Sony Challenges Kindle With $199 E-Reader

(NEWSER) - Amazon has lopped $60 off the price of its Kindle 2 ebook reader in a move that looks like an effort to gain iPod-like dominance in an increasingly crowded market, Melissa Perenson writes in PC World. The Kindle is way ahead of the competition, but Sony's ereaders are gaining traction, and rivals are emerging at the lower end of the market. More»

(NEWSER) - Amazon is widely rumored to be releasing a new version of its Kindle e-reader next week, and the e-book industry appears to be growing, Fortune reports. Sony is pushing its own device, Google has opened up access to millions of books online and for download to mobile devices like the iPhone, and other manufacturers are expected to introduce tablets similar to the Kindle soon. More»

Flash lovers, rejoice!

(NEWSER) - Surely you’ve heard by know that Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet isn’t an iPad killer . But it does have a few desirable traits that the iPad doesn’t. The Huffington Post lists six of them:

• It supports Flash: Many iPad and iPhone users wish that Apple would take a page from Amazon’s playbook when it comes to this.
• It’s cheaper: A Kindle Fire (which does not offer 3G) will run you $199. For the cheapest iPad 2 model, which also does not offer 3G, you’ll shell out $499.

Amazon's offering will be significantly cheaper than most tablets

(NEWSER) - Amazon is introducing its new Kindle Fire tablet in New York, but Bloomberg got some details—and Mashable got a picture—early. For one thing, the $199 price tag is lower than rumored. It will feature a 7-inch display and WiFi capability, but no 3G, camera, or microphone. A free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime, the company’s premium membership service, will be offered along with the device. More»

But tablet not ready to ship until second week of November

(NEWSER) - It’s long been rumored , and tomorrow Amazon.com’s Kindle tablet will finally be announced. The iPad competitor will be called the “Kindle Fire,” TechCrunch reports, and it will resemble BlackBerry’s PlayBook with a 7-inch backlit display. The custom version of Android it will use “looks nothing like Android,” writes MG Siegler, and most of the big apps should be available by the time it launches in November. Amazon also has deals for magazines and streaming movies and TV shows, and Amazon’s MP3 service and Kindle bookstore will also provide available content. More»