Re: Can Google really control Android ?
Scott Raynovich
2/8/2012 1:45:33 PM
Good point on the screen being better for reading. iPad should have a way to shift into "read book" mode. Backlit screens can be hard on the eyes.
Re: Can Google really control Android ?
Value Hiker
2/6/2012 2:39:21 PM
I think both Noreen and mInvestor are right. Cost is definitely a consideartion, but Kindle's special reading experience can not be ignored too. With Kindle's Electronic Paper technology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_paper), you can read book under direct sun, the display is much more comfortable for your eyes, and the battery can last much longer - we are talking about weeks instead of days for iPad.
I owned iPad first, and didn't even think about buying a kindle, until I used my friend's kindle during travel for couple of days, and I shall say it is very good product for reading ebooks, better than iBook.
Re: Can Google really control Android ?
mInvestor
2/6/2012 12:18:31 PM
Cost is one big factor (maybe the biggest?). But How consumer is going to use the device is also critical.
iPad is bigger, heavier, more powerful, has two cameras, and fancier, all those fancy features. You won't find them on Kindle fire. But Kindle fire was designed for ebook (or Book) lover. The LCD , the shape and size of the device was designed to make people feel they are holding a book (a real book). The Display brightness, viewing angle and font/sentence structures were designed for reading. The consumers usually feel much more comfortable to read novels and articles on Kindle Fire.That's the purpose for Kindle Fire, reading a book (or ebook).
I don't think Kindle Fire will become a direct competitor to iPad (even a cheaper version). It lacks quite some features which popular on iPad, like video chat and media playing etc. But it catchs a niche market nicely. Billions of people enjoy reading books and magazines.
It's the cost factor. Some people who want an iPad just can't swing the price but can afford a Kindle Fire.
Question is, to make this device something that fits into the rest of Amazon's business strategy, the e-book lovers have to be prolific online shoppers. Do these two things fit together? I have a sneaking suspicion that the e-book crowd is going to use the Kindle primarily to consume information, not goods (maybe information about the goods, but not necessarily followed by a purchase from Amazon).
So what is the threshhold for the number of devices that the consumer is willing to purchase, maintain, tote around? What is the level of specialization that makes sense for these devices, can be sustained?
Could the Kindle possibly serve as an inexpensive back-up for other devices, providing a way to access essential information in a pinch? Does Android have apps that could preclude this strategy, given that some of them might be considered "essential", not just luxury?
Re: Can Google really control Android ?
Scott Raynovich
2/6/2012 10:07:09 AM
I have a hard time imagining why you really need a Kindle Fire when with an iPad you can read eBooks as well as do many more things.
Maybe it's just that tablets will become ubiquitous and many households will own both because the Kindle is a special-purponse device.
I think you hit the nail on the head by mentioning price. At what point does the advantage of a Kindle Fire succumb to the pressure to buy an iPad? I suspect it has to do with price convergence.
Re: Can Google really control Android ?
mInvestor
2/5/2012 5:00:11 PM
Noreen, that's a million dollar question.
The consumer electronic device is quite unique. There are many factors in consideration. Good and rich features is only one factor. The mechnical shape, the outside looking feeling (or they call in industry design) is also important. The price is also a critical part. Timing to market is alwayas challenging. The whole consumer electronics industry is a changing landscape. I wish I could have a crystall ball.
So far, I've seen people using Kindle Fire to search books, buying books, downloading books, reading books and commenting and reviewing books. They apparently enjoy it in that way. Would they enjoy to use it for other things? We will see.
How successful do you think an android app enabled model would be?
Re: Can Google really control Android ?
mInvestor
2/5/2012 12:12:02 PM
@Value Hiker,
I think the initial design of Kindle Fire was a nice EBook reader, with a target of just selling more Amazon books. I didn't think Amazon was expecting too much profit from the device itself. So the designer unconsciously left Android app feature. Surprisingly, the device is doing quite well. Maybe they will design a new version, which support most features.
But again, it proofed that companies can tailor the platform for their unique purpose. I heard some medical devices companies are considering a new flavor of Android to support medical info mobile network. Well, all are good.
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