Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Kindle Fire ad supported?

nuckinfutz said:
That's just low rent. I had advertising creeping into every facet of our lives.
Click to expand...

First off Engadget just posted an article saying that Amazon is considering letting people opt out. I buy tons of stuff on Amazon so having discount deals popup for me is great.

Also Amazon is making zero profit on the device so they have to subsidize the tablet thru ads.
 
They should provide a way for the customer to get rid of them, for example maybe paying $50 more (like they do with the non-ad supported kindles).

But I would not enjoy having ads on my lock screen :(.
 
Rodster said:
First off Engadget just posted an article saying that Amazon is considering letting people opt out. I buy tons of stuff on Amazon so having discount deals popup for me is great.

Also Amazon is making zero profit on the device so they have to subsidize the tablet thru ads.
Click to expand...

There will be a lot of flack and Amazon may back off a bit. I assume most of the profit comes from selling content - movies, music, etc. The Nook also works this way but does not have ads.
 
I wonder if the people so agains this advertising have actually seen what the ads are. The Kindle is targeted directly at a specific group so the ads tend to be relavent and often beneficial so its not bad at all. We're inundated with advertising every time we turn on the TV or step out the door so at least here we actually see an immediate benefit in reduced prices for a product that many WANT to buy.

Personally, I'd gladly take a bunch of lock screen ads on the iPad if it would also knock off a few hundred bucks.
 
appswipe said:
I wonder if the people so agains this advertising have actually seen what the ads are. The Kindle is targeted directly at a specific group so the ads tend to be relavent and often beneficial so its not bad at all. We're inundated with advertising every time we turn on the TV or step out the door so at least here we actually see an immediate benefit in reduced prices for a product that many WANT to buy.

Personally, I'd gladly take a bunch of lock screen ads on the iPad if it would also knock off a few hundred bucks.
Click to expand...

Classy Kindle ad:
http://obamapacman.com/2012/03/kindle-ads-are-classy/

You can buy refurb iPad for $3xx. No ads.
 
Consultant said:
Classy Kindle ad:
http://obamapacman.com/2012/03/kindle-ads-are-classy/

You can buy refurb iPad for $3xx. No ads.
Click to expand...
Seriously? That offends you? And who looks at their lock screen for that long anyway?
Amazon-Kindle-Ad-Fail.jpg

I've gotten Kindle ads like that and used them because the ad was targeted to a specific buyer (I use Prime through Amazon Mom to buy diapers for my kid so $2 and 20% off is awesome). You probably wouldn't get an ad that was as "classless" as $2 off Huggies and would get something that fits you better (perhaps $2 off Large Maximum Absorbancy Depends 16pk? Im assuming youre really old which is why youre so against new ways of selling products.)

That's how advertising is done right. Everyone wins and everyone stays dry.
 
Last edited:
appswipe said:
Seriously? That offends you? And who looks at their lock screen for that long anyway?

I've gotten Kindle ads like that and used them because the ad was targeted to a specific buyer (I use Prime through Amazon Mom to buy diapers for my kid so $2 and 20% off is awesome). You probably wouldn't get an ad that was as "classless" as $2 off Huggies and would get something that fits you better (perhaps $2 off Large Maximum Absorbancy Depends 16pk? Im assuming youre really old which is why youre so against new ways of selling products.)

That's how advertising is done right. Everyone wins and everyone stays dry.
Click to expand...

That's why I have no problem with ads. I buy so much stuff from them I hope they are basing their ads on what you buy. :)
 
appswipe said:
That's how advertising is done right. Everyone wins and everyone stays dry.
Click to expand...

Advertising is nothing more than psychological manipulation - the frightening thing is that it is so incredibly effective. People talk about their not minding advertising, while they mindlessly consume the products they're being told to consume, all the while believing themselves having free choice and being of free will.

Advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry for one reason - it works and it works very well. They tell you to buy, and you do. Free television, free stuff (advertiser sponsored) is so far from being free it's mind numbing that people continue to think of it as free.
 
Wirelessly posted (iPod Touch)

appswipe said:
I wonder if the people so agains this advertising have actually seen what the ads are. The Kindle is targeted directly at a specific group so the ads tend to be relavent and often beneficial so its not bad at all. We're inundated with advertising every time we turn on the TV or step out the door so at least here we actually see an immediate benefit in reduced prices for a product that many WANT to buy.

Personally, I'd gladly take a bunch of lock screen ads on the iPad if it would also knock off a few hundred bucks.
Click to expand...

I'd rather pay an extra few hundred bucks than have to look at ads. I'd even pay extra to have them taken off my tv altogether. Of course that's just me. I hate ads.
 
Wow, that just killed it for me.

I had the preorder screen open most of yesterday debating buying a 7" Fire HD.

To me, ads really disrupt the "flow". If I am in the middle of trying to get something done, I don't want to reach for my tablet and have it showing a full page add for a game, movie, or other distraction.

I use my tablets both for work and to help me get things done in my personal life. Life is chaotic and distracting enough -- the last thing I need are more ads.
 
I would never buy a fire because I love my ipad. But im not sure how I feel about this. on the one hand I HATE ads. can't stand how google operates just by selling info to advertisers. however I love amazon and im an amazon prime member so seeing amazon deals that suit me would be cool but probably expensive haha.
 
WilliamLondon said:
Advertising is nothing more than psychological manipulation - the frightening thing is that it is so incredibly effective. People talk about their not minding advertising, while they mindlessly consume the products they're being told to consume, all the while believing themselves having free choice and being of free will.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean but thats a bit overly dramatic, isn't it? This isn't some shady company, its Amazon and most people think they are pretty awesome. So how about we ask this instead in order to make it more relatable to these forums.

Would you be willing to buy an ad supported iPad?

There's a lot of negativity towards ad subsidized Kindles, but I wonder how current/future iPad customer would feel if we were given an option for a heavily discounted ad-supported iPad that forced ads for Apple Store products or showed Apple commercials?

I'd guess that a sizable portion of users would consider this to be a bargain despite the ads because we are getting ads about things we actually like. That's pretty much what you get with ad-supported Kindles because the ads seem to be based primarily off of opt-in categories and Amazon browsing/buying patterns which makes them relavent to the user. So when I got 20% + $2 ad for Pampers then I didnt mind since I was buying them anyway.

We filter out ads all day long so its not that hard to apply that "skill" to a discounted personal device that you're only going to own for 2yrs anyway. In the end you're only being "annoyed" by things you actually like so its not a bad way to save money.
 
Last edited:
I find it fascinating that Amazon is now forcing users to put up with ads on their devices. Apparently the strategy of selling hardware for no profit and making all your money on content is not working out as well as they expected. Lackluster content sales would now require more aggressive advertising to people who bought the hardware.

It's still an interesting business model, but I would be looking for significantly lower hardware costs in the future if they came with non stop ads. Like many, I despise advertisements - well targeted or not, if I cannot choose when and where to see them.

Amazon is likely to discover paid ads to be a very large cash cow however, and I doubt they will ever allow an opt out model. It's hard to sell your advertisers when you have to tell them you have 10,000,000 devices in the field, but their ads will only be going to 1,000,000 of them.

When I'm interested in buying another book, I'll come see your store. Until then, stay off my book reader.
 
As I said before, ads are not an issue with me because I buy so much stuff from them. If the ads are not tailored to what you buy then I can see that being annoying. I doubt that as Amazon is pretty shrewd when it comes to ads so I bet they will be tailored to what you have bought in the past.

So as an example lets say you bought Halo 3 and now Halo 4 is on it's way. Here's how the ads can benefit both parties. Lets say you turn on the screen and there's an ad that says "Rodster since you bought Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 you might be interested in Halo 4 and just for you we are giving you a discount of $54.99 from the usual price of $59.99 and included is a $15 credit towards a future purchase if you preorder now."

This is how ads on the Kindle should work. Because now that i'm aware of this deal, I know i'm going to preorder the game.
 
appswipe said:
I know what you mean but thats a bit overly dramatic, isn't it? This isn't some shady company, its Amazon
Click to expand...

No, I don't think it's overly dramatic, but I do find the way you defend it, that because it's a known company, their ads are credible? Or because they are credible it's okay? Not really sure why you're shilling for Amazon, but, hey, advertising is great at getting you to think one way, and believe you arrived there on your own.

appswipe said:
We filter out ads all day long
Click to expand...

No, we don't. The reason I know this is that companies are incredibly smart about where they put their money, and a lot of money goes into advertising, for one reason only: it works. They advertise, you buy. You may think you have the upper hand in this relationship, but that is because they are very clever at what they do.

Don't you find it interesting that there is this machine out there that gets people to change an attitude from "want" to "need", or to go from nothing to "want"? Think of what that means, the power of this machine is extraordinary, and the people subjected to its influence are the very ones that defend its use so strongly. That's amazing, I find it incredible. "Yes, sir, please manipulate my attitudes in life to suit *your* needs, and I will defend your right to do so vehemently." And you think *I'm* being dramatic?
 
WilliamLondon said:
No, I don't think it's overly dramatic, but I do find the way you defend it, that because it's a known company, their ads are credible? Or because they are credible it's okay? Not really sure why you're shilling for Amazon, but, hey, advertising is great at getting you to think one way, and believe you arrived there on your own.

No, we don't. The reason I know this is that companies are incredibly smart about where they put their money, and a lot of money goes into advertising, for one reason only: it works. They advertise, you buy. You may think you have the upper hand in this relationship, but that is because they are very clever at what they do.

Don't you find it interesting that there is this machine out there that gets people to change an attitude from "want" to "need", or to go from nothing to "want"? Think of what that means, the power of this machine is extraordinary, and the people subjected to its influence are the very ones that defend its use so strongly. That's amazing, I find it incredible. "Yes, sir, please manipulate my attitudes in life to suit *your* needs, and I will defend your right to do so vehemently." And you think *I'm* being dramatic?
Click to expand...
Holy crap, YES! Of course I think you're being dramatic and it's so incredibly AWESOME! Im not even going to bother asking if you have any experience with how the Amazon ads work because after reading that rant then all I want to hear is the story of how you got this way.

You seriously have to share whatever advertising-centric story you had happen to you because your bitterness is off the charts! Time share? Gold buyers at the mall? Low interest mortgage? Magnets to cure back pain? Please dont leave us hanging because anti-advertising anger like this doesnt come from simply buying Frosted Flakes because some cartoon Tiger told you it's "Great".
 
Last edited:
yeah,but do the ads STOP once their revenues make up the loss incurred at selling at less than cost? I ll bet the answer is NO.
 
I have them on my regular kindle saved me about $20 so far. I don't even notice them on the screensaver, I have to go and look for them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back