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Original Kindle Fire
The Kindle sector of Amazon sent out press conference invitations

Amazon recently sent out invitations for a press conference on September 6, and many believe this could be the unveiling of the new Kindle Fire tablet.

The September 6 press conference is being organized by the Kindle sector of Amazon, leading several news outlets to believe that a new Kindle Fire may be on the way. In fact, the e-tailer is expected to reveal as many as six tablet SKUs in an effort to continue expanding its offering of devices and its mobile platform.

Amazon's Kindle Fire has been the only tablet to give Apple's iPad a run for its money. The Fire cut into the iPad's market share over the holiday season in Q4 2011 by moving 4.7 million units while the iPad moved 15.4 million tablets.

However, as time goes by and tech companies continue releasing tablets of their own, the iPad is going up against more and more credible alternatives. For instance, Google recently released its Nexus 7 tablet, which is a 7-inch device that runs the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean mobile operating system. It also features a 1.3 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, a GeForce 12-core graphics processor, 1 GB of RAM and a resolution of 1280x800 -- all for $199 (for 8 GB). It has received great reviews and sold out during the first days of release in many retailers and e-tailers.

This means Amazon's Fire is due for an update to keep the competition fresh. There have already been a few rumors as to what some new features may be, such as external volume controls, a camera and a resolution of 1280x800. However, many unknowns remain such as Bluetooth capabilities, the type of processor used, and the amount of memory. But a Fire with a 10-inch screen priced below the iPad (with some comparable features) as well as a refreshed 7-inch version would really put Amazon in the tablet race.

The original Kindle Fire was released November 2011, and featured a 7-inch screen, 8 GB of storage, a 1-GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 dual-core processor, 1024x600 screen resolution and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Source: Reuters


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RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By geddarkstorm on 8/24/2012 1:17:17 PM , Rating: 2
Hopefully they'll go with the new Qualcomm Krait processor. With any luck, they'll also be able to throw in a decent screen like the 7 has and still keep the price down. Amazon was the first to trailblaze this price/performance point (and likely they will be aiming for the same still), so they are rather clever; can't wait to see what they can pull off.


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By quiksilvr on 8/24/2012 1:47:38 PM , Rating: 5
But their main problem is the operating system. If they make "Kindle Fire" an app that is within the Jellybean OS itself, then we got something. Making the Amazon Appstore a dedicated OS just isn't the best of ideas IMO (unless they did it to avoid Apple patent trolling).


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By GotThumbs on 8/24/2012 2:39:40 PM , Rating: 3
"Making the Amazon Appstore a dedicated OS just isn't the best of ideas IMO"

Really? This is EXACTLY how Apple operates and they are showing CRAZY profits. Controlling which markets your tablet owners can shop is a design Apple created and has still not been flagged by the DOJ as a "non-competitive" market. Any company NOT even considering this model is overlooking a huge profit opportunity. I'm not going to dive in...but Apple has shown there are lots of Sheep out there just waiting to be led in any direction Apple sees fit. "Your Holding it Wrong". I love that quote...it shows how Steve Jobs felt consumers are complete idiots. I guess He wasn't' far of the mark considering the number of IProducts people have purchased.

Best wishes,

Android User


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By TakinYourPoints on 8/24/2012 3:15:27 PM , Rating: 1
Controlling markets available to shop in has been around since game consoles, this is nothing new. If you think that the DOJ should go after iPads, perhaps they should start targeting the XBox and PS3 next.

In any case, the advantage to Amazon going off with their own custom fork of Android is to put app and media marketplaces front and center, and it has paid off. It is the only non-Apple tablet that hasn't tanked. The only disadvantage to the Fire is bad hardware. Customers want tablets to be super easy to use with integrated marketplaces. I knew Amazon would be the first one to nail an Android tablet since they'd be the only company aside from Apple to put such an emphasis on usability and simple purchases.

The main things the Fire has to go up against going forward are things like better hardware in the Nexus 7, and if Apple releases an A5 equipped 7.85" iPad before the holidays. The latter would be a huge problem given the brand, the superior OS, the vastly superior tablet app market, and the better hardware if it was in fact equipped with an A5 (which is still better than the Tegra 3, come on NVIDIA...).

Either way, Amazon did right on going with a dedicated OS focused on purchasing apps and media. That's what the other Android hardware manufacturers seriously need to pick up on.


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By nedsand on 8/24/2012 3:53:59 PM , Rating: 2
Not sure why you were rated down. The two top selling tablets (ipad and fire) have closed ecosystems. It may not be what us tech users want but most people just want something easy. Also I don't have too much of an issue with the hardware in the kindle. Mine is pretty smooth and does everything I want. That's all I care about.

That being said... I have apps from way way too many stores. I'm hoping Microsoft store works out. I have a Samsung Focus that needs upgrading and would like to pick an ecosystem other than Itunes and Amazon.


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By TakinYourPoints on 8/24/2012 5:41:54 PM , Rating: 2
Exactly. People want tablets that are simple to use that are integrated with media and app stores. End of story, Kindle and iPad sales figures speak for themselves.

As for tweakability, I really don't care about that in my phones, tablets, or game consoles. Hell, my Kindle e-reader is hands down the most locked down device I own, more than any iDevice out there, and I love it. It does what it is made for exceptionally well.

Tweaking is what my PC is for, and even that is limited given the fact that Windows is a closed OS and I do most of my gaming on Steam and Battlenet, both also walled-garden ecosystems.


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By bug77 on 8/24/2012 4:43:33 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
This is EXACTLY how Apple operates and they are showing CRAZY profits.


But what do crazy profits for the manufacturer mean for consumer's pocket?


RE: The Wait is Killing Me
By Goty on 8/24/2012 2:03:26 PM , Rating: 2
I'm also hoping for Krait or an A15-based chip, but I'm not terribly optimistic simply due to cost constraints. I'd be happy with a highly-clocked A9 chip, too.


"What would I do? I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders." -- Michael Dell, after being asked what to do with Apple Computer in 1997











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