Amazon’s October Tablet Surprise: 5 Questions

Rumors of an Android-based tablet from Amazon have picked up steamer after a report claimed the bookseller plans to vent an iPad competitor past October. Amazon's new device will purportedly feature a roughly 9-inch CRT screen, an unspecified version of Android and no camera. The design for the company's first tablet will be outsourced to an Asian producer that could atomic number 4 followed by an Amazon-designed tablet in 2020, according to The The Street Journal.

This latest bruit waterfall in line with previous Amazon pad whisperings. In May, Amazon purportedly had two tablets planned before the end of 2011, including one with a quad-core processor. That same calendar month Consumer Reports asked Amazon River CEO Jeff Bezos if his accompany planned to release a tablet to which Bezos same, "stay tuned." Sir Thomas More recently, a report surfaced claiming Amazon formed to ship one million tablets in the third quarter of 2011.

It's been pretty clear for both time that Virago wants to go far the tablet game, and about critics believe the online retailer is well suited to gainsay Orchard apple tree's iPad. Amazon is the exclusively Apple rival that can match the iTunes store with a large online MP3 music outlet, an online euphony player, TV and movie rentals and purchases, e-books and the newly launched Appstore for Mechanical man. With just over three months to go until a prospective Virago tablet enters the market, here's what I'm wondering approximately Amazon's plans.

Wherefore two tablets?

It sounds like Amazon has a twofold tablet plan: move into the grocery early with a lozenge, any tablet, and then come out with a more solid device after. The problem is a add up of companies have already tried that plan such as Research In Motion with its Blackberry bush PlayBook, Samsung with the Galaxy Tab, and Dell with the Streak. None of those tablet makers have fared well with the "just get it out the threshold" strategy. Would Amazon act any wagerer?

How much will it cost?

The cheapest Wi-Fi only iPad is $499. If you can't beat Oregon couple that price, there's little bespeak in even disagreeable to produce an iPad challenger. Amazon's original Kindle cost $399 in 2007, a price comparable to the original 8GB iPhone (after its first monetary value perforated). It then took Apple one class to get the iPhone down to $199, and the Kindle only reached a more palatable $139 in 2010. Amazon will accept to behave better on pricing with its tablet than it has connected the Kindle.

Nine or 9.7?

The Journal says the Amazon tablet will be "roughly" 9 inches. That makes me wonder whether Amazon isn't shooting for 9.7 inches, the similar size display As the iPad. However, a number of Android tablets are opting for 10.1-inch displays such as the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Wandflower Tablet 10.1. Perhaps Amazon will opt for a larger sized alternatively?

Which Android relish?

Android is a fake-public source platform in the sense that Google keeps to each one current version covert and then publicly releases the source write in code at a ulterior engagement. For the tab-specific Android 3.0 Honeycomb, Google has definite not to release the source code. Instead, the company will release inscribe for the next version of Android, Icecream Sandwich, when it launches later this year. Will Amazon be an Sparkler Cream Sandwich partner at launch or are they cozying up to Google to get their hands on Honeycomb right now? If the answer to some of these questions is "no," past Amazon would be stuck using a non-tablet version of Android such as Froyo or Gingerbread.

No camera?

Information technology's arguable whether a 9- or 10-inch tablet needs a rear-facing camera to take hold of snapshots, but a front-lining camera for video chaffer is pretty standard these days. Numerous tablets have a front-cladding camera, including the iPad 2, PlayBook, Streak 7 and the Galaxy Tabloid. If Amazon's pad doesn't at the least include a video chat option, can it stand adequate the flexibility of non-Apple tablets, let alone the iPad?

Amazon Crataegus oxycantha be the best hope for a executable iPad competitor, just Amazon's rumored 2020 tablet may be the unitary to wait for if current rumors are correct.

Connect with Ian Paul ( @ianpaul ) and Today@PCWorld on Chitter for the latest technical school news and analysis.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/481012/amazons_october_tablet_surprise_5_questions.html

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