WebProNews

Tag: amazon kindle fire

  • Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, Kindle Voyage, Kindle For Kids, Kindle With More Storage: Ready For October Release

    Amazon is unleashing a litany of new and improved models of its Kindle tablet and e-reader line. For those interested in some pre-Black Friday holiday deals, the models are set to go on sale in October.

    “Are phablets killing tablets?” wrote Anna Attkisson of Tom’s Guide, “Amazon is definitely not jumping on that bandwagon.” The amount of updates corresponds with a new Fire OS (4.0), which lets families share across accounts. Attkisson further outlined the differences in the products: Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 ($379) is the most advanced, while the Kindle Fire HD 6, HD 7 ($99) is for those looking for a deal. Meanwhile, Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition ($149) brings the Kindle to the kid family side of things, and it comes with free replacement for two years.

    Amazon will also throw in a year of FreeTime Unlimited with the Kindle Fire HD Kids Edition. Adults will probably want to look into the adult version of Unlimited for themselves, which has its own monthly fee:

    According to the L.A. Times, Amazon is also updating their generic Kindle and Kindle Paperwhite for lower cost and more storage. They are also releasing a Kindle Voyage, which is designed for the book lover in mind, who also likes 3G cellular connectivity.

    When it comes to the fanciest item for the lowest cost, the Kindle Fire HD is probably your best bet. As Business Insider put it, “If $99 feels dirt-cheap for this tablet, it’s because it is.”

    “We make money when customers use these devices, not when they buy them,” an Amazon representative told them, “We sell at break-even prices.”

    But when it comes to power no matter the cost, Amazon is pretty proud of the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9. “The team has packed an incredible amount of technology and innovation into the new Fire HDX-an incredible HDX display,” Amazon’s chief executive Jeff Bezos told MVC, “A powerful quad-core processor, a 70% faster graphics engine, exceptional audio, and faster Wi-Fi-and it’s still startlingly light. Fire HDX combines excellent hardware with exclusive features from Fire OS4 including Firefly, the Mayday button, Family Library, ASAP and more.”

  • Kindle Fire Being Doused, Says Analyst

    For Amazon, the Kindle Fire has been a huge success in the 7-inch tablet category. For the past two years Amazon’s device has competed with the largest mobile industry players – Apple and Samsung. Now, with Amazon preparing to announce its updated Kindle Fire lineup, news has come that Amazon’s hold on the tablet market may be slipping.

    Analyst firm Jumptap this week released data showing that the Kindle Fire has lost 11.4% of its tablet market share over the past year. This is at the same time Samsung has begun to roll into the tablet market in a big way, with its Galaxy Tab devices rising 5.8% in tablet market share year-over-year.

    “Previously, the iOS vs. Android battle could not crown a standing victor for Android,” said Matt Duffy, VP of marketing at Jumptap. “Yet in the past year, we’ve seen Samsung rise above the pack in both tablet and smartphone share.”

    Jumptap’s new report also held other surprising (and some not-so-surprising) findings from the mobile world. The iPhone is still the world’s top smartphone, at the expense of HTC, Blackberry, and Apple’s own iPod Touch devices, though Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone lineup is gaining traction. Also, apps are now a larger part of the mobile experience than ever before. Jumptap estimates that 84% of mobile traffic is now from apps, up from just 50% two years ago.

    (Image courtesy Amazon)

  • Kindle Fire HD Discounted $50 For Students

    One of the promises that came with the growing tablet market was an end-run around college textbook price-gouging. Students everywhere were supposed to be using interactive textbooks and doing homework within social class apps by now. Obviously, that hasn’t happened yet, but Amazon is still pushing to make sure it’s tablets are in the hands of students.

    Slashgear is reporting that Amazon has launched a $50 off promotion for its Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ tablets – but only for students. Anyone who is signed up with Amazon Student (using a .edu email address) for a discounted Amazon Prime membership has access to the deal. Both the Wi-Fi and 4G LTE versions of the Kindle Fire HD 8.9″ are eligible for the sale price, and the deal lasts throughout the month of January.

    Amazon is encouraging Kindle owners to use their devices as learning tools. Amazon Student members can subscribe to Amazon Prime for $39 a year, which is slightly less than half the normal price. In addition, Amazon allows textbook rental through its Kindle tablets, and recently introduced the X-Ray feature for textbooks. X-Ray is an integrated glossary allows users to cross-reference words and passages throughout a book and on the web through Wikipedia and YouTube.

  • Wal-Mart to Stop Selling Amazon Kindles

    Wal-Mart to Stop Selling Amazon Kindles

    Customers visiting the Amazon website will certainly see that the online retailer has new Kindle ereaders and tablets out this fall, but those perusing the electronics section of Wal-Mart might never know.

    According to a memo sent to store managers this week, Wal-Mart will no longer sell Amazon Kindle ereaders and tablets. The memo was obtained by Reuters, which reports the memo said, “We have recently made the business decision to not carry Amazon tablets and eReaders beyond our existing inventory and purchase commitments.”

    The memo also stated that the move is consistent with Wal-Mart’s overall merchandising strategy. The decision only affects Amazon’s devices, and other ereaders and tablets will still be sold in Wal-Mart stores.

    When Wal-Mart states the decision is in keeping with its merchandising strategy, it implies that Amazon couldn’t give them a good enough price on their Kindle devices to make them worth selling. The Reuters report points out that Amazon’s margins on Kindle devices are believed to be thin.

    The reason those margins are thin is that Amazon is stil not really a hardware company. A quick look at any of their devices shows that they are all designed for customers to consume content. Specifically, to consume Amazon content. The Kindle Fire, for example, runs on a version of Google’s Android operating system that is modified to use Amazon’s app store and display content prominently. It functions wonderfully for selling movies, ebooks, and games that are bought through Amazon. Wal-Mart sells many of these same products in the form of DVDs and physical books. It’s possible that part of Wal-Mart’s decision has to do with not selling devices that are geared toward selling its competitor’s products.

  • Amazon Announces Whispersync For Voice and Gaming

    Amazon today announced the new Kindle Fire, two Kindle Fire HDs, and the Kindle Paperwhite, along with some amazing pricing that could seriously challenge Apple in the tablet space. However, if you weren’t paying close attention to the news coming out of Amazon’s press conference today, you may have missed that its Whispersync service has moved beyond books and movies, to audiobooks and games.

    Amazon’s Whispersync service has been around since the early days of the Kindle. Traditionally, it was the service that would sync the amount of text users had read in each book to the cloud, allowing readers to pick up where they left off on another device running the Kindle app. When the Amazon video app began appearing on many devices, Whispersync also began syncing movie playback in the cloud.

    Now, Whispersync for Games will save your games in the cloud, while Whispersync for Voice will sync audiobook playback with text. The Whispersync for Games service is similar to that of movie and books: your place is simply saved in the cloud so that it will be consistent across multiple platforms.

    Whispersync for Voice, however, is more remarkable. The service will now allow users to go from reading a book on the Kindle next to their bedstand, to listening to the Audible audiobook version of the same book through the Audible app on their smartphone, and then back to reading on a device with the Kindle app, all seamlessly, right where they left off.

    Amazon has not provided details on the service yet, so it is unknown whether customers will have to purchase both the Kindle version and the Audible version of a text to enjoy Whispersync for Voice. If that is the case, that would seem to be a large cost for a feature that is essentially a cool timesaver. It’s possible, instead, that the new Whispersync hints at Kindle ebook/Audible audiobook combo deals in the near future.

  • Kindle Fire 2 Leaked Pic Hits the Web

    Kindle Fire 2 Leaked Pic Hits the Web

    When Amazon announced this morning that the Kindle Fire had sold out, it was clear they were happy to be hinting at the impending announcement of the Kindle Fire 2 on September 6th. Now the leaks have begun, meaning that many of the rumors Amazon will neither confirm nor deny will soon be replaced by facts.

    The Verge has obtained what it claims is a picture of the next Kindle Fire. Seen above, the device seems to have more rounded corners than the original Kindle Fire, but a similar interface. The device also appears to have a front-facing camera, meaning video calling might soon be possible on a Kindle. Not much else can be discerned by the picture, though The Verge states it has seen another picture that shows a “streamlined user interface with less ‘chrome.’” That publication said it has been asked not to publish the second photo.

    All of this speculation will be cleared up next week as Amazon announces the next Kindle Fire. And in addition to that device, it is rumored that a 10-inch Kindle Fire, a new Kindle Touch, and even a Kindle smartphone are possible announcements for next week’s Amazon event. Pricing rumors for these devices have not cropped up, though it’s likely that the new 7-inch Kindle Fire will stay near the current one’s $200 price.

    (Photo courtesy The Verge)

  • iPad Mini Details Leaked in Anticipation of Launch

    It looks as if the long-rumored iPad Mini might finally get a debut, and just in time for the holiday shopping season. The specifications of the device are all but announced at this point, but a few more minor details about Apple’s first mini tablet were leaked this week.

    9 to 5 Mac was able to obtain some details of how the upcoming mini-tablet will look. Citing “sources that we have reason to believe hold knowledge about Apple’s plans on the upcoming iPad mini,” their report describes the device as a big iPod Touch with smaller bezels and separate buttons for volume control.

    9 to 5 Mac also revealed that their sources place the iPad Mini thickness at around 7.2 to 7.3 mm. There is some confusion over whether the device will have a front-facing camera, due to conflicting leaked mock-ups. The 9 to 5 Mac report speculated that the lack of a camera may be part of a lower-priced iPad Mini. They also showed off a case backing made by Devicewear, though it obviously isn’t from Apple.

    It has already been reported that the iPad Mini will feature a 7.85-inch display, will cost between $249 and $299, and will launch sometime in late September. That price and size are certainly within striking distance of the other 7-inch tablets, especially considering Apple’s reputation of releasing high-quality products. Amazon and Google both have a head start in the mini-tablet market, though. Google’s Nexus 7 mini tablet was well-reviewed when it was released in July, and Amazon will soon be releasing its second generation Kindle Fire mini tablet. It will be interesting to see whether Apple can invade and dominate a market they did not create themselves.

  • Kindle Fire 2 May Roll Out on August 7

    Kindle Fire 2 May Roll Out on August 7

    A Taiwanese newspaper is reporting that the next-generation Kindle Fire tablet will be released on August 7. The China Times states that components for the device have begun shipping to Quanta, the world’s largest manufacturer of notebook computers. The newspaper is reporting that the next Kindle Fire will have a metal frame, and an updated, higher resolution display from LG.

    There have already been rumors that Amazon will announce the device at an event on July 31. An August 7 release date fits well with that speculation. The China Times states that the first shipment of Kindle 2 tablets will be for 2 million units, and that Quanta has received an order for around 200 million total units. It also stated that 8.9-inch and 10-inch models are still a possibility from Amazon, but are not yet being manufactured.

    This news sets the stage for some lively competition in the 7-inch tablet market. Though Google’s recently announced Nexus 7 tablet is better than the Kindle Fire in almost every way, the next Kindle Fire will almost certainly have the hardware to compete. And with Amazon’s content lead over Google (Amazon has a streaming video service a large ebook ecosystem), users may feel that the Kindle Fire 2 fits their content consumption needs better than the Google Play store can.

    In addition, rumors of a smaller Apple iPad are looking more and more credible. A must-have iPad Mini and a 10-inch Kindle Fire would certainly throw the entire tablet market into a competitive disarray of mutually exclusive content ecosystems.

  • Nexus 7 vs. Kindle Fire: Which Should Get Your $200?

    When Google unveiled the Nexus 7 at Google I/O last week, it struck right at the heart of the growing 7-inch tablet market. The Nexus 7 might be shiny and new, but how does it stack up to the current king of the 7-inchers, Amazon’s Kindle Fire? Here we break down the features of both tablets so that you can decide where to spend your hard-earned $200.

    First, let’s look at what a customer will be looking at – the screens. Both the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7 share 7 inches of diagonal screen space. The Fire sports a nice screen resolution of 1024 x 600, but the Nexus 7 beats it out with a 1280 x 800 screen resolution. In addition, the Nexus 7’s 216 ppi pixel density soundly beats the Fire’s 170 ppi.

    As for the body of the device, while the 7.81-inch tall Nexus 7 is slightly taller than the 7.48-inch tall Fire, the Nexus is a hair thinner at .41-inches thick compared to the Fire’s .45-inches. Both tablets are 4.72-inches wide.

    Inside the devices, the Nexus 7 shows off what difference a year can now make in terms of hardware manufacturing. The 7 has a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, an NVidia 12-core graphics processor, and 1024 MB of RAM. It comes with either 8 GB or 16 GB of internal memory, and has a 4325 mAh battery. That type of hardware is impressive for a 7-inch tablet, and should be good enough save the Nexus 7 from obsolescence for years to come. It was made clear last week that Google is selling the Nexus 7 at cost.

    The Kindle Fire, on the other hand, has only a 1 GHz Texas Instruments dual-core processor and 512 MB or RAM. The Fire, though, does have a large 4400 mAh battery, which Amazon claims will run up to 7.5 hours of continuous video.

    As disparate as the hardware seems, the software is really where these tablets differentiate themselves. Although both tablets are running on Google’s Android operating system, the Fire runs a heavily modified version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Amazon has placed its services front-and-center, and made it difficult for customers to use any others. Amazon Prime members will be able to get the most out the Kindle Fire with Amazon’s library of free streaming movies and shows for Prime members. Amazon’s video selection is good, but not nearly as nice as Netflix streaming, which is, thankfully, available as a free app in Amazon’s app store. Prime members will also be able to access one free book per month from the Amazon Lending Library, which now includes the Harry Potter books.

    The Nexus 7 will be running Google’s newest version of Android, 4.1 Jelly Bean. This means Google’s tablet will have access to the vast array of apps, games, and media in the Google Play store, as well as access many other companies’ products, including Amazon’s. Nexus 7 users will be able to read their Kindle collection through the Kindle Android app, though Prime members will not be able to borrow their monthly book if they do not own a Kindle. Also, as a Nexus device, the Nexus 7 will be getting the latest Android updates straight from Google.

    In terms of connectivity, the Kindle Fire is a bit lacking. While the Nexus 7 even has NFC support, the Fire is missing more basic features that the Nexus 7 has, such as Bluetooth and a front-facing camera.

    The comparison between the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire is actually a bit unfair. The Fire is nearly a year older than the Nexus 7, and the tablets were designed with different purposes in mind. Google designed its tablet to showcase all of the media in the Google Play store, including modern mobile games that are becoming progressively processor-intensive. Amazon designed the Kindle Fire as an extension of its e-ink Kindle e-readers, and the result is a device that is great for consuming media content straight from Amazon. The next version of the Kindle Fire (which some rumors relate will roll out in July – around the same time that the Nexus 7 ships) will certainly make up for its hardware deficiencies, making consumers’ choice much harder.

    If you are looking for the latest, fastest, and most feature-rich 7-inch tablet currently on the market, Google’s Nexus 7 has just about everything. However, if you are an Amazon Prime member who is heavily invested in Amazon’s content ecosystem, you might want to wait a couple of months to see just what Amazon has in store.

  • Harry Potter Books Now Available Through the Amazon Lending Library

    Harry Potter Books Now Available Through the Amazon Lending Library

    Amazon announced today that Amazon Prime members can borrow all seven Harry Potter books through the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. The Lending Library is Amazon’s service that allows Prime members to “borrow” an ebook once per month from a selection of over 145,000 books. The Harry Potter books are available for borrowing in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.

    “Nowhere else can customers borrow any of the seven Harry Potter books for free, with an unlimited supply of each title and no waiting list,” said Russ Grandinetti, vice president of Kindle content at Amazon. “A $79 Prime membership was already the best deal in retail, and now it’s become even more valuable.”

    Amazon has purchased an exclusive license from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore website to make the ebooks available through its service. If the Harry Potter series just isn’t your choice of literature, the Lending Library also has 100 current and former New York Times best sellers in its catalogue.

    For an Amazon Prime subscriber and Kindle owner, borrowing a book from Amazon is easy. On a Kindle device, navigate to the Kindle storefront. From there, choose the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library from the categories menu. Browse the thousands of books tagged with the Amazon Prime logo, then select “Borrow for Free” on a book’s purchase page.

  • Google’s Nexus Tablet May Prompt Competitors to Cut Prices

    With Google’s rumored $199 Nexus tablet possibly entering the market in 2012, other entry-level tablet vendors might be pressured to lower their prices.

    Google has reportedly paired up with Asus to manufacture a device that will go up against Amazon’s Kindle Fire – but might also pressure other companies like Acer, Lenovo and Samsung to lower their prices. On average, the gross margin of tablets is about 10 to 15%, but with general price drops and manufacturing component price increases, gross margins are expected to rapidly decline. This would force manufacturers to compete over narrowing profits.

    The Google Nexus tablet is alleged to go into production around April, and might ship in June. Google’s annual I/O Conference takes place on June 27th, a forum where the tablet might be officially unveiled.

    In related news, it has been reported that Amazon might release three new versions of its Kindle Fire this year – two new 7-inch models and one 8.9-inch model.