Amazon Kindle

Business
September 30, 2011
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JP Morgan: Amazon Kindle Fire an unimpressive ‘stepping stone’

By on September 30, 2011 at 12:25 PM.

JP Morgan: Amazon Kindle Fire an unimpressive ‘stepping stone’

JP Morgan executive director Mark Moskowitz is not impressed with Amazon’s first attempt in the tablet market. In a recent note to investors, Moskowitz said the tablet is just “noise,” and that it lacks too many features to be a valid competitor. “We are not impressed with Kindle Fire,” Moskowitz wrote. “In our view, [the Kindle Fire] is a stepping stone, at best, into the tablet market. We think that for any vendor to wrestle momentum from Apple, a fully-loaded offering is a must, and here, Kindle Fire falls short for now.” Read on for more. More →

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Tablets
September 2, 2011
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Amazon Kindle tablet due in November for $250, report claims

By on September 2, 2011 at 6:10 PM.

Amazon Kindle tablet due in November for $250, report claims

Amazon’s first Android tablet will launch this coming November at a price point significantly below Apple’s entry-level iPad 2, TechCrunch reported on Friday. According to the site, which claims to have handled a prototype of the device, the Amazon tablet bears a strong resemblance to RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook and it runs a highly customized pre-Honeycomb version of Google’s Android operating system. It also features deep integration with various Amazon services such as the Amazon Appstore and Amazon’s Cloud Player service. All of this has already been reported, however. Read on for more. More →

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mobile
August 10, 2011
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Amazon launches web-based Kindle Cloud Reader

By on August 10, 2011 at 8:00 AM.

Amazon launches web-based Kindle Cloud Reader

Amazon launched its new Kindle Cloud Reader service on Wednesday that provides users with access their Kindle library using Chrome or Safari on Mac, PC, Linux and the Chromebook. Kindle Cloud Reader is also optimized for the iPad and offers a caching feature for offline reading. To get started, simply navigate to http://read.amazon.com and install the small required plug-in. We gave the service a quick run this morning and were impressed by how fast it loaded our eBook library. We definitely still prefer the standalone app on the iPad, but we’re sure Amazon created this option as a loophole to get around Apple’s iTunes App Store rules. Don’t use Safari or Chrome? Amazon still has you covered with its Kindle for PC client. Read on for the full press release. More →

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mobile
July 25, 2011
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Magazine and newspaper subscriptions now available on Kindle for iOS

By on July 25, 2011 at 10:55 PM.

Magazine and newspaper subscriptions now available on Kindle for iOS


Amazon has updated its Kindle for iOS application with support for magazine and newspaper subscriptions. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users can now browse, purchase, and read from more than 100 newspapers and magazines, complete with high resolution color photos, and the company confirmed that more content is on its way. Amazon customers with existing subscriptions can find recent issues under the “Archived Items” menu inside the application. The update also removes Amazon’s Kindle Store button from the the app now allows users to share quotes and passages with Facebook and Twitter friends. Kindle for iOS version 2.8 is available in the iTunes App Store for free.

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Tablets
July 11, 2011
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Barnes & Noble NOOK Color leads eReader market for first time ever, IDC states

By on July 11, 2011 at 10:05 PM.

Barnes & Noble NOOK Color leads eReader market for first time ever, IDC states

IDC recently published a report that provided a snapshot view of the tablet and eReader markets. The company noted that in the first quarter, for the first time ever, Barnes & Noble’s NOOK Color lead the eReader pack ahead of Amazon’s Kindle. Even though Barnes & Noble just introduced the “all new NOOK,” a black and white device, IDC says that the lack of a color screen on Amazon’s Kindle “clearly impacted the company’s previous dominance in the eReader market.” The research firm also found that the eReader market declined to just 2.2 million units shipped in the first quarter, and said that the “post-holiday season proved to be challenging” for the eReader market. IDC still expects the global eReader market to ship 16.2 million devices this year, up 24% from last year. Read on for the full press release, which offers a few details on the tablet market, too. More →

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eBooks
May 25, 2011
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Amazon intros ad-supported Kindle 3G for $164

By on May 25, 2011 at 10:44 PM.

Amazon intros ad-supported Kindle 3G for $164

Amazon on Monday revealed a new discounted version of its popular Kindle eBook reader. Amazon’s announcement came on the same day Barnes & Noble announced its all-new NOOK eReader. When asked during a Q&A session after Monday’s press conference if Barnes & Noble would ever consider releasing an ad-supported NOOK, CEO William Lynch laughed and said it was highly unlikely — but Amazon seems to be having some success with the ad-supported model. Joining the company’s $114 ad-supported Wi-Fi Kindle is the new $164 Kindle 3G, which gives consumers the option of saving $25 and dealing with advertisements. The device is otherwise identical to the standard Kindle 3G, which features a Pearl E Ink display, a full QWERTY keypad and free 3G connectivity. Hit the break for the full press release. More →

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mobile
April 20, 2011
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Amazon to launch 'Kindle Library Lending' feature

By on April 20, 2011 at 12:21 PM.

Amazon to launch 'Kindle Library Lending' feature

On Wednesday, Amazon announced that its Kindle customers will soon be able to borrow eBooks from more than 11,000 U.S. libraries. Amazon’s Kindle Library Lending project will allow users to check out eBooks from local libraries and then read them on the Kindle or any device that has Amazon’s free eReader software installed. Unlike traditional libraries, which don’t allow borrowers to write in books, they can take notes and highlight as much as they like. “We’re doing a little something extra here,” said Jay Marine, director of Amazon Kindle. “Normally, making margin notes in library books is a big no-no. But we’re extending our Whispersync technology so that you can highlight and add margin notes to Kindle books you check out from your local library. Your notes will not show up when the next patron checks out the book. But if you check out the book again, or subsequently buy it, your notes will be there just as you left them, perfectly Whispersynced.” Amazon is working with OverDrive on its Kindle Library Lending program, which it says will launch later this year. Hit the jump for the full release. More →

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Software
March 19, 2011
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eBook sales jump 115% in January

By on March 19, 2011 at 10:15 AM.

eBook sales jump 115% in January

The Association of American Publishers said Thursday that eBook sales for the month of January were up 115% from the same period last year. No surprise there, given that you can read them on most any mobile device these days, not just eReaders. Net sales of eBooks were $69.9 million during the month, up from $32.4 million in January 2010. On the other side of the coin, sales of paperback books were down 30% year-over-year, and sales of adult hardcover books dropped to $49.1 million in January 2011 from $55.4 million during January 2010. It doesn’t look like overpriced textbooks are going anywhere, as the higher education sector wasn’t hit as hard. Higher education sales were $382 million this January, down from $387.6 million reported in the same month in 2010. More →

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Retail
February 28, 2011
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Amazon Kindle 3G hits AT&T stores starting March 6th

By on February 28, 2011 at 9:54 AM.

Amazon Kindle 3G hits AT&T stores starting March 6th

AT&T on Monday announced that it will soon begin selling Amazon’s popular 3G-enabled Kindle eBook reader in its retail locations. Starting March 6th, customers will be able to purchase the Kindle 3G eReader from AT&T stores across the country for $189. 3G service on AT&T’s nationwide network is still bundled with the purchase price of the device, so no additional service plan will be required. “Amazon has without question pioneered the eReader space with Kindle, and it’s exciting to not only connect this device through our network, but now offer it in our stores to readers around the country ,” said Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices for AT&T, in a statement. “As the first dedicated eReader offered in our stores, we are confident the Kindle will be an attractive addition to our in store connected devices lineup.” Amazon also charges $189 for the Kindle 3G on amazon.com, however customers who purchase the device online will not have to pay sales tax. AT&T’s full press release is after the break.

More →

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Retail
January 19, 2011
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IDC: Led by iPad, 17 million tablets shipped in 2010

By on January 19, 2011 at 3:33 AM.

IDC: Led by iPad, 17 million tablets shipped in 2010

Research firm IDC said on Tuesday that 17 million consumer tablets shipped in 2010 according to its Worldwide Quarterly Media Tablet and eReader Tracker. In a press release, the firm also stated that the tablet market’s remarkable third-quarter growth of 45% was due almost entirely to sales of Apple’s iPad. Calling them “media tablets,” IDC says 4.8 million consumer tablets were shipped globally in the third quarter, up from 3.3 million units in Q2, and approximately 4.2 million of them were iPads. “The media tablet market’s rapid evolution will continue to accelerate in 4Q10 and beyond with new product and service introductions, channel expansion, price competition and experimentation with new use cases among consumers and enterprises,” said IDC’s research director in charge of mobile connected devices, Susan Kevorkian. Hit the jump for IDC’s press release. More →

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Software
January 6, 2011
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Amazon Kindle app for Windows Phone 7 now available

By on January 6, 2011 at 6:40 AM.

Amazon Kindle app for Windows Phone 7 now available

It took quite a while, but Amazon’s Kindle application is finally available for the Windows Phone 7 platform as of Tuesday evening. The app offers exactly what you think it might — the ability to purchase and read over 750,000 eBooks in Amazon’s library, free access to preview the first chapter of each, Amazon’s Whispersync service to keep data in sync across devices, personalized recommendations and more. As is expected, the app is a smooth operator on Windows Phone 7 devices, and the design works very well with Microsoft’s Metro UI. The Kindle app for Windows Phone 7 is free, of course, and can be installed from the read link below. More →

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Retail
December 27, 2010
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Amazon Kindle becomes best-selling product of all time on Amazon.com

By on December 27, 2010 at 4:49 PM.

Amazon Kindle becomes best-selling product of all time on Amazon.com

Amazon announced Monday that its third-generation Kindle eBook reader is now the best-selling product of all time on the Amazon.com website. It replaces Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the previous Amazon.com sales record-holder. Amazon still has not revealed official sales tallies for any of its Kindle devices, though recent estimates suggest Amazon is on pace to sell 8 million Kindles this year. The company currently offers two versions of its popular Kindle eReader — a Wi-Fi-only version for $139 and a 3G-equipped model for $189. Hit the break for Amazon’s full press release. More →

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Retail
December 13, 2010
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Fourth quarter Amazon Kindle sales in the millions

By on December 13, 2010 at 9:01 PM.

Fourth quarter Amazon Kindle sales in the millions

In a post on Amazon.com’s Kindle user forums Monday morning, an Amazon official has shed some light on Kindle sales in Q4. Posting via an official Amazon user account called “The Amazon Kindle team,” the company official stated that Amazon has sold “millions” of Kindles so far this quarter. He or she goes on to say Kindle unit sales so far in the fourth quarter of this year have already surpassed Amazon’s 2009 sales total.

Thanks to you, in just the first 73 days of this holiday quarter, we’ve already sold millions of our all-new Kindles with the latest E Ink Pearl display. In fact, in the last 73 days, readers have purchased more Kindles than we sold during all of 2009. We’re grateful for and energized by the overwhelming customer response.

The Amazon company official also wrote that the new Kindle is “far and away” Amazon.com’s best-selling gift item so far this holiday season.

[Via Daring Fireball] More →

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