Amazon Kindle.. "nice to have"..

I totally agree with Troy's review of Amazon Kindle. It is one honest, straight forward and real good review. Gives messaging very clearly..
So, in my view... you should get Kindle Fire HD if you are avid amazon book reader and you love to watch lot of amazon media. You get some free usage of Amazon's book library.. and hopefully some more freebies from Amazon. Other reason to get it could be if you want 16GB storage instead of 8GB storage on Google's Nexus 7 tablet in same price.

I guess, my expectation was much more higher.. I was thinking that Amazon will definitely surpass Google Nexus's tablet. I was hoping for even better user experience and integration for media than Google.

I think, Amazon launched it little sooner and they were really not done with the work especially on tablet OS and other hardware software marriage or integration. Knowing Amazon, I know for sure that they will fix all the gotchas they have left. At least on software side for sure.

Overall, it is excellent value for money. I think if aren't big iPad user then you would like it ;-) otherwise, you could wait for iPad mini if you want smaller or cheaper footprint..

Cheers!!

Amazon’s new Kindle doesn’t light my Fire

In terms of its underlying technology, Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HD is a huge leap over its predecessor.

Despite that, I was underwhelmed by the new tablet.

The initial Kindle Fire was the first compelling tablet device that wasn’t made by Apple. Unlike most tablets on the market when it debuted last fall, the Fire was inexpensive and easy to use, and its 7-inch screen made it easy to hold.

But the market has changed.

Google’s Android software is much improved and its rival Nexus 7 tablet is a better general purpose tablet than the Fire HD.

That’s not to say Amazon’s new device is a dud — there’s a lot to like about it. The Fire HD has a much higher resolution screen than the original and is able to display HD videos. With 16 gigabytes of storage, it has double the capacity of the Fire at the same price. It has a longer-lasting battery and a faster Wi-Fi radio.

And unlike the original, it has a front camera for video calls and a touch screen that can recognize up to 10 fingertips at once, rather than just two, allowing owners to potentially use sophisticated gestures to interact with it.

I don’t know how many people will notice the more sensitive touch screen or the faster Wi-Fi radio. But the Fire HD’s screen is beautiful. Its resolution is not as good as the new iPad’s, but it’s noticeably better than its predecessor’s. High-definition images and content look great. 

Skype users will appreciate the new front camera. I used it to make a Skype video call, and it worked fine. 

The device is solidly built, though plain. 

It comes in an unremarkable black, rubberized plastic case with two physical buttons: a power button and a volume rocker button. 

They are set flush with the case, which can make them hard to find in the dark. 

But the main feature of the Fire HD is its ability to connect with Amazon’s services and extensive array of digital content. Like its predecessor, it has a menu system that organizes content and features that are either on the device or accessible from the “cloud.” So users will find areas for books, apps, music, movies, the Web, photos and more. 

Those menu items generally point to Amazon’s services. If you want to watch Netflix movies, you have to find it in the apps area, not in the movie one. In the movie area, you’ll just find movies that you’ve bought or can download or stream from Amazon. Likewise, if you want to listen to music on Pandora, you won’t have that option in the music store; there you’ll only find music you’ve bought from Amazon or stored on its servers. 

If you are a heavy user of Amazon’s digital services, this type of organization is great. Consumers who have purchased e-books, movies or music from Amazon will be able to quickly access them. But if you want to do things other than watch Amazon movies or read Kindle e-books, the Fire HD is a much less satisfying device. 

All of your apps are crammed within the “apps” or “games” menu. Unlike Android tablets, you don’t have multiple home screens on which to organize favorite applications or a task bar in which to place frequently used ones. Instead, in the area where you might have a task bar, Amazon advertises applications. I kept clicking on icons within it thinking I was going to launch Netflix or the Weather Channel app, but was taken instead to pages on which I could download those apps. 

The device does have a “favorites” button underneath this marketing area to which you can save your most used apps, but I found that less useful than a true task bar. 

The Fire HD also lacks a true app switching or multitasking system. Unlike on a standard Android device or an iPad, there’s no way to see all of the currently running or recent applications or switch to them while you’re still using a particular app. Instead, you generally have to back out to the home screen. 

Thanks to these kinds of limitations, the Fire HD feels less like a general purpose tablet than a device meant to tie you to Amazon’s services. 

And there are other reasons to dislike the Kindle Fire. For one thing, it’s sluggish. 

Amazon says it bumped up the processor, but I often experienced a noticeable delay in launching apps. 

One technology Amazon has touted in its Kindle devices is its Silk browser. Silk attempts to speed the loading of Web pages by having some of the processing needed to display them done by Amazon’s servers on the Internet. Amazon said the Fire HD’s Silk browser is 30 percent faster than the original Fire’s. 

But that doesn’t mean it’s fast. In a head-tohead competition with Google’s rival Nexus 7 connected to the same network, the Fire HD’s browser often lost out, loading Web pages a second or two after the Nexus 7. 

Another thing some users may object to is that the Fire HD is like a mobile billboard for Amazon. When you turn it on, it displays an ad, whether for an Amazon product, a Discover card or for any number of Amazon’s advertising partners. You can opt out of seeing the ads, but it will cost you an extra $15. 

So Amazon’s new tablet is better than last year’s version, but it doesn’t really light my Fire. 

Contact Troy Wolverton at 408-840-4285 or twolverton@mercurynews.com. Follow him at www.mercurynews.com/troy-wolverton or Twitter.com/troywolv. 

Tablet Competition Intensifies

Finally.. I was really happy to see Amazon's update to Fire2 or Fire HD tablet lineup. It was really good to see some nice alternatives coming at really attractive price point. I think Amazon win me over as their customer for 8.9 inch tablet already. Whenever it comes out. I will be getting it. Unless, I hear back some real bad feedback before I get it.. Which considering Amazon's reputation is highly unlikely. I hope it will put some good pressure on Apple to lower their iPad's prices not just come up with lowered size form factor.

We are living in really exciting times.. In our lifespan we are lucky to see such an enormous growth in technology and more importantly changes in our living habits and vastly improved quality of life. All thanks to great companies like Intel, Cisco, MIcrosoft, Sun, Google, Apple, Oracle, Amazon, Samsung and so many more.. oh.. how can I miss my favorite Facebook ;-) Irrespective of their stock performance or whether they exist currently or not.. it was the great innovation at some point by these companies.. which made it all this possible..

I think I got carried away a bit.. Coming back to Tablets.. I was impressed a lot with Google Nexus7.. but Amazon's line up... I think surpassed Google's.. mostly because of the form factor options.. Though.. there is small catch with Kindle Fire.. It is suppose to be Ad supported.. and it has minor glitch with OS which is Android forked.. Amazon Customized.. I am mostly fine with both the options.. I am not really worried about less number of Applications and games availability on Kindle Fire.. I think it is good in a way.. that these game could be filtered and choices will be less and much better. Let us see.. I hope Amazon will not disappoint me.

Let me know your views.. looking forward to hear back from you all..

APPLE RIVALS

Gadgets galore before iPhone

Amazon, Motorola, Nokia hope to blunt big announcement

By Anick Jesdanun

Associated Press

NEW YORK —Itwasabig week for gadget announcements as Amazon, Nokia and Motorola all tried to generate interest in their products before Apple’s expected announcement of a new iPhone next Wednesday.Amazon announced four new Kindle Fire models and a new line of stand-alone ereaders on Thursday, a day after Nokia and Motorola unveiled five new smartphones between them. Makers of consumer electronics are refreshing their products for the holiday shopping season. Apple’s rivals are hoping that a head start on the buzz will translate into stronger sales. Nokia and Microsoft, in particular, are trying to generate interest in a new Windows operating system out next month. The two phones announced Wednesday by Nokia are its first to run Windows Phones 8.

Sales of Apple’s iPhones are still strong, though the company lost the lead in smartphones to Samsung this year. Samsung Electronics benefited from having its Galaxy S III out in the U.S. in June, while Apple was still selling an iPhone model released last October. A new iPhone is expected as early as this month, allowing Apple to recapture the attention and the revenue. Apple dominates the market for tablet computers.

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JOE KLAMAR/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Amazon announced four new Kindle Fire models as it tries to pick up steam in the tablet market before the holiday season.
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Seven out of every 10 tablets shipped in the second quarter were iPads, according to research firm IHS iSuppli. 

Rivals have been trying to compete with smaller, cheaper models — such as Amazon’s Kindle Fire. On Thursday, Amazon announced new models, including ones with screens nearly as large as the iPad’s. 

Now there’s speculation that Apple will be coming out with a smaller iPad as well. 

Here’s a look at what to expect: 

New iPhone 

Apple has come out with a new iPhone each year, and that’s likely to continue. The new model is expected to work with fourth-generation, or 4G, cellular networks that phone companies have been building. That capability is something the S III and many other iPhone rivals already have. A bigger iPhone screen is also possible. Apple will host an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. Sales usually begin a week or two after such an announcement. One thing is known: Apple plans to update its phone software this fall and will ditch Google’s mapping service for its own, as a rivalry between the two companies intensifies. 

Smaller iPad 

Apple has done well selling its full-sized tablet computer, which has a screen that measures nearly 10 inches diagonally. Many companies have tried to come out with iPad alternatives, but the ones that have had moderate success have tended to be those with smaller, 7-inch screens and lower price tags. There’s speculation that Apple will come out with a mini iPad this fall — possibly with a 7.85-inch screen — to compete with those rivals. Apple hasn’t said anything about its plans. 

Rekindling the Fire 

Amazon.com’s 7-inch Kindle Fire is one of the smaller tablets with decent sales. Starting next Friday, it will sell an updated version with a faster processor, more memory and longer battery life. It will also cut the price to $159, from $199, making it far cheaper than the iPad, which starts at $399 for the 2011 version still on sale. (The most recent ones start at $499.) Amazon is also releasing higher-end models under the Kindle Fire HD line. A 7-inch one will go for $199, while an 8.9-inch one will go for $299. There’s also a $499 model that can use the 4G cellular networks that phone companies have been building. A data plan will cost an extra $50 a year. The smaller HD model will start shipping next week, while the larger ones will be available Nov. 20. 

Amazon also refreshed its line of stand-alone ereaders, offering the Paperwhite, with its own light source. 

Motorola’s return 

Though it’s a pioneer in the cellphone industry, Motorola hasn’t had a hit since the Razr phone came out in 2004. Under new owner Google, Motorola Mobility is trying to change that. 

On Wednesday, Motorola announced three new smartphones bearing the Razr name. Verizon Wireless started taking orders for the first of the new phones, the Droid Razr M. It’s a cheaper, smaller phone than the Razr that Motorola launched last year. The $99 Razr M will be in stores next Thursday, the day after Apple’s announcement. 

Motorola will have two high-end models, the Razr HD and Razr Maxx HD, later this year. It’s emphasizing long battery life — up to 21 hours of talk time for the Maxx HD, or 10 hours of video streaming. 

Calling on Windows 

Microsoft will release a new version of the Windows operating system Oct. 26, one that’s designed to work on both traditional computers and tablet devices. A new version of the Windows Phone system is coming out, too. Once-dominant phone maker Nokia has been struggling in the shadow of Apple and Android, and it’s counting on the new Windows system for a revival. On Wednesday, Nokia and Microsoft unveiled two new devices under Nokia’s Lumia brand — the 820 and the 920. 

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop says the new phones will go on sale in the fourth quarter in “select markets.” He didn’t say what they would cost or which U.S. carriers would have them. 

Samsung, which surpassed Nokia as the world’s largest maker of mobile phones in 2011 and overtook Apple in smartphones this year, showed off a Windows 8 phone last week. It didn’t announce an availability date either. 

Surface 

Microsoft plans its own tablet computer, too. It’s new territory for Microsoft, which typically leaves it to others to make devices using its software. Now, it will be competing against its partners. 

The Surface tablet will come in two versions, both with 10.6-inch screens, slightly larger than the iPad’s. One model will run on phone-style chips, just like the iPad, and will be sold for a similar price. A heavier, more expensive version will run on Intel chips and be capable of running standard Windows applications. The Surface will go on sale Oct. 26. 

New BlackBerrys 

A year ago Research In Motion disclosed that it was working on a nextgeneration phone system for the BlackBerry, which now looks ancient next to the iPhone and Android devices. It was supposed to be out in time for this year’s holiday season. That won’t happen. 

In June RIM pushed the release of BlackBerry 10 devices into early next year, saying it wasn’t ready. That means RIM will not only compete with the new iPhone and Android devices out this fall, but it will also have to contend with the new Windows devices. 




BEBETO MATTHEWS/ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Motorola announced three new Droid Razr smartphones, the M, HD and Maxx HD. Motorola hasn’t had a hit since the Razr line was introduced in 2004, but new owner Google hopes to change that. 

Smart move from Amazon on Kindle Fire

Looking forward to see some really great product in next version of Amazon Kindle Fire 2 or whatever it will be called. I guess it was really smart move from Amazon to halt production of current Kindle version as Google came up in similar price range slightly better tablet. So there was no reason for them to sell it for deeper loss. On top of that, it would have been slow sale hurting reputation of Kindle fire as top seller on their amazon site. For customers, there is no reason to buy Kindle Fire when Google's Nexus 7 is already out with much better feature set and similar price range..

Now question is, where will Amazon go with kindle fire 2. It has to be better than Nexus 7. They have few options left. Fire2 has to have better Webcam/Camera.. ideally both of them.. then resolution has to be close to Retina display.. Processor.. memory.. yada yada.. everything has to be better than nexus while price remains same.. or they can come with larger form factor version as well but then they hit iPad competition. I wish they will come up with 9 or 10 inch version with real good competitive iPad features as Samsung is more or less distance second player right now and seems to be focusing more on phone and larger phone segment. 

I really wish that there is some good competitor for iPad and will set higher bar for Apple to either further innovate or open iPad or cut down some prices.. Till Apple get hits on their tablet market share of 70% or more, they are not going to budge anytime soon. Not that I don't like iPad or have anything against it.. But still it could be even better and hopefully even more open..

I may go for Fire2 this time to test it out.. Most of the feedback I heard about Fire so far.. everyone seems to be happy with Graphic rendering, UI and smoothness which is one of the forte of iDevices.. Hope to have larger form factor from Amazon this time..

Kindle Fire tablet sold out as Amazon readies update

New model faces competition from Google’s Nexus 7

By Peter Svensson

Associated Press

NEW YORK —Amazon. com says it has sold out of its Kindle Fire tablet computer amid expectations of a new model for the holiday season.The Internet retailer has a major news conference scheduled for next Thursday in Santa Monica. It’s widely expected to reveal a new model of the Fire there, so Thursday’s announcement that the first model is “sold out” suggests that Amazon halted production a while ago to retool for a new model. Amazon launched the $199 tablet in November. It was the first Kindle with a color screen and the ability to run third-party applications, placing it in competition with Apple’s iPad, at half the price of the cheapest iPad.

Amazon doesn’t say how many Fires it has sold, but says it captured 22 percent of U.S. tablet sales over nine months. That would make it the secondmost- popular tablet, after the iPad. Tom Mainelli at research firm IDC said that figure matches his estimate of 6.7 million Fires sold, all in the U.S. The Fire, which is about half the size of the iPad, could face a tougher challenge this holiday season. Many analysts expect Apple to introduce a smaller, cheaper iPad to take on the threat of the Kindle Fire and reach buyers who can’t afford a full-size iPad. In addition, Google just launched its own Kindle-size tablet, the Nexus 7, and is selling it for $199.

Amazon kept the price of the Kindle Fire low by keeping it small, stripping it of features and taking a small or zero profit margin. Its strategy is to make the Fire a means for people to buy more e-books, music and movie downloads from the Amazon store, which is intimately linked to the device. That’s a contrast to the strategy of Apple, which sees content sales as a sideline and wants to make a profit on every device sold.

Apple has sold more than 84 million iPads since its debut in 2010, contributing to strong quarterly earnings and a market valuation that has exceeded $625 billion — the highest ever for a public company. The iPad 2, released in March 2011, sells for $399. The newest models, out in March, sell for $499 to $829, depending on the amount of storage and wireless capabilities.

Amazon itself was the main outlet for the Kindle Fire. Its website now directs customers to used Fires available from other merchants. Staples stores recently sold it for $179. It wasn’t immediately known whether some stores still had it on shelves.

Amazon could update the rest of its Kindle line at next week’s event, too. The current models were launched a year ago. In the intervening time, competitor Barnes & Noble has launched a Nook e-reader with a built-in screen illuminator for reading in the dark.

ABI Research said Thursday that sales of dedicated e-readers, like the non-Fire, black-and-white Kindles, peaked last year. It expects worldwide sales of e-readers at 11 million in 2012, down from 15 million in 2011.

The research firm expects tablets to outsell e-readers 9-1 this year, despite costing four or five time as much. Still, e-readers won’t go away completely, ABI analyst Joshua Flood said.

“We believe there will always be a niche market for the dedicated reading device for voracious readers, business travelers, and educational segments, particularly ones that are low-priced,” Flood said.

Shares of Amazon, which is based in Seattle, fell 90 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $246.22 Thursday.

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MARK LENNIHAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES

Half the size of the iPad, the Fire was the first Kindle tablet with a color screen and the ability to run third-party applications, at half the cheapest iPad’s price.

Weekly Kindle sales at 1 million

Good to see and hear such news.. Innovation after innovation and finally things are going well for tech companies.. We seriously need good competitor for iPad.. Whatever we have heard so far, Kindle Fire is going to be a formidable competitor for iPad..

This also means that Amazon is selling around 100-150 mil per week in Kindle sales itself.. at the same time.. it also means that they are taking 20-30 mil of loss every week on Kindle sales.. which they hopefully would recoup in content/media sales.. As long as people read it and use it for good.. it is good for everyone..

I hope that Apple will also follow amazon and reduce entry level iPad's price as well.. Apple gets credit for creating this market segment and hopefully that combined with their ulitmate user experience and intuitive desigin will continue to keep them number one in this field..

Cheers!!!

Amazon reports shoppers snapping up tablets, e-readers

By Danielle Kucera

Bloomberg News

Amazon.com, the world’s largest online retailer, said customers have bought about 1 million Kindle e-book readers and tablets in each of the past three weeks, the most detailed sales numbers the company has released. The Kindle Fire tablet, which sells for $199, has been the best-selling product on Amazon.com since its introduction 11 weeks ago, the Seattle- based company said in a statement Thursday. Kindle Fire sales have risen week over week for the past three weeks, Amazon said. The Kindle Fire, which has a 7-inch display and runs on Google’s Android operating system, costs less than half the price of Apple’s least-expensive iPad tablet. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in October that the company may post a loss in the fourth quarter as it ramps up spending. Operating margin may narrow to 0.8 percent this quarter from 3.66 percent in the year-earlier period, according to the average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg.

“They have not talked about numbers at all, so it’s a big deal that they for some reason think they need to disclose metrics now,” said Brian Blair, an analyst at Wedge Partners. “It’s a part of their strategy to show the strength of it against Apple — a way to say, ‘We’re a player, and we’re going to start letting you know.’ ” While IHS says Amazon is losing money on every $199 tablet it sells, Susquehanna Financial Group said Nov. 15 that each machine may generate a total of $384 in revenue for the company, including money spent on books, videos and other content.

Estimates for sales have varied. Amazon has raised production of the tablet two or three times since its introduction and will probably sell 5 million to 6 million Kindle Fires by the end of the year, Blair said.

Anthony DiClemente, an analyst at Barclays, said the company may sell 4.5 million tablets in the fourth quarter, while Colin Sebastian, an analyst at Robert W. Baird, estimates Amazon will sell 5 million to 6 million units of the device.

After hitting store shelves Nov. 14, the Kindle Fire has surpassed more established tablets from Samsung and Barnes & Noble in challenging Apple, which will ship an estimated 18.6 million iPads in the fourth quarter, IHS said.

That would give Apple a market share of 66 percent, compared with an estimated 14 percent for Amazon, IHS said.

“They’re getting traction by selling no-profit hardware,” said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners. “Bad for margins, but it is giving them some share.”