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Topic: Laptops

Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

Summary: Amazon is getting ready to deal a massive blow to Android tablet makers.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

We've been talking about the Amazon Kindle Tablet for what feels like forever, but now that someone has had a hands-on with this device, the reality of just how toxic this could be to other Android tablets is sinking in.

First to post his thoughts on the tablet is TechCrunch's MG Siegler.

Here's the deal:

  • 7-inch full-color screen, no eInk (10-inch coming in 2012)
  • Two-finger multitouch support
  • Runs a version of Android that's older than 2.2 but it's been heavily customized
  • No camera
  • UI looks and feels like Amazon's iOS Kindle app
  • 6GB of storage
  • The killer - $250

A few things stand out here. First is the price. $250 is a little bit higher than some people were expecting ($199 was touted as the sweet spot). $250 will wipe the floor with tablets from other makers. Seriously. Amazon has huge market reach and this will have a huge effect on other tablets ... even possibly the iPad.

Another interesting point is that Amazon has decided to go it alone with a pre-2.2 version of Android, which means that Google will have to come to terms with a major fork in the Android code. The fact that Amazon didn't go with 'Honeycomb' or 'Ice Cream Sandwich' (and that the Kindle Tablet will never get either of these) will be a major blow to both Google and OEMs who have been putting a lot of effort (and faith) in these releases.

Amazon also has no shortage of content, both free and paid for, on offer for tablet users. Aside from ebooks, Amazon has a music service, a video service, an Android app store, a games and software downloads service, cloud services and audiobooks (Amazon owns Audible.com). Integrating these services into a single device would make a Kindle tablet compelling for hardcore Amazon users … and in my experience there are a LOT of hardcore Amazon users out there.

Amazon's Kindle Tablet WILL be a game-changer!

Topics: Laptops, Amazon, Android, Hardware, Mobility, Tablets

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  • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

    I was hoping for a sunlight readable screen, no cameras, what about HDMI? Only six gb and no mention of an SD slot. I was really excited about this Amazon entry but now...not so sure.
    DaDsPlayer
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

      @DaDsPlayer <br>I also wonder how they solve sun light problem.....<br>On the other hand, it may be sold as Kindle Extra, not as full tablet. As a Kindle + extra tablet bits.
      przemoli
      Reply Vote

      • What sunlight problem?

        @przemoli: Personally, I think you're just reiterating what others have said without any hands-on experience. I can read a color LCD quite well even in direct sunlight as long as the sun isn't directly behind my head. E-ink simply isn't fast enough to serve in a tablet concept.
        Vulpinemac
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @przemoli I have a HP TouchSmart tm2 Tablet computer and a Kindle3 and I can tell you that I would much rather read on my Kindle than my tablet outside!! I have read both indoors and outdoors and my tablet is good for everything else but reading books. Before I bought the Kindle I would read on airplanes, airports and waiting at hospitals and it was great.
        bvonr@...
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

      @DaDsPlayer . I agree. I recently bought the ASUS transformer b/c of all the good reviews and I can say it is a well built machine for $399. it shipped with 3.0 but updated to 3.2 within 10 minutes of being online. It is remarkably quick and the nvidia tegra graphics seems to perform very well. The screen is very responsive and comparable to what i have seen on the ipad 2. If you use the apple ecosystem then great, if not there are good android alternatives. Unftortunately unless you are Apple and spend $$$ on advertising people don't always get to find out.
      tovy.thomas@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @tovy.thomas@...
        Me too. I was researching the tablets and figured out TR had all desired characteristics, but didn't dare to buy any of them without actually holding and using them. I went to store and started using it and after some time figured out that was it, and bought it.
        bvukov@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @tovy.thomas@... You have got to be kidding right? You honestly think that Motorola, RIM, Samsung and HP haven't spent big bucks on marketing?
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

    • Message has been deleted.

      tovy.thomas@...
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

      @DaDsPlayer I was hoping for the mirasol display.. damn.. :(
      MallusLittera
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

    Where do you guys get this crap from? Do you really want Android to die this badly?

    Seriously, this is like saying the Nook Color could destroy the Android Market!

    Guess what? It isn't going to happen!
    slickjim
    Reply Vote

    • Coming from a guy who said the iPad is..

      @Peter Perry ..is just a big iPod touch and has no use.. is going no where.. you've demonstrated a lack of understanding of this market..

      Amazon has several important things going for it
      1. Comprehensive Ecosystem.. and demonstrated aptitude at getting people to buy online
      2. Price
      3. Name brand recognition, trust
      4. Signed up users & credit card number ready to do one-click purchases
      5. Proportedly simple UX

      Notice no mention of specs except for price? No one cares except for the tech propeller heads..
      doctorSpoc
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @doctorSpoc

        "Notice no mention of specs except for price? No one cares except for the tech propeller heads."

        Wow, I could not have said this better myself. I can't help but laugh every time I see some silly Android tablet ad spouting screen resolutions, number of processors, memory and other minutia. The iPad has made it crystal clear that the people targeted on the whole in this market, only give a damn about the overall experience, not the details.

        Me? I care about details like resolution, and that's why I carry ultra portable PCs until I feel the iPad has matured enough to make it worth my while. Guess what, I'm not the majority.
        Playdrv4me
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @doctorSpoc You are clearly deceived and can show no real distinction between the iPod Touch and the iPad.

        As for saying it had no use, you are thinking of somebody else... I said I didn't like the manufactured limitations so there is a difference!

        As for specs, people do care, when the Tablet is slow, they notice! If you don't think that is true you're deceived and aren't dealing in reality. You see, people may not understand dual core 1 GHz but they do understand performance.

        Also, pre 2.2 did not have Native Flash Support so that is another issue they are facing.

        Anyway, bottom line, this isn't going to kill anything but the NOOK.
        slickjim
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @doctorSpoc and Peter

        Two well educated opinions on the tablet market, and both make good point. The Christmas season market this year will certainly be a game changer in ways no one can predict. It will be very interesting.
        gomer70
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @doctorSpoc
        In general I am in the camp of damn the specs but I also have some reservations here. First this sounds like a real stripped down unit and stripped down units have a tendency to not work very well when you start loading things in. I had a 6 month old Droid that went from a great phone to a POS in one Andriod upgrade. People who are looking for an Android pad to do all the neat things they see being done on an iPad will be disappointed by this device. Nook killer is the correct label.
        KBabcock75
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        @doctorSpoc no one cares about specs until they use the device and are severely disappointed it won't do what they expected it to do.
        Al_nyc
        Reply Vote

      • Hear Hear!

        @doctorSpoc is right.
        Vulpinemac
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

        I hold in my hands an Garmin nevi 37xx navigator. It looks like iPhone/iPod touch, it fells like one (nice multitouch, slim body, etc), it runs Android (quite old version, I guess). If I was not curious, I would not even find out it was running Android.

        Who cares? As long as the device does it's job, I am fine with it. The same with the Kindle Tablet. Those who buy these devices buy them for what they do. Not for their tech spec.

        However nice this tablet thing is, it is not the Kindle (a device for quality reading). But for Amazon, it is a device that will let them sell to another niche.
        danbi
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Amazon's Kindle Tablet could slaughter the Android tablet market

      @Peter Perry - Nothing to do with the Android Market, everything to do with the Android Tablet Market.
      micromac@...
      Reply Vote

      • Nope - Wrong Name

        @micromac@...
        ... Everything to do with the Amazon Kindle Market.
        rhonin
        Reply Vote
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