Amazon Hits Apple with New 'Three Kindles for the Price of an iPad' Commercial

[MacRumors]

With its prominent position in the smartphone and tablet markets, it's no surprise that Apple is a popular target in its competitors advertising as they seek to differentiate themselves from Apple even as they ride on the popularity of the company's brand and products. Samsung has been one of the most prominent users of this tactic lately with its series of ads showing Apple fans waiting in line for the next new product launch only to be wowed by the latest Samsung product being used by a passerby.

Back in 2010, Amazon took on the iPad with a Kindle ad touting its E Ink capabilities that provide superior viewing in direct sunlight. Amazon has now revived the original concept addressing readability in bright sunlight but augmenting it by promoting the Kindle's significantly lower pricing. The ad notes that customers can buy three Kindles for less than the price of an iPad, allowing everyone in the family to have their own device.

Man: Hey, excuse me. That's the new Kindle, isn't it? $79.

Woman: Best way to read, even in sunlight.

Man: Yeah, but I mean if you want to watch movies, or surf the Web...

Woman: I've got a Kindle Fire for that.

Man: Three Kindles. That's got to be expensive.

Woman: Not really. Together they're still less than that. (nods at man's iPad)

With the Kindle Fire priced at $199 and the basic ad-supported Kindle priced at $79, two Kindle Fires and a Kindle would cost a total of $477, below the iPad's $499 entry-level price. Apple has been rumored to be planning to continue offering the iPad 2 as a lower-cost option once the company introduces the iPad 3 early next month, but Apple almost certainly will not match or come close to the Kindle Fire's pricing given the significant differences between the two devices.

Article Link: Amazon Hits Apple with New 'Three Kindles for the Price of an iPad' Commercial

 

[Vasileios]

On other news, three napkins are still less than one Kindle

 

[blyan]

Yeah, and I could buy like 3 Kia Rios for the price of a single Range Rover. That totally makes the Kia Rio a superior car, right you guys?

 

[trainwrecka]

Pretty effective commercial honestly. I know how much better the iPad is on... well, on everything, but to the average consumer...

 

[alex00100]

Catchy!

And that says it all

 

[Samskeyti]

Price point > Quality

Am I right?

 

[DDaddyx2]

Dennis Miller used to do a bit about buying things solely based on deals like 2-for-1:

"Hey folks, two of crap is still crap. If they really wanna screw you they'll give you three of these things."

 

[badtzwang]

On other news, three napkins are still less than one Kindle

Yeah, and I could buy like 3 Kia Rios for the price of a single Range Rover. That totally makes the Kia Rio a superior car, right you guys?

Let's be real guys ... you can't downplay the value proposition of getting 3 Kindles for the price of an iPad. I think Amazon is smart to play this angle since it puts some perspective on how much money you are really spending.

 

[KnightWRX]

Yeah, and I could buy like 3 Kia Rios for the price of a single Range Rover. That totally makes the Kia Rio a superior car, right you guys?

No, the fact that Range Rovers are bad trucks with poor reliability makes the Kia Rio a better car.

You could have picked a better comparison, like a Honda Ridgeline or Toyota Sequoia.

 

[buckers]

I think the point they're trying to convey is, value for money. Apple may put out higher quality products, but not all customers are willing to pay that much, especially in this economic climate.

 

[Superken7]

Well, kindle stuff is more specialized: an iPad can hardly beat the reading experience of an e-ink screen (at least with traditional books), especially given how bad ibooks performs (at least on my original ipad, very crashy).

But it still amazes me that they advertise this as: "hey, I have this other device for browsing and watching movies, and it costs about the same!"

to which the guy should reply: "Hey, so I pay about the same and carry all that functionality with me in a single device!"

For me it is obvious that if you want ebook reading, an ebook is a better choice. For multimedia, just get a "real" tablet. IMHO.

But yeah, nice "try"/marketing.

 

[kironin]

Except I don't want a small screen like a Kindle. I'm using my iPad all the time for video and powerpoint slides.

Except the company I work with gave me an iPad 2 after the first month as a bonus. So it cost me nothing. I would not have been happy if the bonus was a Kindle.

 

[ajvizzgamer101]

This commercial made me want a Kindle (Fire)... Samsung's SB commercial made me want to burn their HQ to the ground with Fire.

 

[powers74]

Man, people love to make digs at Apple. So, I have to carry around three separate devices just in case I want to do something the iPad does? Oh, shewt, I could show you my portfolio, but I left my other tablet at home! Whatever helps them sell stuff I guess. Works for some, not for others. I know what my choice was.

 

[MordechaiCarver]

What they forgot is the sequel:

Man: Hey, I got the three Kindles...just like you! (digs around large bag) Got the $79 one because it's $79...(digs around again)...got the Kindle Touch because it's a touchscreen and 3G...hold on...(digs around again)...dammit, where is it?...Oh, here...and I got the Fire so I can watch movies and other...crap...I just dropped the other two.

Woman: Uh, yeah, that's why I got the iPad. All that crap in one easy to use tablet. And it's only $60 more than all three of those put together!

Man:


EDIT: Looks like I typed too long...Superken beat me too it.

 

[spiderman0616]

How's this working out for PCs? Cheap PCs are declining in sales while expensive Macs are increasing.

 

[rdhatch]

Kindle Fire < iPad 2

I own and iPad 2 w/ Verizon and bought a Kindle Fire because it was so damn cheap.

I owned the Kindle Fire for 48 hours before I returned it to Best Buy. This is not an apples-to-apples comparison. The iPad is worth every penny over the alternative poor excuses for tablets.

I just can't wait for an iPad 3. I'll have one on day one if I can manage it!

Cheers.

Ryan

 

[KnightWRX]

Well, kindle stuff is more specialized: an iPad can hardly beat the reading experience of an e-ink screen (at least with traditional books), especially given how bad ibooks performs (at least on my original ipad, very crashy).

But it still amazes me that they advertise this as: "hey, I have this other device for browsing and watching movies, and it costs about the same!"

to which the guy should reply: "Hey, so I pay about the same and carry all that functionality with me in a single device!"

For me it is obvious that if you want ebook reading, an ebook is a better choice. For multimedia, just get a "real" tablet. IMHO.

But yeah, nice "try"/marketing.

I think the point of the ad is that for the price, you get "more value", ie, a e-ink reader and a real tablet for multimedia needs.

This ignores the fact that the iPad can also do some limited content creation that a Kindle Fire does not, but Amazon is betting on most people not needing that.

 

[InuNacho]

Who wouldn't want a Kindle for each bathroom mounted next to the can for the price of one iPad?

 

[samcraig]

It's a great commercial that will appeal to many people. I am sure the commercial/specs/etc will all get slammed by many enthusiasts on here but that's pretty much a knee-jerk reaction for any company that isn't Apple. Nothing more. Nothing less..

 

[JHankwitz]

Three Kindles put together still can't perform like an iPad. You could buy 100Kindles, and combined they still couldn't perform like an iPad. So what's the point?

 

[Ryth]

Yeah, and I could buy like 3 Kia Rios for the price of a single Range Rover. That totally makes the Kia Rio a superior car, right you guys?

KIA makes really good cars now...especially the new Rio, Sportage, Optima, and Sorento.

You would have done better to compare it to a Yugo.

 

[Nielsenius]

Come on, guys. Everyone knows you need a Kindle for your house, work place, and car!

 

[Dan--]

[Edit needed: "The ad notes that customers can buy three Kindles..."]

 

[KnightWRX]

Three Kindles put together still can't perform like an iPad. You could buy 100Kindles, and combined they still couldn't perform like an iPad. So what's the point?

That's ok, the iPad can't perform like a single Kindle at e-Reading. Different devices, different functions, for different people.