Amazon does much more for much less campaign

[Rogifan]

Amazon disses iPad mini on front page of amazon.com

Seems a bit unprofessional to put this right on the front page of amazon.com. Curious if Gizmodo has both tablets side by side to compare the displays when they made that comment? And if we want to throw out quotes how about the one from the Verge that said the mini makes the Fire feel like a toy? Of course Amazon left off any mention of apps....but that's just a minor detail to them I guess.

This is one of the reasons I wish Apple would have ignored the competition in their keynote. Just present the mini as a smaller, thinner and lighter iPad with great build quality that has all the features of the full size iPad at a more affordable price. That's the way to sell it.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Amazon has every right to market their products against the competition, especially on their own website. Samsung and Apple do it too, though Apple may be a touch more subtle. Also, consider that any press is good press: when Amazon directly promotes their product alongside the mini, customers are still made aware of the mini (whether or not they had previously heard of it).

 

[HowardSmith]

Unprofessional?

It is marketing. No doubt that Amazon will sell a LOT of their tablets.

Apple is all too aware of the Kindal.

This is all about choice! Pick what you want or can afford and enjoy it!

 

[maflynn]

Seems a bit unprofessional to put this right on the front page of amazon.com.

Why because spec wise their product is superior to the iPad mini (for the most part). They shouldn't hold back just because apple opted for a single speaker instead of a stereo speakers or that the display is non-HD, etc.

They're in competition with apple and they have every right to promote their products over apple's

 

[palpatine]

The real comparison.

http://www.imore.com/copy-editing-amazons-kindle-fire-vs-ipad-mini-ad

Although I have been vociferous about not seeing the 7" form factor as a bad one to get much work done, you certainly can work on the iPad Mini. Heck, I've even worked on the iPhone. The Kindle is obviously a media consumption device, and I think that last point is a good one. Unfortunately for Apple, in this form factor they are going to have trouble justifying the price, in my opinion, because people wanting more functionality will go to the full-sized iPad, maybe even the 2, because they get far more bang for their buck.

 

[Rogifan]

Amazon has every right to market their products against the competition, especially on their own website. Samsung and Apple do it too, though Apple may be a touch more subtle. Also, consider that any press is good press: when Amazon directly promotes their product alongside the mini, customers are still made aware of the mini (whether or not they had previously heard of it).

Yeah I know Apple does it too, but on the front page of apple.com? Plus I hate these types of comparisons from any company because they obviously cherry pick the best of their product and the worst of whatever they're comparing to. Amazon chose to use a quote from Gizmodo on screen resolution, I could pick one from the Verge that says the build quality of the mini makes the Fire feel like a toy. But who knows it may backfire on Amazon as it is giving free publicity to the mini.

 

[MonkeySee....]

I think the Kindle fire needs a bigger bezel.

 

[maflynn]

I think the Kindle fire needs a bigger bezel.

Agreed, but it may be a good thing for reading - you'll not accidentally touch the the display when reading a book which for the kindle will change the page. I think the mini looks much better

 

[monaarts]

I have greatly enjoyed both my Mac & my iPad, having said that though I must also say that my son's Kindle Fire HD is a pretty nifty device even running the stock OS. The screen is lovely & I was pretty surprised at how good the sound is.

Loving Apple products shouldn't automatically be translated to mean that every other product out there is garbage.

You are absolutely right. But I have owned 5 cars, all but one of them being a Honda (the other was a Ford). In the entire time I have never had an issue with Honda, build quality or driving quality. With that said, you know what my next car is probably going to be?

The point is that I have bought Apple devices because I have been very happy with them for an extended period of time. I owned an Android phone and thought it was awesome for a week and then realized the experience there is made up of a few cool features that you stop using after a week. True story, a friend of mine last week said "Yeah... but you can't tether on your iPhone without paying extra for it!" I said, when is the last time you used that feature? He said "I tested it out when I first got the phone but haven't ever actually used it... But it is good to have if I ever need it!" Well, if I ever "need" it, I can activate it. lol

 

[Rogifan]

Why because spec wise their product is superior to the iPad mini (for the most part). They shouldn't hold back just because apple opted for a single speaker instead of a stereo speakers or that the display is non-HD, etc.

They're in competition with apple and they have every right to promote their products over apple's

Outside of the display how much is superior spec wise? How much is superior when it comes to software/eco-system? And I never questioned their right to promote their product. I questioned them doing a selective comparison against a competitor right on their homepage. They can promote the Fire without ever mentioning the competition. Also I've said many times here I wish Apple would have ignore the competition in the mini keynote. I didn't like Schiller's pitch at all.

 

[mantan]

Outside of the display how much is superior spec wise? How much is superior when it comes to software/eco-system? And I never questioned their right to promote their product. I questioned them doing a selective comparison against a competitor right on their homepage. They can promote the Fire without ever mentioning the competition. Also I've said many times here I wish Apple would have ignore the competition in the mini keynote. I didn't like Schiller's pitch at all.

But I'm sure you thought the 'I'm a Mac' spots were fantastic....

Selective comparison and promoting the advantages of your product are the pillars of advertising and marketing.

 

[Rogifan]

But I'm sure you thought the 'I'm a Mac' spots were fantastic....

Selective comparison and promoting the advantages of your product are the pillars of advertising and marketing.

No actually I didn't. And I'll say it once again since people seem to have selective reading comprehension, I didn't like the pitch for the min and the direct comparison to 7" tablets. Especially when it's clear apple isn't looking to compete in a race to the bottom price war.

 

[maflynn]

Outside of the display how much is superior spec wise? How much is superior when it comes to software/eco-system?

I didn't say it was a better tablet, just spec wise the kindle hd has some better specs. You're right outside of the display there's not much else that the kindle has over the iPad mini but I will say this. The display makes or breaks a tablet and the fact that the kindle fire has a higher PPI and handles HD is a huge advantage.

If display quality wasn't a huge issue, then apple wouldn't be pushing retina displays on its lines, but it accurately gauges that it is a big deal.

I'm well immersed in the apple eco-system and I think the iPad mini makes a lot of sense because of what it brings to the table, in the size, performance and available apps. That's not to say that other tablets are inferior or are garbage because that's just the case.

Heck, I woke up at 3:00am to order my iPad mini

 

[Rogifan]

I didn't say it was a better tablet, just spec wise the kindle hd has some better specs. You're right outside of the display there's not much else that the kindle has over the iPad mini but I will say this. The display makes or breaks a tablet and the fact that the kindle fire has a higher PPI and handles HD is a huge advantage.

If display quality wasn't a huge issue, then apple wouldn't be pushing retina displays on its lines, but it accurately gauges that it is a big deal.

I'm well immersed in the apple eco-system and I think the iPad mini makes a lot of sense because of what it brings to the table, in the size, performance and available apps. That's not to say that other tablets are inferior or are garbage because that's just the case.

Heck, I woke up at 3:00am to order my iPad mini

Yeah I wish the mini had retina as that's make or break for me. I guess I'm just not as cynical as others who think Apple purposely held it back (for whatever reason). On their investor call they said the mini would have significantly lower margins than their other products so had they tried to fit retina in there no way would they have hit $329 price point. And then I remind myself that even after iPhone 4 got retina display the iPad 2 didn't have it.

 

[darngooddesign]

...I hope you're not getting the Mini to read books on. It won't be good for that.

Reading books on my 2 is fine so the increased ppi on the Mini should be better.

 

[8a22a]

Agreed, but it may be a good thing for reading - you'll not accidentally touch the the display when reading a book which for the kindle will change the page. I think the mini looks much better

Just done a quick calculation and bezel area on Kindle is approx. 137 cm^2, whereas the screen is 135 cm^2, so there's more bezel than screen.

 

[Rogifan]

Here's one reason I don't shop with Amazon:

http://www.bekkelund.net/2012/10/22/outlawed-by-amazon-drm/

 

[maflynn]

Yeah I wish the mini had retina as that's make or break for me. .

If anything is giving me pause on my pre-order on my mini, its the display.

I think the larger display and the 1024x768 resolution will mean easier reading and surfing. My intended purpose for the 7" tablet was to replace my kindle touch because it works poorly in low light conditions.

I'm still grappling with the 329 price vs. 199. Whats drawing me back is the fact that I am in so immersed in the ecosystem.

I'm going to do a wait and see attitude and wait for delivery. If its everything I hope it to be, great if it fails to live up to my expectations, I'll return it and get a nexus 7 or a kindle fire hd.

 

[drew0020]

Very wise move by Amazon, and you can bet they'll go even further once their 8.9inch HD tablet releases next month at a lower price than the Mini.

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I hope you're not getting the Mini to read books on. It won't be good for that.

I would never read a book on the Mini or the new new iPad ha. I only read on my Kindle!

 

[Rogifan]

If anything is giving me pause on my pre-order on my mini, its the display.

I think the larger display and the 1024x768 resolution will mean easier reading and surfing. My intended purpose for the 7" tablet was to replace my kindle touch because it works poorly in low light conditions.

I'm still grappling with the 329 price vs. 199. Whats drawing me back is the fact that I am in so immersed in the ecosystem.

I'm going to do a wait and see attitude and wait for delivery. If its everything I hope it to be, great if it fails to live up to my expectations, I'll return it and get a nexus 7 or a kindle fire hd.

I do think its a bit dishonest to compare the mini to Amazon's 7" tablet. The mini is much closer to 8". Of course I get why Amazon did it...the 8.9" Fire without ads is $315. $199 compared to $329 looks better than $315/$329.

 

[comatose81]

So... Amazon made the same mistake Samsung did with their moronic SIII ad. Neat. Even using a Gizmodo quote. Holy crap.

As opposed to Apple using Verge quotes in their Keynote!?

 

[fsumom]

It's desperate for sure, but I don't think it's going to necessarily lead to more sales. I bought the mini for my daughter, but I considered the Google Nexus 7. The Kindle wasn't really in the running as I've just heard so so things about it. I may still pick up a Google Nexus 7 for my Dh and myself to use and then I'll really be able to compare the two. I really love Apple's OS. I bought my MBP back in 2010 and absolutely love it. I don't own any other Apple products so it'll be interesting to see what I think about the mini. I doubt I'll find the screen inferior.

 

[MisterDisney]

As opposed to Apple using Verge quotes in their Keynote!?

The Verge is infinitely better than Gizmodo. They're all just going to use whatever quotes or part of quotes favor their product, but Amazon picking Gizmodo's nonsense borders on embarrassing.

 

[MacinTosh.0]

Amazon has every right to market their products against the competition, especially on their own website. Samsung and Apple do it too, though Apple may be a touch more subtle. Also, consider that any press is good press: when Amazon directly promotes their product alongside the mini, customers are still made aware of the mini (whether or not they had previously heard of it).

I concur.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I don't find comparing two devices on your site to be defensive at all. That's simply ridiculous. They're comparing the two and you, as the consumer, needs to choose what you believe is best for you. How hard is that?