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Amazon's new e-book format brings HTML5 support to your Kindle library
"Great looking books." That's what Amazon is promising to deliver with Kindle Format 8 (KF8) -- a new, HTML5-based file format for Kindle books. According to the company, KF8 will allow publishers to produce picture books, comics and graphic novels with greater ease, thanks to the platform's rich formatting capabilities and design elements. In fact, this format brings more than 150 new formatting tools to the table, including fixed layouts, nested tables, sidebars and Scalable Vector Graphics, among others. It should be noted, however, that audio and video are not included on the list of supported HTML tags and CSS elements. At first, content creators will only be able to use KF8 for the Kindle Fire tablet, though Amazon says it'll gradually expand to its entire lineup of devices and apps "in the coming months." No word yet on when KF8 will become available as an update to Amazon's Kindle Publisher Tools suite, but you can find more details at the source link, below.
Barnes & Noble pulls DC Comics from shelves over Kindle kerfuffle, risks Martian Manhunter's wrath
Frankly, we'd advise against crossing anyone given to costumed superheroics, but a policy is a policy. Book selling giant Barnes & Noble has begun pulling select DC Comics from store shelves this week, in response to a deal struck between the publisher and Amazon, which will make digital copies of a number of comics exclusively available through the online retailer for use with the forthcoming Kindle Fire. The move is part of Barnes & Noble's policy to remove physical books from its shelves if the available digital version of the text is not offered up to the company. According to an exec, "To sell and promote the physical book in our store showrooms and not have the e-book available for sale would undermine our promise to Barnes & Noble customers to make available any book, anywhere, anytime." J'onn J'onzz has yet to weigh in on the matter.
Amazon adds Kindle Fire-specific details to Developer Portal, A's your FAQ
The Kindle Fire may not be hitting the market until November, but Amazon has already updated its Developer Portal FAQ page with an entire section devoted to its forthcoming Android tablet. On the new page, you'll find largely standard information on things like the application process and how to set up an Android SDK emulator, though there are a few more salient tidbits, as well. For instance, Amazon says it will review every app in its Appstore for Fire compatibility, as part of an automated process. Rejected apps, Amazon informs us, will include those that rely on a gyroscope, camera, WAN module, Bluetooth, microphone, GPS, or micro SD. Apps are also forbidden from using Google's Mobile Services (and in-app billing), which, if included, will have to be "gracefully" removed. In terms of actual content, Amazon has outlawed all apps that change the tablet's UI in any way (including theme- or wallpaper-based tools), as well as any that demand root access (it remains to be seen how the company will treat the root-dependent apps already in its store). Interested devs can find more information at the source link, below.
Survey: iPad is Kindle Fire-proof
A site called SodaHead.com, which calls itself an "opinion based community," says that consumers it's polled about the recently announced Kindle Fire tablet from Amazon don't think Apple's iPad has much to worry about. One of the site's recent polls has 61 percent of the audience saying the iPad will stay up on top as the tablet of choice. As SodaHead goes up the income scale, that opinion only gets stronger -- a whopping 94 percent of consumers who say they make more than $100,000 a year say the iPad will stay king. That's not too surprising, especially since Apple has always aimed for a higher price point anyway. When you get back into the middle income range, SodaHead says things are much more split: in the income range of $25k to $100k per year (which is where the majority of the US sits), only 54 percent of the audience covets an iPad, with a more reasonable 46 percent aiming to give the Fire a try. The Fire's price does make it more intriguing to people who might not want to invest in an iPad. But Apple's tablet is already a runaway success, and if the Fire does provide a little competitive demand (or maybe even some features that push Apple towards even more innovation), then that's probably a good thing for all of us consumers.
Kindle Fire pre-orders heat up, reportedly reach 95,000
The Kindle Fire won't be out til November, but it's already giving off some strong pre-order smoke signals. According to digital marketing firm eDataSource, Amazon's first tablet has generated enough buzz to pick up just under 100,000 orders -- an estimate based on a sample of 800,000 e-mail users. Even with these rosy estimates, however, Amazon still has a long way to go before it catches up with Apple, which sold 300,000 iPads on its debut. But we're guessing that the Fire's $199 price tag probably won't hurt its chances.
Switched On: Assets in gear
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Ecosystems take years to build and depend on other companies. Really, who has the time these days? Plus, they kick in only if a product reaches critical mass. Microsoft and SanDisk demonstrated the risk a few years back with their digital media players in seeding the market with third-party cases and docks using their own proprietary and now abandoned connectors. Over the past year, though, we've seen a number of tech companies take a new approach to mobile product development -- the corporate showcase -- where they convincingly shun any notion of silos by throwing just about everything they've got into a product.
How the Kindle lost the keys to mimic the iPad
Blogger Nick Bilton at the New York Times Bit Blog noticed something fascinating about the new Amazon Kindle devices the other day, so he talked to a hardware designer who had worked on the original Kindle e-reader in 2007. Sure enough, the designer told him that the original device design was largely inspired by the BlackBerry. Bilton noticed that the new designs are all mimicking a device that is near and dear to the hearts of TUAW readers -- the iPad. The 2007 Kindle looked a lot like a BlackBerry and worked in a similar manner. It had a clunky keyboard at the bottom of the e-Ink screen, a scroll wheel to move around the text and menus, and a very boxy look. BlackBerry smartphones from that era look remarkably similar, and the anonymous designer told Bilton that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' BlackBerry was the inspiration for the first Kindle. The devices that were introduced this week owe much of their design to the iPad. There are no scroll wheels, no physical keyboards. Instead, the devices have moved to a design meme that features a screen surrounded by a bezel -- exactly the design of the iPad. Bilton quoted Tumblr UI designer Justin Ouellette as saying that the Kindle Fire even uses the same Gorilla Glass as the iPad, but that companies hoping to truly compete with the iPad need to mimic Apple in one more way: pay attention to details. As Ouellete notes, "The weight, the thinness, the feel, the texture of the glass, are all really important to the overall experience."
Amazon Kindle family portrait
And golly, don't they look proud. On the left, the new $99 Kindle Touch. On the right, the new $79 Kindle. And, in the middle, the $199 Kindle Fire tablet. So, which would you rather? If you need more help deciding, check out the gallery, which features the third-generation Kindle thrown into the mix.%Gallery-135099%
Is a 10-inch Kindle Fire coming? Amazon says 'stay tuned'
We already knew to expect a 7-incher today, and that's exactly what we got in the Kindle Fire. We just asked Amazon Kindle vice president (and thinking man) Russ Grandinetti when we might expect a larger successor. With a smile, Russ said "Stay tuned," and left it at that. If you'll recall, RIM's Ryan Biden told us at a past Engadget Show that there was "no reason" the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook couldn't be shipped in a different size, and given recent rumors that both outfits were working with Quanta, it's not too tough to read betwixt the lines. We also asked about an international release of the Fire, knowing that many of you are lamenting its US-only release in November. We got the same response there. So, it's coming... the only question is when.
Kindle Fire vs. BlackBerry PlayBook... Fight!
How much does the Kindle Fire look like the PlayBook? It looks this much like the PlayBook. %Gallery-135085%
Amazon Kindle Fire impressions (video)
Alas, we've not been able to get our hands on Amazon's diminutive new 7-inch, $199 Kindle Fire tablet just yet, but we were treated to a lengthy demo of the thing courtesy of an Amazon rep, answering many of our questions and showing us just what how the thing performs. How does it fare? Very well, thank you very much. More details after the break.%Gallery-135077%
Amazon Silk browser spins a faster mobile web, courtesy of cloud servers (video)
Part of Amazon's new Kindle Fire pitch is its promise of Amazon Silk -- a "split browser" exclusive to the tablet that gets the heavy lifting done on its EC2 cloud servers and promises faster access as a result. Dubbed Silk to represent an "invisible, yet incredibly strong connection", it takes advantage of Amazon's existing speedy connections, and that so many sites are already hosted on its servers to speed up web access. Another feature is its ability to learn from previous web surfers and use their data to determine how to render a page, and which sites to precache on the device before you even select the next link. While mobile browsers like Skyfire and Opera have offered speed boosting proxies before, Amazon thinks its AWS prowess and the addition of "dynamic decisions" about what to render locally or in the cloud takes it to another level. Read our live blog of the event for more details, or check out the video explanation and press release after the break.
Live from Amazon's tablet event in NYC!
Okay, so we don't know that we'll be seeing a tablet (or two) today, but that's what we're expecting, and regardless we're eager to see what the company has in store for us. We're getting settled in at Stage 37 here in New York City (a place we're very familiar with) and the event begins soon. Join us as we find out what's next.
Amazon Kindle Fire tablet unveiled: Android-based, 7-inch display, $199 price tag
Okay, so it wasn't much of a surprise, but Amazon finally has a tablet, and as expected its name picks up where the Kindle left off: Fire. Of course, rumors of an Amazon tablet date back to this time last year (if not before), but it seems that Jeff and co. have wisely chosen to get this thing out on the open market before having yet another wild and wacky holiday quarter. Bloomberg has curiously reported on some of the details before the event itself kicks off, noting that the 7-inch device will run a version of Android while acting much like a "souped-up Kindle." The real kicker, however, is the price -- at just $199, it's bound to turn heads, regardless of whether you were interested in a slate before. Naturally, that bargain-bin sticker explains the lack of an embedded camera and microphone, though consumers will find WiFi (no 3G, sadly) and a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. It's also quite clear that Amazon's hoping to make a bigger splash on the content side of things than has been made already by Apple, and with the deals flowing like wine, we wouldn't be shocked if it does just that. Update: Itching for specs? How's about a 7-inch IPS (!) panel, Gorilla Glass coating, a 1GHz TI OMAP dual-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage and a chassis that weighs 14.6 ounces. There's also access to things you'd expect to have access to: Android Appstore (though no access to Google's Android Market!), Kindle books, magazines, etc. -- all stored for free via Amazon Cloud Storage. Per Jeff: "Delete it and get it back when you want." Oh, and Whispersync now works with movies and TV shows! "When you get home, switch to your big screen TV. Your movie will be right where you left it." While it's clearly Android underneath, the actual UI looks effectively nothing like it -- considering TechCrunch's intel that Amazon went and did its own thing without Google's blessing, we guess that makes some level of sense. Oh, and pre-orders are set to start today (but only for Americans... boo), with shipments heading out on November 15th. Update 2: We've added the first commercial video after the break. Update 3: Check out our hands-on impressions right here! Keep up with the unveiling at our liveblog of the Amazon event. %Gallery-135068% %Gallery-135074%
Is a second generation Kindle Fire tablet hitting early next year?
Shortly after information started leaking out about the warmly-named Amazon tablet, gdgt offered up some supplementary details from sources explaining why the Fire looks an awful lot like the PlayBook. According to the anonymous informants, the thing was built using the same template as RIM's device. Apparently the product is more or less being rushed out the door to make it out in time for the holidays. It seems that there may be another pressing reason for the rush to bring the reader-friendly tablet to market -- namely a much improved second generation device, which is currently on-tap for the first quarter of next year. Why so close? Well, the newer tablet's release date has supposedly been secured for some time, while its predecessor was pushed back for various reasons. It wouldn't be the first time that Amazon launched two Kindle products months apart, with the Kindle DX arriving shortly after the Kindle 2. It's not exactly the same thing, given that one device wasn't meant to replace the other, but it certainly doesn't bode well for the company's ability to schedule. There are still some questions here, of course -- even if the above is true (and that's certainly a big "if"), that doesn't mean that this second-gen tablet will hit its own mark. If it does, however, a lot of early adopters may get burned by the Fire.
Big publishers to provide fuel for Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet?
So, word on the street is that Amazon's got an Android-based tablet in the works that looks like a PlayBook and will probably be called the Kindle Fire. But, until now, we didn't know what kind of content would be available on this new Kindle with a color screen. According to All Things D, Bezos' baby has been blessed by Hearst, Conde Nast and Meredith publishers in time for the slate's unveiling later this week -- giving users access to magazines ranging from GQ and Cosmopolitan to Car and Driver and Wired. Evidently, Amazon's taking around a 30 percent cut (not unlike the competition in Cupertino) of slate-based subscriptions, with small variations depending upon the magazine. With these latest leaked tidbits, we're beginning to wonder what details are left for Amazon to reveal on Wednesday -- a little mystery adds to the anticipation, after all.
Kindle Fire tablet purportedly on tap for Wednesday, set to ship in November
"Kindle Fire." Can't say that's the name we would've thrown together if given five minutes to dwell and assured that we'd take on absolutely no risk at all for it failing, but hey -- who are we to question Jeff Bezos? TechCrunch is keeping the Kindle tablet rumors fresh with a new helping of intel, hitting the wires just two days prior to the outfit's September 28th press event. According to the publication, "Fire" (mocked up above) was chosen in order to differentiate it from the e-ink siblings that'll sell alongside of it, and we're told to expect a mind-numbing amount of content deals to make it ever more attractive in a realm that iOS currently dominates. Moreover, a dual-core Texas Instruments OMAP chip is now being tipped, and if all goes well, the sub-$300 device should ship in November. Meanwhile, B&N engineers are reportedly toiling away on the Nook Color 2, and we wouldn't be shocked in the least to see it hurry into an announcement just to phunk with Amazon's flow. We'll be there live on Wednesday to break it all down -- water sprinklers in tow, naturally. Update: gdgt is suggesting that there's a reason the Kindle Fire will look a lot like the PlayBook -- it's a good read, and it can be found here.
