parislemon

On Fire

Looks like I nailed most things about the Kindle Fire, including the name, ship date, and details. I was a little off on the price though. At first, I heard $249 — then I said it was in flux a few days ago. $199 is very impressive and even more aggressive.

Put simply: this is going to be the Android tablet that people buy. But most people will have no idea that it’s an Android tablet.

The Nook Color is compelling as well, but it lacks two very key things: Amazon content and Amazon.com. Expect to hear more from Barnes & Noble any day now.

Those who think the Fire fully competes with the iPad are fooling themselves. Remember, I’ve played with the Fire. It will sell a shit ton because of the price and Amazon.com, not because it is in any way better than the iPad. It’s not. I’m sorry, it’s just not.

That said, even when Apple cuts the iPad price down to $399, it will still be twice as expensive as the Fire. Again, that $199 price is killer.

Also killer: the new e-ink Kindles. I would buy the $79 (with ads) version right now, if a $99 (with ads) touch version wasn’t coming in November.

I wrote in April that I loved the idea of an ad-supported Kindle, but that the right price was $99 (not the $114 they were selling it for back then) from a pure psychological perspective if nothing else. Three-digits: wait. Two-digits: buy! Jeff Bezos apparently quoted that article on stage today.

He one-upped me by not only putting the regular Kindle well in the two-digit range, but also by putting the new touch Kindle there as well.

Something else to consider: at $79, the ad-supported Kindle is the same exact price as Amazon Prime. I would bet that it won’t be long until they’re tied together in some way.