4 ms·

Will Amazon make a tablet? 'Stay tuned,' says Jeff Bezos

23 points by atularora 15y ago

jcr 15y ago
The rumored manufacturer of the Amazon tablet is Samsung. The Skyhook/Google-android law suit is potentially related. Search the following for "amazon" to see why. http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-lawsuit-motorola-samsung/ http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-la...
- mikecane 15y ago
  I don't think it's going to be an Android tablet. Amazon might have considered that but the way Honeycomb has been locked down clearly prevents that now. This will be a Mirasol-screen color Kindle using the same OS as Kindle but with a touch UI. Amazon already has gotten some Kindle app devs. More will follow when this color one comes out.
  - ansy 15y ago
    I think that is fanciful thinking. Mirasol is not ready for prime time. Also, Bezos says such a device would supplement rather than replace the Kindle. So it stands to reason we can expect something more like an iPad. I think an Amazon branded Android tablet must be in the mix even without Honeycomb. The Nook Color is very successful proof you can launch an Android tablet without full Google compatibility. And Amazon has its own App Store already. I would not be surprised if we got a Gingerbread tablet with a custom Amazon skin and the Amazon App Store for $100 more than a similarly sized Kindle.
    - mikecane 15y ago
      >>>Mirasol is not ready for prime time. Who says? And why do you think the tablet will arrive tomorrow? Fall. http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2011/05/10/theres-good-news-and-bad-news-about-mirasol/ http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2011/05/10/theres-good-new...
      - ansy 15y ago
        http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100820PD215.html http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100820PD215.html It doesn't sound like Mirasol will be produced in volume until 2012. Given the necessary lead time to stock components for a major device launch, devices that use Mirasol will be late 2012 at best, definitely not fall 2011. At least that's what it seems given the available information. I do think Amazon will make a color Kindle eReader using Mirasol eventually. But they are obviously doing something strategic with Android and can make an LCD tablet without waiting on Mirasol.
- Apocryphon 15y ago
  All the companies are teaming up in the mobile race. They ought to talk to HP!
jawn 15y ago
To me, the existing kindle is already quite a good tablet. It might not have all the bells and whistles of an ipad, but there's an active app community, it's "tablet" sized, and is geared towards content consumption and not creation. For me, this is what signifies a tablet.
code_duck 15y ago
It seems pretty apparent that they're going to continue to develop the Kindle - especially with Apple making moves to the eBook market. Amazon's position in online retail would be the envy of pretty much any other company, giving them an nearly unparalleled ability to publicize their own products. The fact that they're already starting an Android 'App Store' is interesting.
unclickable 15y ago
Thank you , Jeff, for staying focused. I love my Kindle and wouldn't want anymore features and capabilities. I wouldn't want to be able to check my email on Kindle. I wouldn't want having full browser capability. Because all of that would distract me from reading. I noticed that I can't read on iPad for more than 15 minutes. I always want to check my email or play a game.
atacrawl 15y ago
I think it's been pretty clear for several months that Amazon is in the best position to take on the iPad with a tablet of its own. It's the only company that can rival Apple in the media distribution market, and it has tremendous momentum given the popularity of the Kindle. I predict that we'll see a $299-399 tablet about the size of the Kindle DX along side a revamped $99 Kindle. Then it's game on.

23 points by atularora 15y ago

jcr 15y ago

The rumored manufacturer of the Amazon tablet is Samsung. The Skyhook/Google-android law suit is potentially related. Search the following for "amazon" to see why. http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-lawsuit-motorola-samsung/ http://thisismynext.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-la...

mikecane 15y ago
I don't think it's going to be an Android tablet. Amazon might have considered that but the way Honeycomb has been locked down clearly prevents that now. This will be a Mirasol-screen color Kindle using the same OS as Kindle but with a touch UI. Amazon already has gotten some Kindle app devs. More will follow when this color one comes out.
- ansy 15y ago
  I think that is fanciful thinking. Mirasol is not ready for prime time. Also, Bezos says such a device would supplement rather than replace the Kindle. So it stands to reason we can expect something more like an iPad. I think an Amazon branded Android tablet must be in the mix even without Honeycomb. The Nook Color is very successful proof you can launch an Android tablet without full Google compatibility. And Amazon has its own App Store already. I would not be surprised if we got a Gingerbread tablet with a custom Amazon skin and the Amazon App Store for $100 more than a similarly sized Kindle.
  - mikecane 15y ago
    >>>Mirasol is not ready for prime time. Who says? And why do you think the tablet will arrive tomorrow? Fall. http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2011/05/10/theres-good-news-and-bad-news-about-mirasol/ http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2011/05/10/theres-good-new...
    - ansy 15y ago
      http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100820PD215.html http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20100820PD215.html It doesn't sound like Mirasol will be produced in volume until 2012. Given the necessary lead time to stock components for a major device launch, devices that use Mirasol will be late 2012 at best, definitely not fall 2011. At least that's what it seems given the available information. I do think Amazon will make a color Kindle eReader using Mirasol eventually. But they are obviously doing something strategic with Android and can make an LCD tablet without waiting on Mirasol.
Apocryphon 15y ago
All the companies are teaming up in the mobile race. They ought to talk to HP!

jawn 15y ago

To me, the existing kindle is already quite a good tablet. It might not have all the bells and whistles of an ipad, but there's an active app community, it's "tablet" sized, and is geared towards content consumption and not creation. For me, this is what signifies a tablet.

code_duck 15y ago

It seems pretty apparent that they're going to continue to develop the Kindle - especially with Apple making moves to the eBook market. Amazon's position in online retail would be the envy of pretty much any other company, giving them an nearly unparalleled ability to publicize their own products. The fact that they're already starting an Android 'App Store' is interesting.

unclickable 15y ago

Thank you , Jeff, for staying focused. I love my Kindle and wouldn't want anymore features and capabilities. I wouldn't want to be able to check my email on Kindle. I wouldn't want having full browser capability. Because all of that would distract me from reading. I noticed that I can't read on iPad for more than 15 minutes. I always want to check my email or play a game.

atacrawl 15y ago

I think it's been pretty clear for several months that Amazon is in the best position to take on the iPad with a tablet of its own. It's the only company that can rival Apple in the media distribution market, and it has tremendous momentum given the popularity of the Kindle. I predict that we'll see a $299-399 tablet about the size of the Kindle DX along side a revamped $99 Kindle. Then it's game on.