By MARK JONES
Published: 3 May, 2011
READ MORE: US | Amazon | Tablet | Android
As far as tablet rumours go the current most hotly debated device is an Amazon tablet and according to a recent report from DigiTimes it looks like it could be shipping later this year. It is said that Taiwan based manufacturer has the honour of making the tablet and has already received orders from the online retailer. The news is contrary to previous speculation that Samsung would be making the device though everything up to this point has been guesswork.
Little is revealed about what kind of hardware the device will feature except that it will have a display made by the same the company that makes the Kindle's screen. In terms of form factor it will be interesting to see if it bears a resemblance to the Kindle and what size it will be. A 7" device wouldn't be much of a leap from the 6" Kindle and would help to reduce costs as knowing Amazon a reasonable price-tag is likely to be a key feature.
While pretty much every other big name has released, or is about to release, a tablet there hasn't been one yet which has come close to touching Apple's iPad. There is much talk that an Amazon tablet could be the device to finally offer it some serious competition as all the pieces are in place to make it possible. Amazon now has its own Android app store, ebook store, music downloads, cloud storage and video streaming service equating to an ecosystem which could surpass even Apple's. It has already proven itself with the success of its Kindle ebook reader which is the best selling device in Amazon's history not to mention the Kindle app which extends the experience on to smartphones and PC's.
If the report is true then the Amazon tablet will be released in the second half of 2011 with monthly orders expected to peak at around 700,000 - 800,000 units.
http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2011/05/03/amazon-tablet-rumours-edge-closer-reality.htm
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