Amazon has announced that they are entering the tablet market full force, with the Kindle Fire HD. They are also announcing a new version of the regular Kindle.
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Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G isn't just the best tablet for the price, it's the best tablet. $499 now gets you a large-screen HD tablet with a stunning 8.9" display, exclusive Dolby audio, dual stereo speakers, the fastest Wi-Fi, ultra-fast 4G LTE wireless, plus our new unprecedented $49.99 one-year 4G data package. Customers save hundreds of dollars in the first year compared to other 4G tablets. Kindle Fire HD 8.9" is also available in a Wi-Fi only model for $299.
Kindle Fire HD is the world's most-advanced 7" tablet, with a stunning HD display, plus the same exclusive Dolby audio, dual stereo speakers, the fastest Wi-Fi, and 16 GB of storage. Kindle Fire HD is just $199.
We are also introducing the world's most advanced e-readers, Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Paperwhite 3G.
You'll do a double take when you see Kindle Paperwhite—we've added 62% more pixels and increased contrast by 25%, so whites are whiter, and blacks are blacker. We've also added a revolutionary built-in front light for the perfect reading experience whether you're out at the beach or at home in bed. Kindle Paperwhite starts from just $119. Kindle Paperwhite 3G is available for $179 with free 3G wireless—never pay for or hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. We've also updated our smallest, lightest Kindle with improved fonts and 15% faster page turns—it now starts at just $69.
What I find fascinating about all this legal stuff, is that when the original iPad was first announced, most people openly laughed at Apple...wondering just who the hell would buy a "big iPod touch".
Now, every major hardware manufacturer is jumping in and trying to emulate their success.
What I find fascinating about all this legal stuff, is that when the original iPad was first announced, most people openly laughed at Apple...wondering just who the hell would buy a "big iPod touch".
Now, every major hardware manufacturer is jumping in and trying to emulate their success.
What most people don't realize about portable electronic devices is that it's not about how functional or advanced they are, it's about how many people notice you using one. ipads got you noticed in that airport or coffee shop over other devices. OMFG suddenly everybody wants one.
Success in life all about attention whoring and knowing which kind of attention to capitalize on. Take it from a master.
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Originally Posted by gzsfrk
Dude, you would have been, like, the coolest older brother ever.
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Originally Posted by rubbishfoo
EA executives should drive Star Destroyers. Its somehow fitting.
Free 3G? I just don't understand this. Are they saying that I buy the device once and I can get cellular service for free for life? I don't have to work with a cellular carrier or anything? It just works?
ipads got you noticed in that airport or coffee shop over other devices. OMFG suddenly everybody wants one.
I don't think this is entirely true. Almost 50% of my YouTube traffic now comes from mobile devices according to my Google Analytics. When you consider that I have over 1.4 millions views...that's pretty staggering to realize that most people now prefer to view your content on a device that they can easily hold in one hand on the bus, while drinking coffee, or while standing in line. It's not just a fad when the traffic is that high...
I think the apple annoucnement in a few days is going to be the new iPhone. They already released a new iPad this year.
The $200 iPad Mini has all been confirmed with web traffic logs. It's showing up in big news sites...and with the ability to run all the 225,000 apps day 1, it will probably do very well
1. the data being sent is minimal; just whispersync data and the occasional ebook purchase. 2. revenue sharing with the carriers on purchases over the cellular network.
It's pretty slick, but it's explicitly not the kind of access you may be thinking it is.
I suspect the super-cheap 4G plan for the Fire HD is similar. That is: it's probably not for streaming or general browsing. It's for sync data and the occasional small-data download. Besides, you wouldn't want to stream a movie or download apps over a 250mb/mo plan anyway. you'd almost immediately hit overage charges.
I think the apple annoucnement in a few days is going to be the new iPhone. They already released a new iPad this year.
It is. The rumor-mill is saying the iPad Mini will be introduced at the annual iPod/Back-to-school event, supposedly in early October.
Which makes sense, if they're positioning the iPad Mini being to the iPad what the iPod Touch is to the iPhone. Though it might make sense to combine their annual updates due their similarities, if the stripped-down version is explicitly not getting the latest/greatest tech, why underwhelm/get ignored by announcing them at the same time?
Consider: who paid any attention to the $179 Fire? No-one. It's all about the Fire HD. But Amazon could have scared up press interest and likely sales if they'd refreshed the Fire earlier in the year. They'd certainly have taken some wind out of the Nexus 7's sails.
I have a Nexus 7 I just bought that I'm pretty happy with. It's smallish, but it's also very easy to transport and has like a 3 day battery life.
Does anyone know how apps compare between the various Android devices? Does Kindle support any Android app, or is locked into the Amazon store? My Nexus 7 comes locked to Google Play store, but there's an option to allow downloading apps from any website. I'm wondering how locked up the Kindle is.
Not having looked at the spec sheet, I noticed the claim of "the fastest Wi-Fi". So, I'm assuming this is the new AC spec, not the older N technology?
Amazon is using MIMO in the Kindle Fire HD, meaning it has multiple Wi-Fi antennas connecting to the same network. MIMO lets them get somewhat better speeds by doing two things at once.
Does anyone know how apps compare between the various Android devices? Does Kindle support any Android app, or is locked into the Amazon store? My Nexus 7 comes locked to Google Play store, but there's an option to allow downloading apps from any website. I'm wondering how locked up the Kindle is.
The Fire's app store only gets apps from Amazon, so the Nexus 7 has it totally beat there. However, with some effort, you can side load any app to the Fire - it's just a pain in the ass to do it. So the Kindle is quite locked up.
What you describe for being "locked to the Google Play store", this is how every android device is. It's not locked on the store, the Google Play store is just an app. You can also get an Amazon App Store app for any android device.
The feature to run apps from any website is fantastic, and it's how you run the .apk files that you get from things like the Humble Bundles.
I really think you went the right direction. With the Nexus 7, I think the Kindle Fire is utterly obsolete.
Free 3G is likely like the other Kindles, for buying books only. Internet surfing now requires Wifi.
Anyway, why would anyone buy this tablet? You've got the Google Nexus 7 out there for $200, and it's actually a pure Android offering, whereas Amazon has forked Android to create their own custom OS. Which I assume they must be doing with this one as well.
They didn't even fork Jellybean 4.1, they forked long ago. Have they updated? Doubt it.
Same here, it's an awesome tablet, and I think everyone should check it out and then buy one First one I've ever considered worth owning (that isn't Apple).
First one I've ever considered worth owning (that isn't Apple).
