does make very good products. I'd buy a MBA if it werent so expensive.

I don't think android fans are consumed with hatred when it comes to apple products. I think it's more like being told that the iOS platform is better by people who really don't know what they are talking about and most of the consumers of Apple products are drawn into the image, looks and trendyness that comes with apple products.

I think it's very much along the lines on how audiophiles feel about people who go off and talk about how Bose is the best in audio. It's not so much that audiophiles hate Bose per say, they are what they are, but it's their fans that drive them nuts. Bose puts out an image and has that trendyness factor but it terms of high end audio quality it doesn't compare ot Polk, Kplisch, etc but Bose charges a premium.
so you have a premium price tag, stylish looks, a trendy image and then people by Bose, knowing they spent good money and then believe they have THE BEST. It drive audiophiles batty.

Apple android is the same situation to a T.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by boswd

I think it's very much along the lines on how audiophiles feel about people who go off and talk about how Bose is the best in audio. It's not so much that audiophiles hate Bose per say, they are what they are, but it's their fans that drive them nuts. Bose puts out an image and has that trendyness factor but it terms of high end audio quality it doesn't compare to Polk, Klipsch, etc but Bose charges a premium.
so you have a premium price tag, stylish looks, a trendy image and then people by Bose, knowing they spent good money and then believe they have THE BEST. It drive audiophiles batty.

Meh, I've found Bose to be heavy on the bass. Given its popularity, apparently, the masses like bass-heavy. By the way, Polk, Klipsch, B&W, etc also charge a premium (heck, some brands charge much, much higher premiums than Bose does). They just don't enjoy the brand-awareness that Bose does with regular consumers.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by boswd

I don't think android fans are consumed with hatred when it comes to apple products. I think it's more like being told that the iOS platform is better by people who really don't know what they are talking about and most of the consumers of Apple products are drawn into the image, looks and trendyness that comes with apple products.

I think it's very much along the lines on how audiophiles feel about people who go off and talk about how Bose is the best in audio. It's not so much that audiophiles hate Bose per say, they are what they are, but it's their fans that drive them nuts. Bose puts out an image and has that trendyness factor but it terms of high end audio quality it doesn't compare ot Polk, Kplisch, etc but Bose charges a premium.
so you have a premium price tag, stylish looks, a trendy image and then people by Bose, knowing they spent good money and then believe they have THE BEST. It drive audiophiles batty.

Apple android is the same situation to a T.

Why do audiophiles care if other people enjoy Bose products? It changes their lives not one bit.

[stonetools]

This is the best article on what the new Amazon tablet is for from a business strategy POV:

There are two ways to look at Amazon's new tablet, and both are accurate.

First, the new tablet is a Kindle for multimedia content. (It may even be branded as the Kindle.) If you understand the existing Kindle to be a device optimized for finding, buying and reading Kindle books, then you can understand the new tablet will be that, plus a device optimized for finding, buying and "consuming" movies, TV shows, music, full-color magazines, apps, audio books, interactive children's books and games.

Content like music and movies will be stored "in the cloud," so all your content will be available to you at all times.

Second, the new tablet will be the Amazon.com web site in tablet format. No matter what you're doing with the tablet, you'll always be one tap away from shopping on Amazon's newly redesigned-for-tablet-friendliness web site.

Amazon will use the tablet to remove barriers to you buying your groceries via Amazon, as well as clothes, gifts, gardening supplies -- whatever. Either this or a future version will have some way to scan barcodes, so you can scan a product and buy it instantly.

The new Amazon tablet is the brick-and-mortar store's worst nightmare. You’ll carry it around with you while shopping at the mall or the grocery store. When you find what you like, just whip out your Amazon tablet and buy it on the spot -- from Amazon.

Here is why its a threat to Apple:

Most tablets are sold to make a profit on the hardware, to "fill out" the line that hardware makers offer and fill the gap between cell phone and laptop. This is the case with the iPad, but not the Amazon tablet. Amazon may even lose money on tablet sales.

The iPad is part of a larger, comprehensive strategy for separating people from the burden of their money in many ways. In addition to hardware sales, Apple makes money from accessories, from app sales and from advertising.

But most of all, Apple intends to make money from iTunes purchases.

From Apple’s business perspective, the iPad is primarily a device for buying content from Apple. In the future, iPad users will buy, rent or subscribe to music, movies, TV shows, eBooks, audio books and more, which will be stored "in the cloud," available at all times from anywhere.

Sound familiar? This is the electronic part of Amazon's strategy.

Both companies are dabbling in multiple businesses with their tablets. But the Big Prize is the future of downloadable content. The Apple experience will be better. The Amazon experience will be cheaper. But these are the only two real players in this field.

RTWT:

LINK

[Ben Thornton]

Apple is not selling iPads as a way of getting money from content - they provide content as a way of promoting iPads. iTunes is only 5% of their revenue (data here).

So, Apple's approach is to make money from devices, with fancy content a way of making those devices useful and attractive. Amazon is more likely to repeat their approach with other kindles, making little money off the hardware but using it to drive content sales.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by stonetools

Here is why its a threat to Apple:
But most of all, Apple intends to make money from iTunes purchases.

From Apple’s business perspective, the iPad is primarily a device for buying content from Apple.

Totally disagree. Other companies sell hardware to make money off of software or goods.
Apple makes money selling hardware-and they are good at it. The iTunes Store content is about selling more Apple hardware.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by kjk

Why do audiophiles care if other people enjoy Bose products? It changes their lives not one bit.

Is not that they care it's when they are told by consumers that Bose is the best in audio that either makes them snicker or get's their ire up.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by boswd

Is not that they care it's when they are told by consumers that Bose is the best in audio that either makes them snicker or get's their ire up.

Actually, more like cringe. My dad's an audiophile and his face twitches when he hears someone recommend Bose equipment (albeit he never gives his opinion unless asked). It's not that Bose is bad per se. Just that you can find better for the same price.

[boswd]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Actually, more like cringe. My dad's an audiophile and his face twitches when he hears someone recommend Bose equipment (albeit he never gives his opinion unless asked). It's not that Bose is bad per se. Just that you can find better for the same price.

yup. I have a friend who is the same way, he's one of those that uses a separate componants to build stero systems. Two words that aren't allowed in his house All in Ones and Bose.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by kjk

Totally disagree. Other companies sell hardware to make money off of software or goods.
Apple makes money selling hardware-and they are good at it. The iTunes Store content is about selling more Apple hardware.

Actually, come to think of it, you may be right on that-for now. I would say that Apple does want to make more money selling content in the long run. Certainly its important for Apple that it makes deals with content providers so that it can get content delivered on the iPad

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by stonetools

I would say that Apple does want to make more money selling content in the long run.

And here I thought that any company wants to make more money in general .
But aren't they organised in different departments, with each department responsible for increasing their profit?

[stonetools]

I don't think android fans are consumed with hatred when it comes to apple products. I think it's more like being told that the iOS platform is better by people who really don't know what they are talking about and most of the consumers of Apple products are drawn into the image, looks and trendyness that comes with apple products.

To be kind of blunt about it, there are good, objective reasons why I consider the iPad superior, which have little to do with "image, looks, and trendiness". Its kind of hard for me to understand why Android fans don't accept that there are valid reasons for considering the iPad a better buy. MOST tech pundits think that the iPad is the better buy-even ones that aren't Apple advocates and ones that would welcome more competition in the tablet space. Josh Topolsky (formerly of Engadget) says that the iPad just blows all the competitors away in terms of software. The operating system is better; the core apps are better; the third party apps are better; the gaming experience is WAY better. He's not the only way who says that : MOST reviewers (techies all) say that.
I think its really time for the Android fanboys to admit that in the area of tablets, the Android platform is behind right now. (Frankly, when Ios5 comes out, they are likely to be further behind). If they keep on blaming the Pad's success on marketing and trendiness, they'll never catch up.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Actually, more like cringe. My dad's an audiophile and his face twitches when he hears someone recommend Bose equipment (albeit he never gives his opinion unless asked). It's not that Bose is bad per se. Just that you can find better for the same price.

Precisely! You can take that same money and put together a system with full range speakers that will show just how poorly those tiny speakers are. Size does make a difference, and those speakers range can only go so high or so low leaving out everything else that's there.

They succeed only because they have high "wife approval factor", are tops when it comes to advertising, and are easy to put together.

I'll take good sound over all the above any day.