Jeff Bezos, billionaire founder of Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) Introduces today Apple's next mistress...that might actually have a chance to steal its show. The Kindle Fire is being introduced at $199.
Unlike other tablets that have emerged hopefully only to flop, such as the Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) TouchPad, the Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. Xoom, and the Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) PlayBook, the Kindle Fire actually has a good shot at capturing some Martket share with its astonishing $199 price tag.
product description:
7-inch display, ( half the size of the iPad)
Amazon using Google Inc. (GOOG)'s Android operating system with a fresh and easy- to-use interface
Device closely tied to Amazon's large and growing content library.
Kindle Fire owners can watch a film, scroll through magazines, and access their music collection on Amazon's servers.
No Camera
There are some limitations to the Kindle Fire. Unlike the iPad 2, it doesn't have embedded cameras or a microphone, and there's no 3G cellular connection, only Wi-Fi.
Statements made by Jeff Bezos during his launch conference:
Jeff Bezos claims: ".What we are doing is offering premium products at non- premium prices, Other tablet contenders have not been competitive on price" and "have just sold a piece of hardware. We don't think of the Kindle Fire as a tablet. We think of it as a service."
Bezos says he doesn't think defensively.
"On a personal level we have a tremendous amount of respect for Apple and Steve. I think that's returned," he says. "Our cultures start in the same place. Both companies like to invent, both companies like to pioneer, both companies start with the customer and work backwards. There's a like-mindedness." Pause. "Are two companies like Amazon and Apple occasionally going to step on each other's toes? Yes."
"We are leaning into this," Bezos says. "It's not a small initiative for us."
Amazon is also among the companies in the final round of bidding for the online video site Hulu, according to people with knowledge of that process who were not allowed to speak on the record.
"These industries are so big, there are going to be multiple winners," Bezos says. He's been saying that for 10 years, during which time he's helped consign Circuit City, Borders, and others to oblivion. "When I look at something like the Kindle Fire, what I want is to be one of the winners."
Unlike other tablets that have emerged hopefully only to flop, such as the Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) TouchPad, the Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. Xoom, and the Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) PlayBook, the Kindle Fire actually has a good shot at capturing some Martket share with its astonishing $199 price tag.
product description:
7-inch display, ( half the size of the iPad)
Amazon using Google Inc. (GOOG)'s Android operating system with a fresh and easy- to-use interface
Device closely tied to Amazon's large and growing content library.
Kindle Fire owners can watch a film, scroll through magazines, and access their music collection on Amazon's servers.
No Camera
There are some limitations to the Kindle Fire. Unlike the iPad 2, it doesn't have embedded cameras or a microphone, and there's no 3G cellular connection, only Wi-Fi.
Statements made by Jeff Bezos during his launch conference:
Jeff Bezos claims: ".What we are doing is offering premium products at non- premium prices, Other tablet contenders have not been competitive on price" and "have just sold a piece of hardware. We don't think of the Kindle Fire as a tablet. We think of it as a service."
Bezos says he doesn't think defensively.
"On a personal level we have a tremendous amount of respect for Apple and Steve. I think that's returned," he says. "Our cultures start in the same place. Both companies like to invent, both companies like to pioneer, both companies start with the customer and work backwards. There's a like-mindedness." Pause. "Are two companies like Amazon and Apple occasionally going to step on each other's toes? Yes."
"We are leaning into this," Bezos says. "It's not a small initiative for us."
Amazon is also among the companies in the final round of bidding for the online video site Hulu, according to people with knowledge of that process who were not allowed to speak on the record.
"These industries are so big, there are going to be multiple winners," Bezos says. He's been saying that for 10 years, during which time he's helped consign Circuit City, Borders, and others to oblivion. "When I look at something like the Kindle Fire, what I want is to be one of the winners."