Amazon tablet arriving this summer?

[Skydog]

From Engadget this morning (with photograph):


Amazon Tablet

[kindlekitten]

there's actually a thread about this in News

[Skydog]

The news piece l linked contains an actual photograph.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by Skydog

The news piece l linked contains an actual photograph.

The photo isn't attributed, so I wouldn't take that as evidence for the tablet's existence (or even conception, really). It could very well be a Photoshopped Galaxy Tab.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

The photo isn't attributed, so I wouldn't take that as evidence for the tablet's existence (or even conception, really). It could very well be a Photoshopped Galaxy Tab.

True (note question mark in post title), but I bet it's close based on the source's history.

[bZkindle]

Originally Posted by Skydog

The news piece l linked contains an actual photograph.

er, that is a mock-up.

[bwaldron]

Originally Posted by bZkindle

er, that is a mock-up.

Yeah, looks like a Galaxy Tab with an Amazon logo and app screen added. Not to say that a real product built by Samsung wouldn't look like that.

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by bwaldron

Yeah, looks like a Galaxy Tab with an Amazon logo and app screen added. Not to say that a real product built by Samsung wouldn't look like that.

That's part of the problem I have with the story in general: Samsung already has a tablet. They're going to build a tablet and give it to Amazon to sell, to compete with their own? It sounds implausible.

[bZkindle]

Originally Posted by bhartman36

That's part of the problem I have with the story in general: Samsung already has a tablet. They're going to build a tablet and give it to Amazon to sell, to compete with their own? It sounds implausible.

More market penetration?
It's not like they're competing on the content side.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by Skydog

The news piece l linked contains an actual photograph.

And you couldn't include that in a post in the original topic?

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by bZkindle

More market penetration?
It's not like they're competing on the content side.

But that's just it: Amazon's business is selling content. Selling a tablet puts them on the wrong side of the street. I might believe that Samsung would sell them branded Galaxy Tabs, but how can they buy them from Samsung and sell them at a profit, while still competing with the other tablets out there? To do it economically, don't you have to deal with the parts makers directly, and manufacture it yourself (a la Apple)?

If Amazon is, indeed, coming out with a tablet, I don't think they're doing it through Samsung. A mock-up certainly isn't convincing evidence.

[Histerius]

I just know that I DON'T want an LCD screen. Anyway, it Amazon is working on it Samsung is a natural partner for that job.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Skydog

From Engadget this morning (with photograph):


Amazon Tablet

I can do the same with Gimp or Photoshop in 10 min.

But let's say is true. What can Amazon provide that will be different from a regular Galaxy Tab, the logo? The Android Market? Cheaper because is locked into Amazon Android market? ...

Nothing is impossible on this life but makes no sense, not to me ...

[bhartman36]

Originally Posted by jocampo

I can do the same with Gimp or Photoshop in 10 min.

But let's say is true. What can Amazon provide that will be different from a regular Galaxy Tab, the logo? The Android Market? Cheaper because is locked into Amazon Android market? ...

Nothing is impossible on this life but makes no sense, not to me ...

I think this is the main point. Thanks for bringing it up. If the plan is, "We'll build our own Market and sell it cheaper", then all you have to do is look at Archos to see how well that plays out in practice.

Spoiler:

It doesn't play out particularly well.

Amazon would need to do the manufacturing equivalent of alchemy to have this make any sense at all, because they'd somehow have to get materials more cheaply than B&N can get them, price the unit lower, and still make a profit on the device. Otherwise, there's no good reason to do this. They can get all the content business they want from the software they have running on other devices.

An Amazon logo alone isn't going to make the thing fly off the shelves. If people are looking at the success of the Kindle and thinking it'll translate to the tablet arena, I think they're going to be sorely disappointed. Barring some alien technology, I don't think there's a way for them to stand out with a tablet.

[kranu]

Yes, the image is definitely Photoshopped. Just look at the image on the screen. The Amazon Kindle text is stretched vertically, and even then, it couldn't fill the entire screen.

Originally Posted by bhartman36

That's part of the problem I have with the story in general: Samsung already has a tablet. They're going to build a tablet and give it to Amazon to sell, to compete with their own? It sounds implausible.

On the contrary, this would be a very good deal for Samsung. They could use the Galaxy Tab technology to help Amazon. They'll gain a considerable cut for making the hardware, and with Amazon's content backing it up, it must be pretty terrible for it to be a flop.

Originally Posted by jocampo

But let's say is true. What can Amazon provide that will be different from a regular Galaxy Tab, the logo? The Android Market? Cheaper because is locked into Amazon Android market? ...

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Amazon has been developing the foundation to break into the cellphone market for quite a while now. They've created Amazon Wireless (to sell the phone), Mp3/Cloud Player (to sell their music), Android Market (to sell their apps), and plenty of other things. I think they would simply be able to provide better service all around.

Originally Posted by bhartman36

An Amazon logo alone isn't going to make the thing fly off the shelves. If people are looking at the success of the Kindle and thinking it'll translate to the tablet arena, I think they're going to be sorely disappointed. Barring some alien technology, I don't think there's a way for them to stand out with a tablet.

As previously stated, the image in the article is an obvious mock up. You can't base your assumptions off of that. I have the feeling that Amazon will have some new technological trick up their sleeves. For example, it could have an E-Ink/LCD Hybrid screen. That option would make the most sense to me, since it would knock out the Nook Color as well.