On the heels of the iPad 2: an Amazon tablet?
No question, there will be broad media coverage of the iPad 2’s very likely announcement at 10:00 AM Pacific today.
You can see all sorts of speculation (some of it apparently quite well-informed) about what that might involve.
Random House appears to have gone to the Agency Model to be part of the announcement.
That’s a big publicity wave.
Will Amazon take advantage of that by releasing their hypothetical tablet this week?
I think that would make sense. People perceive an Amazon/Apple rivalry. If Amazon released an Android tablet today or tomorrow (after the iPad 2 announcement), many of the stories about the iPad 2 would include both devices.
People are going to inevitably talk about the shortcomings of the iPad 2…even if there really aren’t any. 😉 What I’m seeing is many people are already talking about the iPad 3.
A “surprise” announcement by Amazon right on the heels of the iPad 2 would put them right in that media mix.
While Amazon hasn’t said they are working on a tablet, there are a lot of indicators, including the fact that they bought a touchscreen company, and that they are supposedly releasing their own Android marketplace this month.
Marketing a table is a little tricky for Amazon, but not too bad. The most important thing to me is that they don’t call it a Kindle. The Kindle needs to keep its positioning as the best EBR (E-Book Reader) out there. They need to promote a new device as being for surfing, for shopping, for watching videos (from Amazon…they just made a big move in offering streaming video as an included part of the $79 annual Prime membership), I would think for gaming.
Yes, it would also be “Kindle-ready”. 🙂
They could compete with the NOOKColor’s nice looking magazines and kids’ books in color, too.
I’m just completely guessing, here, but I think the timing would be excellent.
I’ve talked to my Significant Other about it…if Amazon puts out a tablet, there’s a place in our home for one. 😉 If they’d like me to review one, I’d be happy to do that… 😉
What do you think? Would it be a mistake to open up to “head-to-head” comparisons? Is doing a tablet a bad idea for Amazon, since they promote how the Kindle is better than a tablet for reading? Feel free to let me know.
This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.
I Love My Kindle 
March 2, 2011 at 5:34 pm |
I think it sounds like a great idea, if Amazon were to release a tablet on the heels of iPad2. Talk about taking wind out of Apple’s sails 🙂
March 2, 2011 at 6:01 pm |
Thanks for writing, fairy dust!
Well, I often laugh at geeks like me doing sports analogies ;), but it would at least be like “drafting” in a bicycle race. 🙂
March 3, 2011 at 6:09 am |
Hi Bufo,
Well with the prolonged delay of a new DX (i mean a real update). I think you are definitely going see something like a tablet coming. Though I would still rather have a newer kindle style DX. I think like you said it would be a great vehicle to tie into the other media Amazon has available. I think the concern might be real, that at some point they may deny the kindle app.
This for sure would get interesting if they could get some big break on a 3g Network (though I don’t see them being able to give it away as the kindle has).
March 3, 2011 at 1:25 pm |
Thanks for writing, Tom!
I agree…I don’t think we need to look for “Paul is dead” level clues on this one. 😉
I don’t see free 3G on this…maybe like the iPad: wi-fi only, or 3G with a dataplan. Amazon is innovative, though…
March 3, 2011 at 2:52 pm |
I know I’m wanting what I probably can’t have, technologically, but I want a Kindle Tablet.
I would buy either a device that was fully Kindle-ebook wonderful and really-good-if-not-fully-iPad on the tablet end. Or I would go the other way. iPad-worthy Amazon tablet that was as good or nearly as a standard kindle for ebook reading. In other words,
I would compromise a little either way, but I don’t think I’d buy another device. That would make 3 devices to stuff in my pocket/bag at the same time.
I use a Blackberry for surprisingly heavy duty note-taking, task management, calendaring, surfing, etc, plus it’ s necessary for phone and email. Then I have a Kindle (DX at the moment but would prefer smaller for the next device.) A tablet really only buys me a good magazine reader and improved surfing. I’m not sure I can be sold on 3 devices.
What I really want is a tablet that’s Kindle-great, good for writing and organization (tasks, projects, calendar), and of course the web-surfing and email Then I could stuff a cheap tiny cell phone in my pocket and live happy.
Am I missing something in the have-a-kindle-and-a-tablet strategy?
March 3, 2011 at 3:13 pm |
Thanks for writing, Deanna!
Where the conflict is right now between a “Kin-tastic” reader and a tablet is the reflective screen on the Kindle.
Kindle pluses: easy on the eyes; long battery life; good in bright light
Tablet pluses: video; fast screen refresh (enabling better web surfing); color (that’s just a few)
Right now, those are self-exclusive.
The E Ink screen that makes the Kindle great for reading prevents it from doing some of the things that make a tablet attractive.
Technology is rapidly evolving, and those values may merge in the near future.
March 3, 2011 at 3:00 pm |
I left out another critical feature, for me–easy audiobook listening.
Meaning, if I had my dream tablet and only a tiny, basic cell, that dream tablet would need to be small enough to carry around as an ebook reader, eaerphone in ear. I use my Blackberry instead of my ipod for audio right now. Not perfect because of the EM radiation issues in the Blackberry, but I choose it over hauling around an ipod too.
So that’s really 4 devices I’m trying to cram down to at least 2:
ipod/Blackberry for audio
Blackberry/tablet (?)for net, writing, organization
Kindle for ebooks
Tablet for magazines and other colorful or whiz-bang visual features
Cell phone
(And then there’s the netbook overlap issue, but that’s just too much muddying of the water.)
One day this will be a funny, quaint problem. 🙂
March 3, 2011 at 3:00 pm |
I meant “carry around as an audiobook reader”