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WSJ now playing the Amazon tablet rumor game

The Wall Street Journal decided today that they are going to start speculating on the Amazon tablet.

Amazon.com Inc. plans to introduce a tablet computer before October, said people familiar with the matter, in a move that will heighten the online retailer’s rivalry with Apple.

The Seattle-based company will also release two updated versions of its popular Kindle electronic reader in the third quarter of the year, the people said. One will be a touch-screen device. The other won’t have a touch screen, but will be an improved and cheaper adaptation of the current Kindle, said people who have seen the device.

The tablet will have a 9″ screen and it’s going to run Android. And just like the rumors we’ve heard before, Amazon will use the tablet as a platform to sell video, audio and ebooks.

I still don’t believe the tablet as a platform story. They don’t need a platform to sell content, and I’ve said that before. The platform for selling content already exists; it’s called Android tablets. There’s a bunchaton of models to choose from.

On the other hand, the Kindle news is quite plausible. Amazon bought a touchscreen company last year, and it would make sense for them to integrate it into their ereaders.

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Comments


Mike Cane July 13, 2011 um 5:03 pm

You could say the same thing about B&N, but I don’t think they’re about to dump the NookColor any time soon.


fjtorres July 13, 2011 um 5:41 pm

Yes, there’s a bunch of android tablets out there.
Not a one is as compelling for media as Kindle is for ebooks.
The business case for an Amazon media pad is pretty strong, especially if that 9″ size is true.


karen wester newton July 13, 2011 um 8:14 pm

I don’t think they’re aiming at iPad, but I do think they’re trying to compete with Nook Color. One reason the Kindle is so popular is it’s so dead simple to use. And every Nook Color that sells is one less person who will buy books from Amazon.


Andrys July 13, 2011 um 11:09 pm

I think that if I were a stockholder, I’d be really put out if they didn’t make a (good) tablet, with some care to working well with all the things they offer, whether streaming video and audio, or enhanced books.

Their devices have just worked and worked well, with add’l functions that other e-readers wouldn’t attempt. It’d be crazy not to do this and build a community that wants to be on Amazon to use this, look at that, etc.

The tablet(s) could be sold with special memberships in Amazon categories, with discounts or additional features available. It’s a natural.

I think customer service could be a bit of a nightmare with all the bugs that are still part of the latest Android OS versions, but I haven’t wanted a tablet bigger than the NookColor.

My Kindle’s for books and text-periodicals that can be searched, the NookColor’s for color magazines and portable color webbing.

I COULD use a bigger screen sometime but I have an excellent 10″ Samsung netbook that can double as a side-held reader and does a lot that tablets can’t, and yet if Amazon did a good 9″ or 10″ one? If they & partners did a good job on it, no cameras needed, price low enough, I’d get one.

I got the NookColor almost as soon as it came out


john July 14, 2011 um 1:02 am

it does seem a natural extension to their current digital offerings. and the nookcolor seems to be working pretty well…..


Amazon Tablet rumors coming fast & furious – The Digital Reader May 24, 2012 um 3:22 pm

[…] evidence to support this other than the word of 1 website. Also, it contradicts yesterday’s WSJ rumor about a 9″ Android tablet, so I would take both with a grain of salt.At this point I’m […]


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