New York (CNN) – Amazon didn't just light a fire to the tech world Wednesday, it threw out an atom bomb –  a tablet for $199, less than half the price of the cheapest iPad. Not only that, CEO Jeff Bezos also announced a new line-up of better, cheaper Kindles ranging from $149 for a 3G Kindle Touch to $79 for the most basic model (versions without ads are slightly more).

When those prices were unveiled at the press event in New York, the jaws of even the most skeptical tech journalists dropped.

Bezos predicts they will sell millions – it seems like a safe bet. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they sell out.

Kindle versus iPad: Which is right for you?

Is the Kindle Fire going to do everything your iPad can? No. Analysts say it is not as well suited to creating content on the go. It is not going to be able to replace your laptop the way the iPad has for some.

But it will make it extremely easy to consume books, music and movies, which is at the end of the day all many of us care about. And Amazon offers cloud storage and a new browser, Silk, which may provide something Apple doesn't.

The rest of the tablet makers may have more to fear from Amazon than Apple, but I would keep a close eye on the rear view mirror if I were Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. Calling the new Kindles Touch? Hardly a subtle jab. In fact, during the presentation Bezos took direct aim at the need to sync Apple content.

Amazon isn't a hardware company, but Bezos and his team are innovators who pay attention to the user experience and consumer needs like no other company except maybe Apple.

It is a rivalry from which we consumers stand to benefit.

The new Kindle devices can be pre-ordered now and will ship mid-November for US consumers. No date yet for international markets.

What do you think? Are the prices attractive enough to make you consider a Kindle? Is it instead of or in addition to an iPad?

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LG has announced a new phone in Korea and it appears to be a looker.  Called the LG Optimus EX, it’s supposed to be the successor to the company’s Optimus 2X smartphone.
Sporting a profile that looks wider than a lot of new phones, the handset also feature boxier corners.  The result is a slightly more formal aesthetic that business and

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The infirm in Japan have nothing to fear when it comes to assisted care — except maybe for a robot revolt. From the land that gave us the robo-care bear, comes three new compassionate tech solutions for elderly care taking courtesy of Panasonic. Shown off ahead of this October’s 38th International Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition in Tokyo, the electronics giant has updated its currently in residence medication monger with HOSPI-Rimo — a refreshed design that links the “bed ridden [and those with] limited mobility” to doctors, family and friends via its HD interface. And just because you’re staying at home, it doesn’t mean the company’s Hair-Washing bot can’t help you get your hair did, and listen to you complain about how the kids never come to see you anymore. For the piece de assistance, Panasonic’s also gone and modded a bed that’s more than meets the eye — literally, as it transforms into an electric wheelchair to scoot you about the house. We have to hand it to the tech outfit, our latter days are starting to look pretty cutting edge.

Continue reading Panasonic shows us its softer side, intros trio of high-tech robotic helpers

Panasonic shows us its softer side, intros trio of high-tech robotic helpers originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Credit: Amazon.com

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is now a known quantity, thanks to details supplied to Bloomberg ahead of the official announcement at Amazon’s press event Wednesday. The Android-based tablet has an attractive price, but to get there, it cut so many corners it probably won’t make much of a dent in Apple’s market lead with the iPad.

The Kindle Fire has a 7-inch display, no camera and no microphone. It can only connect to a Wi-Fi network, and there’s no built-in 3G connection. It also only carries 8 GB of on-board memory, with no options for memory expansion. These barebones features enabled Amazon to reach the Fire’s low price point of $199, while the Barnes & Noble Nook Color costs $249, and the iPad begins at $499.

Amazon’s goal with this device is clearly to offer something cheap that provides enough features and functionality to appeal to the general public. The company also hopes that Amazon’s ecosystem of digital goods can help it bring in customers; it provides video on demand, e-book and music sales, and it can store much of that content in the cloud.

The problem is that Amazon hasn’t really unveiled much with the Fire besides a fairly basic delivery method for sales of its digital offerings. Limited storage means Amazon’s cloud services are almost a necessity for buyers, and yet the lack of 3G means that accessing content when you’re away from home will be difficult. The lack of both camera and microphone also mean that people can’t easily use this for taking or sharing mobile photos, or as a phone replacement with VoIP apps.

The new Silk browser tech that does much of the processing work on Amazon’s EC2 servers is also interesting, but again severely limited by the Wi-Fi-only network access. Amazon also didn’t talk about battery life, and a decision not to talk about it could mean it doesn’t compare favorably to the iPad’s all-day power.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos talked a lot about early skepticism in the media about the original Kindle’s chances at success at today’s press conference — skepticism that didn’t end up coming true. But the Fire is entering a different market on different terms. Bezos also noted that Amazon has a strong ecosystem, and that’s been a large part of its success, but that alone won’t make sub-par hardware appealing. Especially considering that Amazon’s streaming media services are generally U.S.-centric.

A fresh coat of paint on Android will help set the Fire apart, but repackaging an OS that’s already struggling to match Apple’s in terms of tablet success, and then putting it on hardware that’s basically a stripped down PlayBook isn’t a recipe for an Kindle-iPad killer.

The Kindle Fire could admittedly do well; it’s a very portable device with a smart UI that provides access to an extensive ecosystem, and I fully expect it to give the Nook Color a run for its money, or even bury that device. But what it won’t do is knock the iPad off its pedestal, not when it feels like yet another Android tablet rushed to market in an attempt to stem the tide of users to Apple’s ecosystem.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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• Connected Consumer Q2: Digital music meets the cloud; e-book growth explodes
• The state of the e-book lending market: Business models and challenges
• The connected planet: Smartphones aren’t the only player

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As much as I’m tied into Apple’s ecosystem for hardware and apps, my e-book loyalty lies with Amazon. A big reason for that is that when it comes to e-books, I like the flexibility that comes with a vendor that makes it easy for me to read my books on any device. And that’s a big part of why I’m interested in Amazon’s new offerings.

My recent experiences during a major power outage showed to me the one big downside to going 100-percent digital on books: When your battery dies, you can’t read a book, even in the daylight. Plus, the iPad was a little too large to just toss in my pocket when I left the house. Some people can’t leave the house without a pack of smokes; I can’t leave without a book.

I started becoming more interested in Kindle hardware in light of those problems. However, the prices just weren’t at a point I was happy with for a supplemental device. Today’s announcements have changed that.

Kindle Fire

While the Kindle Fire is likely to be a fine tablet, for me, it underscores some problems I have with the iPad: The IPS screen is going to be  nightmare to read outside, and at eight hours of battery life, it doesn’t have the month (or two) of long-lasting power that the e-ink Kindles do. My mobile gaming needs are met quite well with the iPad. As a technology commentator, though, I expect I’ll get one. The $199 price tag for an n0n-iPad tablet is a much easier pill to swallow than the $499 and up for other Android tablets. I do find it interesting that Amazon merged two distinct approaches: taking advantage of an open operating system (Android), yet creating a curated experience like Apple’s.

Were I not a tech commentator, and instead the average iPad user, I could see myself getting a Fire in these scenarios: Either I use Amazon steaming a lot, or I want a second tablet that travels better owing to its small size. In this economy, unless you can pretend you need one for “work,” I have a hard time seeing anyone needing a second tablet, no matter the price. But for those who can justify the expense, the Kindle Fire fills in some gaps, especially for users already heavily invested in the Android ecosystem.

The new Kindles

Now we’re taking. Books are my primary media consumption. The iPad isn’t good for reading in any situation where light is being cast on the screen. Ten hours of battery life is nice, but I’d like to not have to worry about that at all, which is what the e-ink Kindles offer. The size of the new e-readers is also right for “throw it in my jacket pocket” situations.

A Kindle reader under a hundred bucks perfectly fits my price point for buying a second reading device in addition to the iPad. I’ve ordered a Kindle for $79. Sure, it’s ad-supported, but from what I’ve been hearing the ads aren’t intrusive to my reading experience anyway.

A tale of apps

The big difference between Amazon and Apple is that Apple wants to sell you hardware, and Amazon just wants to sell you content. I believe Apple releasing iBooks for Android would be a sign of failure for its strategy. Amazon, on the other hand, doesn’t give a hoot what you read your book on, just that you the book from them.

Up until today, my e-reading plan was to buy the book on Amazon, and read it on my iPad. Now, I’m going to be mostly using the Kindle to read my books. Whispersync will do its job and I can read on my iPad, too, without losing my place. The lack of a keyboard or touch interface on the new entry-level Kindle doesn’t bother me. Almost all of my Kindle books are purchased via the web on my Mac.

Amazon has done something very smart with its table and e-reader strategy: priced its devices at a point where owning them in addition to other devices makes sense. The new Kindles don’t have to beat the iPad, especially when Amazon’s app strategy means that they can all play nice together.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Rumored Apple Tablet: Opportunities Too Big to Ignore
• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues
• The connected planet: Smartphones aren’t the only player

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As much as I’m tied into Apple’s ecosystem for hardware and apps, my e-book loyalty lies with Amazon. A big reason for that is that when it comes to e-books, I like the flexibility that comes with a vendor that makes it easy for me to read my books on any device. And that’s a big part of why I’m interested in Amazon’s new offerings.

My recent experiences during a major power outage showed to me the one big downside to going 100-percent digital on books: When your battery dies, you can’t read a book, even in the daylight. Plus, the iPad was a little too large to just toss in my pocket when I left the house. Some people can’t leave the house without a pack of smokes; I can’t leave without a book.

I started becoming more interested in Kindle hardware in light of those problems. However, the prices just weren’t at a point I was happy with for a supplemental device. Today’s announcements have changed that.

Kindle Fire

While the Kindle Fire is likely to be a fine tablet, for me, it underscores some problems I have with the iPad: The IPS screen is going to be  nightmare to read outside, and at eight hours of battery life, it doesn’t have the month (or two) of long-lasting power that the e-ink Kindles do. My mobile gaming needs are met quite well with the iPad. As a technology commentator, though, I expect I’ll get one. The $199 price tag for an n0n-iPad tablet is a much easier pill to swallow than the $499 and up for other Android tablets. I do find it interesting that Amazon merged two distinct approaches: taking advantage of an open operating system (Android), yet creating a curated experience like Apple’s.

Were I not a tech commentator, and instead the average iPad user, I could see myself getting a Fire in these scenarios: Either I use Amazon steaming a lot, or I want a second tablet that travels better owing to its small size. In this economy, unless you can pretend you need one for “work,” I have a hard time seeing anyone needing a second tablet, no matter the price. But for those who can justify the expense, the Kindle Fire fills in some gaps, especially for users already heavily invested in the Android ecosystem.

The new Kindles

Now we’re taking. Books are my primary media consumption. The iPad isn’t good for reading in any situation where light is being cast on the screen. Ten hours of battery life is nice, but I’d like to not have to worry about that at all, which is what the e-ink Kindles offer. The size of the new e-readers is also right for “throw it in my jacket pocket” situations.

A Kindle reader under a hundred bucks perfectly fits my price point for buying a second reading device in addition to the iPad. I’ve ordered a Kindle for $79. Sure, it’s ad-supported, but from what I’ve been hearing the ads aren’t intrusive to my reading experience anyway.

A tale of apps

The big difference between Amazon and Apple is that Apple wants to sell you hardware, and Amazon just wants to sell you content. I believe Apple releasing iBooks for Android would be a sign of failure for its strategy. Amazon, on the other hand, doesn’t give a hoot what you read your book on, just that you the book from them.

Up until today, my e-reading plan was to buy the book on Amazon, and read it on my iPad. Now, I’m going to be mostly using the Kindle to read my books. Whispersync will do its job and I can read on my iPad, too, without losing my place. The lack of a keyboard or touch interface on the new entry-level Kindle doesn’t bother me. Almost all of my Kindle books are purchased via the web on my Mac.

Amazon has done something very smart with its table and e-reader strategy: priced its devices at a point where owning them in addition to other devices makes sense. The new Kindles don’t have to beat the iPad, especially when Amazon’s app strategy means that they can all play nice together.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Rumored Apple Tablet: Opportunities Too Big to Ignore
• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues
• The connected planet: Smartphones aren’t the only player

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Just call it “Celebrity Chest Swap.”

Petite Nicole Richie reportedly got a pair of breast implants, while a “Real Housewives” star is planning on ditching her double D’s.

“The pregnancies took a toll,” a source told Us Weekly of Richie’s upgrade. “She said breast-feeding killed what boobs she did have!”

HOT SHOTS: Nicole Richie.

The “Fashion Star” mentor allegedly went under the knife over the summer, and flaunted a noticeably more buxom figure out and about in L.A., and while celebrating her 30th birthday in Mexico on September 24.

PHOTOS: Better Before or After Implants?

Meanwhile, “Real Housewives” star Tamara Barney decided that her outsized implants are over.

“I’ve already had one reduction, and I’m actually planning on having my implants removed,” Barney told Star magazine. “Big boobs make you look so much heavier when you’re a small girl. I’m 112 lbs., and I have these D boobs popping out. It’s a stripper look, and I don’t want that!”

(Then why’d you get ‘em in the first place?)

Anyhoo…

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T-Mobile has announced a new Windows Phone Mango handset.  Called the HTC Radar 4G, it’s, basically, a 4G version of its namesake Europe-bound smartphone (which, last we heard, should come out October).
Sporting an aluminum unibody design, this is one sleek-looking device.  It’s youthful, without being gaudy, especially in the white/gray color scheme shown off in the product image.
Details of the

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It’s been more than two months since Apple unveiled its Thunderbolt Display, and the gadget sadists over at iFixit are just getting around to picking the thing apart — quite literally. So what has this dive into the 27-incher revealed? Well, for starters, the iFixit crew found that the LG-made LCD display in this Thunderbolt monitor appears to be the same one found in Dell’s UltraSharp U2711, though favoring a cursed glossy finish. That’s also the same setup we saw in Cupertino’s 2009 iMac. This teardown also features a slew of chips from the likes of Texas Instruments and Broadcom and a miniature subwoofer. For more under-the-hood discoveries and a healthy helping of disassembled Thunderbolt Display components take a stroll on over to the source link below.

iFixit busts Apple’s Thunderbolt Display wide open, no creamy center inside originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple could win considerable market share from competitors with iPhone 5, according to a new report by mobile ad network InMobi. The firm recently conducted a smartphone survey, covering the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and found that 52 percent of BlackBerry customers are planning to switch to iPhone, along with more than a quarter (27 percent) of current Android device owners.

The next iPhone also stands a good chance of convincing many current Apple’s customers to upgrade, too. Fifty-one percent of current iPhone owners plan to move to an iPhone 5, according to InMobi’s results, released Wednesday. But the device’s appeal to both current iPhone users and people in other mobile phone camps has a lot to do with it being a brand new device. Interest waned considerably when respondents were asked to consider purchasing an iPhone 4S, or a minor upgrade based on Apple’s iPhone 4 design.

Big draws for consumers considering iPhones include better battery life, more processing power, a higher-resolution screen and stronger phone service. It’s a bit surprising that customers would want better resolution than what the iPhone 4′s Retina Display currently offers, but perhaps they’re just hoping for a larger and more legible screen.

It’s no secret that consumer appetite for a new iPhone is strong, but these latest numbers reveal that Apple could win at a considerable cost to its competitors. But it’s also very revealing that users expect a lot from this release; an extra long upgrade cycle probably has a lot to do with that.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
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• Mobile Q2: Smartphone growth surges; iPad’s rule continues
• The future of mobile: a segment analysis by GigaOM Pro
• Forecast: the future of near field communication

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