1st Link:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... 0818.story
The Kindle Fire will have a 7-inch display and sell for $199, compared with $499 for Apple’s cheapest iPad, Amazon executives told Bloomberg News. The device, a souped-up version of the Kindle electronic-book reader, will run on Google Inc.’s Android software, the Seattle-based company said.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/amazons-b ... -199/59119
AMAZON SILK
Bezos also unveiled Amazon Silk, a “split” web browser that “partially lives in Amazon EC2 [cloud computing platform] and partially lives in Kindle Fire.”
“It is difficult for mobile devices to display modern web pages rapidly,” Bezos said.
The company says web pages will display much faster. (There are demo stations positioned outside; we’ll let you know if it’s up to the task.)
The Kindle Fire will be $199. It will be available for pre-order today and ship Nov. 15.
Also unveiled three new Kindles:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/amazons-b ... -container
NEW YORK — Amazon on Wednesday drew a line in the sand in the e-reader sector by unveiling three new Kindle e-reader models priced to move.
The first and newest: Kindle Touch, the company’s next-generation e-reader that uses an infrared touch display.
Chief executive Jeff Bezos took to the stage here at Stage37 in Manhattan to reveal the device, which he says is smaller and lighter than the current Kindle model.
“The infrared touch display means there’s no extra layer on top of your display,” he said.
A new feature of the device is called “X-Ray,” which offers contextual information about the content you’re reading. It’s not unlike Times Topics pages on the New York Times’ website, except it’s available as you read.
It will be $99. A 3G version (with built-in, free, contract-less Wi-Fi) will also be available for $149.
Both can be pre-ordered now for shipment in November.
“This is the top-of-the-line Kindle,” Bezos said, holding up the device. “We’re going to sell many millions of these.”
Taking a page from Apple, Bezos also announced a $79 Kindle that’s smaller and lighter (albeit less attractive) than the current one. It includes wireless connectivity and can be both ordered and shipped today.
“We’re making premium products and offering them at non-premium prices,” Bezos said.