Amazon to Unveil the "Kindle Fire"

"based on Android 2.1"<p>Ugh. Android is after all cursed on the Tablet and Amazon is just doing their bit. Very disappointing - ridiculous in fact given there should be literally no excuse to put 2.1 on modern hardware.<p>Oh and no Email client and no Google integration if that wasn't enough.<p>[Edit] Consider JIT (2.2+) and low pause GC (2.3+) that they will be missing. Also consider Flash support which is also 2.2+. Then there is competition from the likes of Archos and you can take their $299 Honeycomb 3.2 tablet and run everything Amazon has to offer on it - Kindle, MP3, Instant video etc.

Still waiting for a device that will let me read PDF's and take hand-written notes on them. I assume the only input here is touch, and maybe a few buttons?

After waiting for this for a long time, I'm disappointed to hear the specs of the fire. I hope it really isn't android 2.1 with their own UI. I have faith in cyanogen to fix it though :)

Doesn't anyone else see how the Kindle Fire is very significant for Google, despite the fact that Google may see no revenue from this product?<p>Google now has a strong partner in its Android patent war, unless Amazon has paid license fees to the likes of Oracle, which would then undermine Google's position.

That mockup has enough bezel for a few tablets...

The next generation e-ink tablet hybrid is when the real battle begins. Not sure they even needed to release this even to get their foot in the door. What's their differentiation? It just makes the iPad look like it's better value to me.

I'm a bit pessimistic; if the hardware is old and rushed, why would the software or overall experience be any better?<p>I suspect Lab126 is cooking up something much better--but, unfortunately, it's not yet ready for prime time.

They haven't leaked the most interesting facts: device price and data-plan pricing model. Is it going to be carrier-price based or content subsidized like on Kindle Ice?

I want color e-ink.

I highly doubt they'd put 2.1 on a dual core.

I like the play on the words, but wary of headlines like "Can the Kindle Fire kindle fire in the tablet market?"

Nothing but unsubstantiated rumors.

<i>"While that store doesn’t offer all the apps found in Google’s Android Market..."</i><p>With tablet hardware providing little differentiation, software is the main value proposition. In light of this, providing a subset of the <i>second</i> largest app selection is a questionable move.

Slightly off topic, has anyone successfully sold any ebooks on Amazon? Would love to ask few questions, if possible via email.

They out-sourced the design to Quanta, and it's similar to the Playbook. What does this mean? It means RIM must've outsourced the design for the Playbook to Quanta, too, otherwise they'd be all over Amazon with a lawsuit when they launch. That's just sad. RIM is in a worse position in the tech world than we think it is.<p>Regarding the Kindle Fire, I just hope it's not as heavy and thick as a Playbook. It should be more like the Galaxy Tab 7.7 which is very light (~330 grams) and very thin (7.9 mm)