A daily digest of IT news, curated from blogs, forums and news sites around the web each morning. We highlight the key commentary and demystify the real story.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) will launch its new color Kindle tablet on Wednesday, it seems. At an effective rumored price of $171, it'll be stiff competition for the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad 3, let alone the current version. In IT Blogwatch, bloggers look forward to true slate market competition -- at last!
Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: How to get a refund for an overpriced sandwich...
Tony Bradley reports:
The iPad is still expected to maintain its dominance...[b]ut the Kindle tablet could start a new era...[in] a major slugfest between not just Amazon and Apple, but also with other big players like Samsung and Motorola. ... Wednesday could be the day, as Amazon has scheduled a news conference.
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[T]he Kindle tablet is believed to be much more than just color upgrade to...the Kindle. Its expected to be a customized version of an Android-based tablet. ... If the $250 price tag includes membership in Amazon Prime...that price becomes a bargain...effectively bringing the cost of the tablet itself to only $171.
Nick Bilton adds:
I have to figure they are not corralling the troops to announce a new online store for air conditioners.
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Amazon has been building a color screen tablet that is expected to run Googles Android operating system. Jeff Bezos...has also said that...the company was actively working on a multipurpose tablet device.
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A new color Kindle could be one of the few contenders that could stand up to Apple. So far, the market has been Apples and Apples alone.
Chris Martin says the timing's right:
It would certainly make sense...with plenty of time for Amazon to...start selling the tablet in time for Christmas. Amazon could prove a threat in the tablet market.
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The device...is expected to run Google's Android operating system and have a 7in touchscreen.
Nick Thompson has been grubbing in Amazon's website code:
[I found] some references to unannounced products...by examining the contents of the variable "downloadableOwnedFionas"...(the codename of the Kindle is Fiona.)...PRIME_EBOOKS_COMPATIBLE...is almost certainly the rumored Amazon Prime service. ... [And] the function "VideoFooter"...refers to a page element called "kindle-video-slate".
And Nathan Groezinger concurs:
I did some investigating of my own and it does indeed appear as if Amazon is getting set to introduce...an ebook rental type of service...as part of their Amazon Prime subscription package.
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The code doesnt lie. .... Theres no way the coders at Amazon would add something that isnt yet certain to happen. ... I wouldnt be surprised if this gets announced on Wednesday too.
