Eh, I think it's relevant to delineate e-readers like Kindle from app-centric tablets, "tAPPlets", like, say, the iPad.
E-ink readers are great on their own for obvious reasons and don't have to compete directly with the iPad. I don't know how well an app-centric Amazon tablet would do against Apple.
Amazon probably has the money to dip their feet and fail, but how well are any of the competitors doing by comparison?
They also obviously have an absurd customer base to tap, and they already have Kindle, on-demand video and rentals, but I don't know if that is going to cut it. If they focus on being cheaper, maybe, but good luck with that. It would be interesting if they partnered with Readability, at least just as a cute "fuck you" to Apple.
They'll have to focus a little differently or frame their device in an interesting way. Time will tell.
The fact that everyone else is doing a horrific job at making a tablet is a bigger sign, to me, that Amazon has a shot at pulling it off.
One thing that stuck out to me recently is that on Amazon's left sidebar digital content is now on the top. If Amazon loses their battle over state sales tax then they need something that puts them on a level playing field and that is going to be digital content.
In my opinion the difference between e-readers and tablets will very soon be non-existent.
Barnes & Noble has had some success aiming directly between those two types of devices. The Nook Color is priced at half an iPad and just over twice a Kindle and reportedly has sold well compared to 'offical' Android tablets. I can see Amazon chasing after that slice of the pie.
E-ink readers are great on their own for obvious reasons and don't have to compete directly with the iPad. I don't know how well an app-centric Amazon tablet would do against Apple.
Amazon probably has the money to dip their feet and fail, but how well are any of the competitors doing by comparison?
They also obviously have an absurd customer base to tap, and they already have Kindle, on-demand video and rentals, but I don't know if that is going to cut it. If they focus on being cheaper, maybe, but good luck with that. It would be interesting if they partnered with Readability, at least just as a cute "fuck you" to Apple.
They'll have to focus a little differently or frame their device in an interesting way. Time will tell.