Kindle Tablet: $200 - Great For Users, Ouch For Competitors

The new Kindle tablet will go on sale on November 15th for $199.  This is going to be an awesome device for consumers.

Quick thoughts:  This is going to hurt a lot of tablet makers.  Now, no one thought this was going to cost $200. $250 To $300 but not $200.  It's going to kill off a lot of tablet makers.

Second, the final battle between Amazon and Apple won't happen until Amazon unveils its 10" tablet.  I wonder if Amazon will price that down to $250.

Here's a video Amazon released for the Kindle Silk.

App That Puts Someone's Face On Yours In Real Time

Apple! I want this software/feature in my next iMovie or Photobooth update!

Source:  Popular Science.

Amazon's First Tablet Maybe Be Subpar But It's Still Going to Succeed

This gdgt post really gave it to the Fire, Amazon's first tablet that will be introduced less than 24 hours from now.  You can read the unsubstantiated details about just how Amazon has to make some compromises and how it's not quite ready.

Even if this first Amazon tablet is "poor" and Playbook-like, I can't see how that's a bad thing?  Playbook largely failed because, well, it's Playbook.  

I think Amazon's Android 2.1 rendition should be better than anything that Samsung and others who aren't using Honeycomb have come up with.  I think Amazon along with Barnes and Noble will both outsell the rest of the traditional Android guys.

Furthermore, everyone know that the Fire will be Amazon's first foray into tablet market.  So, we're not exactly expecting Amazon to  hit it out of the market.  

For Amazon, it's about getting on base.

And for mobile warriors, regardless of which camp you're with, competition is good.  Personally, if Amazon does offer Prime users special deals via the Kindle, I hope it is extended to all Kindle users, even those not on the Fire.

Next iPhone Should Be Called the "iPhone"

Apple should just call the next iPhone the "iPhone".  

After all, Apple isn't calling this year's Macbook Air the "Macbook Air 3", are they?  The iPod touch is still the "iPod touch".  

Even if Apple does decide to give the iPhone a progressive numbering scheme with each passing year, they have to realize that at some point, it would sounds kinda lame.  Apple isn't about lame.

I'm not going out on a limb here.  Apple has indicated that it wants to focus on what the experience, not how many cores or how fast the iPhone is.  And calling the next iPhone simply the "iPHone" would do that.  

Apple Confirms October 4th Press Event

Apple has confirmed it will hold an October 4th press event.  Nothing more to say beyond that.

Source:  CNN.

Social: Facebook To Launch iPad App At iPhone 5 Event (What the...?) (Mashable)

According to Mashable, Facebook will finally unveil its iPad app.  Honestly, I don't see the point.  

Meh...however, we have to wonder if there will be more from Facebook as there have been chatter about Facebook trying to develop their own HTML 5 platform based on the browser experience.  And the thing is that while Apple and Facebook may have had some strained relationship, their animosity towards Google might make the two work out their differences and direct their attention towards Mountainview.

So, the rumor goes that Apple helped Facebook with this HTML 5 platform, that has been code-named Spartan.  

Whether we'll see something come ouf that is more important than a Facebook iPad app.

Kindle Tablet To Be Called "Fire" with Pretty Nice Specs and Possibly $300

Turns out that the Kindle tablet from Amazon that will be introduced this fall is called the "Fire".  Not sure why they settled on that name.  And it could be the iPad competitor that folks outside of Steve Jobs' reality distortion field are hoping for

However, even for most folks outside of this RDF, most people are still to pick up the iPad 2 as their default tablet.

What's interesting about Amazon's in an unique position to challenge Apple:  it has its own music, video, and ebook store, something that Google and its Android allies do not have.  It's something that HP and RIM do not have.

Also, from Techcrunch, the price is figured to be $300, which is very decent considering the specs that they've listed.  

Source: Techcrunch.