The key phrase here is "ahead of launch". I doubt the Fire will be as strong of a competitor as its being made out to be.
There's a difference between an iPad and tablets. That difference is something you just can't define. If you go by a dictionary or consensus definition then they're the same but talk to anyone who's used an iPad and they'll tell you it's an iPad, not a tablet.
The post says nothing about why the demand is high and reads like advertising hype. I see nothing special about this Kindle beyond the color screen and Silk, which by the way is nothing more than a glorified browser serving cached content.
I see the iPad and the rest as serving different markets. The Kindle and it's ilk are for book lovers mainly. iPads are for apple fanatics and web content consumers, and the rest are for people who want iPad knockoffs for their cheap price or don't know the difference. I know that sounds really harsh, maybe even ignorant but I don't meant it that way at all.
Seems like whenever a new tablet comes out everyone jumps on the "this-is-the-ultimate,ate-iPad-competitor" bandwagon. Tablet makers seem to be largely copying the iPad as well instead of offering something different. I'd gladly she'll out the extra $400 for the real thing over a sub-par knockoff anyway. These tablet makers need to quit comparing themselves to something they are not (the iPad) and sell their devices on value they offer. Amazon so far has done the best job of this of anyone I've seen but the others need to sell on value offered, not just price. You do get what you pay for.
My views are based on experience and observation. Maybe others have some more solid evidence to validate or detract from mine.
I work around "real" people and I've been shocked at how many of them have ordered Kindle Fire's both for themselves and as Christmas presents. These are people who have never owned a tablet and in the case of presents they're buying for other people who have never owned a tablet. When I ask why they're buying them the answer is universally the same thing...
"I could never justify buying an iPad because I don't know what I'd use it for but for $199 I figured what the heck"
A lot of these people are influenced by the original Kindle and its reputation but most are looking for Tablet functionality. When I ask what they plan to use it for the first answer is always "browse the web"
I do agree its a different market from the iPad. But the question I have is whether these people will go for a higher end purchase further down the line. And if so what they'll buy. Because these people will be tied to Amazon by their media in the same way I'm tied to Apple.
Aside from the price, which is already going to be a huge buying pull for most people, the Fire is going to be considered as the Kindle that does "other stuff too." If they are happy with the "other stuff" and their screen size, I don't see what offerings an iPad would give to lure them away when it comes to just pure content consumption (though I do realize it runs Android apps as well).
I work around "real" people as well and I know no one that has purchased a Kindle Fire or is really even considering one. I do know people that have purchased the iPad 2, Xoom and Asus Transformer, and other who have Kindle book readers, but haven't found a single person who has pre-ordered a Kindle Fire.
>"There's a difference between an iPad and tablets. That difference is something you just can't define"
It can easily be defined, and it is branding.
And branding is why the Fire is so likely to provide strong competition. Amazon has been establishing their brand for nearly two decades, has pretty much set the standard for online customer service (Zappos) and price efficiency, and in the slate market has a long standing reputation [in internet years] for functionality and quality with the Kindle.
Furthermore Amazon clearly understands the killer app for slates is books, and that readers are a larger and more loyal demographic than gadgeteers and fanboys. Yes, the iPad is a true Scotsman, but most people don't care about what's under the kilt.
[Edit] Amazon is likely to sell a lot of Fire tablets because they are offering a clear value proposition in accordance with their brand, rather than higher priced "Magic."
"There's a difference between an iPad and tablets. That difference is something you just can't define."
There's the same difference between iPhone and Android, no? Last quarter, Android surged from 40 to 43% market share. iPhone held at 28% (still healthy growth, mind you-- the whole market is growing).
The ~$200 price point is a huge differentiator. Before this, non-iPads really didn't have any differentiator (prices were comparable and, as you say, iPads were just better). The Fire is going to be a big deal.
The ~$200 price point is indeed a huge differentiator. The main lesson from the HP TouchPad fire sale is that people are interested in tablets but $400+ is too expensive.
With the ~$200 price point and the Kindle and Amazon brand, this could be real competition for the iPad.
Seems like whenever a new tablet comes out everyone jumps on the "this-is-the-ultimate,ate-iPad-competitor" bandwagon.
This has only been said twice, with any degree of seriousness, the Xoom and Galaxy. But it became clear very shortly that they were too expensive for what you were getting.
The Fire is cheap, great brand, and appears to have a good set of apps at launch.
There's a difference between an iPad and tablets. That difference is something you just can't define. If you go by a dictionary or consensus definition then they're the same but talk to anyone who's used an iPad and they'll tell you it's an iPad, not a tablet.
The post says nothing about why the demand is high and reads like advertising hype. I see nothing special about this Kindle beyond the color screen and Silk, which by the way is nothing more than a glorified browser serving cached content.
I see the iPad and the rest as serving different markets. The Kindle and it's ilk are for book lovers mainly. iPads are for apple fanatics and web content consumers, and the rest are for people who want iPad knockoffs for their cheap price or don't know the difference. I know that sounds really harsh, maybe even ignorant but I don't meant it that way at all.
Seems like whenever a new tablet comes out everyone jumps on the "this-is-the-ultimate,ate-iPad-competitor" bandwagon. Tablet makers seem to be largely copying the iPad as well instead of offering something different. I'd gladly she'll out the extra $400 for the real thing over a sub-par knockoff anyway. These tablet makers need to quit comparing themselves to something they are not (the iPad) and sell their devices on value they offer. Amazon so far has done the best job of this of anyone I've seen but the others need to sell on value offered, not just price. You do get what you pay for.
My views are based on experience and observation. Maybe others have some more solid evidence to validate or detract from mine.