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Surprise, surprise. Amazon sent out invitations to a vague press conference taking place on September 28th, just four days from now. What could they possibly want our attention for? Oh right, the upcoming Amazon Tablet.
Numerous sources have spread rumors about it for quite some time. The device sounds more like a Barnes & Noble Nook than an Apple iPad, but Amazon has the power of their brand to sell these things like hot cakes. TechCrunch’s MG Siegler played around with one of the test devices and confirmed its existence. It supposedly has a 7-inch touch screen display, software for browsing books which resembles Cover Flow in iTunes, and a $249 price tag. Oh and Amazon based that software off of Android — though it is apparently unrecognizable. Hackers are about to get really excited.
If Amazon does release a tablet — which presumably they will — it will be the first major competitor to the iPad. I know Android fans are not going to like that statement, but in all honesty it is true. The Motorola Xoom was okay and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 had some issue — everything else is forgettable. I think HP and RIM made tablets too, but I digress.
In addition to a tablet, we are more than likely going to see a refresh of the classic Kindle. Amazon has not released a new model since last year’s Kindle 3. It still has a hardware keyboard — a factor that usually dates any product pretty well. The only major update we saw after that was the new ad-supported version, which sells for $25 less than the regular Kindle at $114.
Amazon’s press conference oddly takes place on the east coast in New York City. Again, it is this Wednesday the 28th at 10 a.m. ET. The company gave as little information on the invitation as possible, but we know better.
Link: Amazon Kindle
Nook Color Android-based tablet/eReader from Barnes & Noble has been on the market for over a year and sold millions of units at $250. Gives Flash, apps, videos, color magazines and ebooks with video inserts, and the best anti-glare coated screen on the market. Technology “leader” Amazon is finally catching up with the book store company by copying their device.
Kindle only supports eBooks in its proprietary AZW format. Nook, on the other hand, supports both DRM-protected and DRM-free ebooks in ePub format thus it supports ebooks from B&N store, from any other DRM-free source on the web, and from public libraries.
If you walk in with the Nook to Barnes & Noble store, you’re allowed to read any available eBook for free while in the store via free provided in the store Wi-Fi.
Nook Color has hundreds of free apps are available for download. Nook store has over 2 million of paid books and about the same number of free public domain books.