Report: Amazon building prototype hardware other than Kindle
The New York Times' Bits blog is reporting that "people with direct knowledge" of Amazon's plans say that Lab 126 -- the division of the company which designed the Kindle -- is currently looking into other hardware, i.e. devices that are not the Kindle. One unnamed source reports that such devices would be a "means to an end," meant to enable easy purchasing of Amazon's content, which currently includes music, movies, and digital books. The source said that CEO Jeff Bezos' intent for Lab 126 was initially to build multiple devices -- including apparent discussions to enter the mobile phone market -- but that the Kindle eventually became the main hardware focus. The report also notes that Amazon's hardware division currently has about 80 job openings, which would lend credence to the idea that more devices could be on the way.
