Amazon Set to Step Up as Next iPad Competitor

[ranReloaded]

I totally agree. Let me just say from my non-fanboy experience that Amazon has given me, bar none, the BEST customer experience of any company. They offer free deals to me without my asking; they resolve problems fast; and they have fast and trustworthy delivery.

They have all the elements needed to make a successful tablet, and I would not be surprised if it turns out to be a huge hit. Apple has serious cred all over the world, and I think the iPad will continue to amaze people, but for people looking for a genuine competitor, I would not count Amazon out at all.

I'm not really into eBooks or free deals, but I've bought a lot of dead tree books from Amazon, it is really good. In my own experience, I would say the customer experience on par with Apple. Can't tell how well that translates into developing a Tablet, but...

 

[truz]

Apple is to far ahead of the game when it comes to iOS and Tablets. Amazon would have to pay developers to write applications for the amazon tablet OS. They still won't catch up to the amount of applications the Apple Appstore has.

It's not just the Tablet and OS that make "The Best Tablet" it's the applications too. When Apple has all three titles it's hard to compete with that.

 

[iphonepiephone]

dream on...

^ This. Another Google - "Me too" *yawn*

 

[Geckotek]

To be fair, he mentioned IE version 6. It sucked more than we thought was available for sucking, for a whole decade, setting the internet back into the Dark Ages in the process. The damage it caused is still felt today

Show me one web designer who doesn't hate it with his soul.

The Internet Explorer that beat Netscape was version 4, if I'm not mistaken. A (slightly) different beast...

True, I failed to refresh my brain with any real research. I still think my point was made. To say the iPad is everything and all we need and that another tablet would be to confusing is just idiotic.

While I personally own an iPad and don't plan on buying whatever Amazon comes up with, I believe that other tablets in the market will push Apple to keep inovating and improving.

 

[wirelessness]

Apple is to far ahead of the game when it comes to iOS and Tablets.

Seriously? Have you heard of Android?

I'm not saying the 'Amazon' Tablet will be better than whatever iPad it's up against but they will sell a boatload of these things. On a per device basis Apple will surely sell more tablets than Amazon but once you add up all of the tablet manufacturers together they will outsell Apple just like with Smartphones.

This does not mean they are better. Just widely adopted.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Honestly I almost feel the media like digi times is hyping up nothing. I mean it was dumbass that though that the iPad would kill the kindle off but did not understand that that kindle and the iPad played really in very different markets.

To me I expecting something of more of a niche market like the kindle or an upgrade like the kindle color but nothing that is really ment to even go close to a head to head with the iPad and the media is over hyping nothing.

All it does is give some Apple fanboys and girls a reason to say "OH LOOK EVERYONE ELSE SUCKS" when really it was never meant to go head to head. Just lazy media looking for headline grabs.

 

[Lonectzn]

I ended up giving my iPad away. Just felt like a novelty, but then my requirements may be a bit different to other people's. Also, being a programmer l'm naturally hyper-critical when I can see what could be done better. Too big and heavy on the hardware side, too much compromising function for form in the software. An app store full of tacky casual games (I'm a strategy buff) and barely-justifiable impulse apps (the android market is even worse, however).

For me there are four key factors: Price, battery life, weight, and how good the browser is. Apple is still too heavy and too expensive (could use a smaller size screen), and their web browser is dirt. Android's isn't much better, but Google seems far more committed to improving it and allowing third party innovation than Apple.

My point, other than to rant about the money I wasted, is that Amazon seem like they will try to compete on price. To do this, they may try a smaller lighter tablet than what is currently out there. I certainly hope so, as it'll satisfy most of my requirements.

If you're listening amazon, 7-8 inches would be perfect. My jacket has an inside pocket that won't fit anything larger, so don't disappoint me!

 

[megsandbytes]

Canada needs every portal to email they can get...they cant get regular mail. I kid, I kid

lol, being a Canadian I couldn't help but laugh at this comment. That whole strike was pathetic.

 

[steadysignal]

Wonder what they will come up with.

prolly the same crap as everyone else...

 

[KingCrimson]

I ended up giving my iPad away. Just felt like a novelty, but then my requirements may be a bit different to other people's. Also, being a programmer l'm naturally hyper-critical when I can see what could be done better. Too big and heavy on the hardware side, too much compromising function for form in the software. An app store full of tacky casual games (I'm a strategy buff) and barely-justifiable impulse apps (the android market is even worse, however).

For me there are four key factors: Price, battery life, weight, and how good the browser is. Apple is still too heavy and too expensive (could use a smaller size screen), and their web browser is dirt. Android's isn't much better, but Google seems far more committed to improving it and allowing third party innovation than Apple.

My point, other than to rant about the money I wasted, is that Amazon seem like they will try to compete on price. To do this, they may try a smaller lighter tablet than what is currently out there. I certainly hope so, as it'll satisfy most of my requirements.

If you're listening amazon, 7-8 inches would be perfect. My jacket has an inside pocket that won't fit anything larger, so don't disappoint me!

Hey I'm with that.

 

[osxhero]

It'll have a slick interface, but will, as with all competitors, have no apps.

 

[ZipZapRap]

It'll have a slick interface, but will, as with all competitors, have no apps.

Slight exaggeration there.
People get so hung up on when an App Store has 300-400k Apps or 200-300k.
Like, you have enough time to peruse every single app. It would take you a year to look at 400k apps if you looked at nearly 1,100 per day

Above a certain number, the amount of apps in a store is irrelevant.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to this if true. Amazon are a good company, and I've generally had nothing but positive experiences with them. Amazon, TouchPad, Windows 8... lots of choices on the horizon.

 

[kdarling]

Barnes & Nobles is way ahead of them with the Nook Color. Interesting the article doesn't mention B&N.

That brings up some interesting trends that have been in the news:

• The Nook Color sold 3 million in its first few months. It's probably up to 4 million now, making it about 15% of the US e-reader market. (Some of the sales were no doubt due to it being a very nice Android tablet for $200-$250, something B&N is now pushing even more with their own app store.)
  
  
• General purpose tablets are not always replacing e-readers. In the US, about 12% of adults own e-readers, versus 8% on tablets, and the ratio of e-readers continues to climb. So does the number of people who own both types of devices.
  
  
• Women especially prefer e-readers over general purpose tablets. Women also buy three times the books that men do.
  
  
• Sales of some major women's magazines on the Nook Color have been on par with, and even beat, sales of the same magazines on the iPad.

I think part of the continued e-reader sales is the screen size. While an iPad is fine at home or in a backpack/briefcase, it's far easier to carry a 7" reader with you all the time in a purse or pocket. Another main reason of course is the far lower price.

 

[FearNo1]

I think amazon's tablet could sell very well. Amazon already has an app store, music and movie services, cloud storage, ebooks, etc. Amazon can also sell this at a low price to spur sales. So far the price of tablets have been too high for me even to consider one. When I think of tablets, I think of affordable computing, e.g. $300 max, not $500 or else I'd get a laptop.