Amazon Tablet Rumors: New Device To Ship This Fall, Sources Say

Is Amazon prepping a new tablet for 2011?

A few weeks ago, Gdgt's Peter Rojas reported that Samsung was rumored to be building a tablet device for Amazon.

Now, according to DigiTimes, Quanta Computer has received orders from Amazon to build a tablet PC, with peak orders between 700,000 and 800,000.

Business Insider expects to see an Amazon tablet shipping as early this summer, but probably in the fall.

It's not a big stretch for Amazon. Barnes & Noble already jumped into the tablet space with the Nook, and Amazon has both the content and distribution systems in place to make a viable tablet competitor.

Back in March, Amazon launched its own Android app store, offering over 15 million songs via its iTunes-esque music store. The store also features movie streaming via Instant Videos, cloud-based storage on Amazon's Cloud Drive, and millions of ebooks through the cross-platform Kindle service.

What do you think? Could an Amazon Android tablet be successful in the increasingly crowded tablet space? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Comments

[allejandro]

10:17 AM on 05/25/2011

With B&N's color Nook acting somewhat like an Android tablet, and even poor bankrupt Borders rumored to be seeking to slim down their line of umpteen different e-readers into just the Kobo and the Motorola Xoom, I'm not surprised Amazon wouldn't jump on the bandwagon. Owning a Kindle and an iPad, I don't see this as the death of the Kindle just yet. Try reading your Kindle App on the iPad on the beach and you'll see why the Kindle has significant staying power (that and the cost factor).

[InABox]

09:47 PM on 05/05/2011

I like the idea of e-readers. It's not surprising they'd get cannibalized by tablets. Cell phones gobbled MP3 players in the same way.

[Ben Wiles]

04:54 PM on 05/05/2011

Try to hold an Ipad for an hour of leasurely reading. Kindle lives!

[Basselope]

01:29 PM on 05/05/2011

I have avoided buying the Kindle, because I want more functionality. The Asus really looks like the device I want, but knowing Amazon will be coming out with something is making me think it may be worth waiting to see what they develop before dropped 400 on the asus.

[Samiiam]

01:44 AM on 05/04/2011

They better have kigh quality touchse9

[moozungu]

11:56 PM on 05/03/2011

Seeing how fast the Aesus tablet sold out on line priced under 400, I would say if Amazon makes a tablet that can sell for under 400 ... that runs flash and thus access to the entire web...it will sale like hot cakes... I have been waiting for the google tablet to come out... but I might take the dip for this...

[Tmboy]

11:59 AM on 05/05/2011

Nook Color is a google tablet, this will probably be a google tab as well. Most of the less expensive tabs run on googles android.

[eShirl]

06:56 AM on 05/07/2011

Not only is it a google tablet, it runs flash.

moozungu, you should check it out to see if it's what you want.

[bluguy8]

10:11 PM on 05/03/2011

by the time this comes out Apple will have sailed past whatever they think people will crave. I think it will be a pass

[drp103]

01:51 PM on 05/03/2011

Take bets on a NAME? not Scratchpad.

[Highball]

01:33 PM on 05/03/2011

*Could* it be successful? Sure. Will it be? Depends on what's really happening under the hood, pricing, and, to a lesser extent, what it looks like.

If Amazon finds a way to integrate their services well, in a simple way, and the tablet is cost-sane, then they could definitely take a bite out of the the non-iPad tablet market share.

[Michael Interbartolo]

02:27 PM on 05/03/2011

given the new android market they launched (been some pretty good apps of the day on there) I can see it taking off if they go all in with full android versus the Nook route.

[Highball]

02:53 PM on 05/03/2011

Again, it's going to be really determined by quality of apps/integration vs. price, with specs as a very minor issue.

If they can say something like, "Look at this! It can do x, y, AND z, and it only costs $abc!" then they can move some units.

They've obviously got the market to integrate with. Whether they can do that with any sort of margin is a different question altogether. We're going to have to see. But it's interesting that Samsung is reportedly making it, since Samsung's tablet offering wasn't exactly a huge success.

Then again, Samsung didn't have the built-in possibilities of music, etc. that Amazon does.

[Krek]

12:44 PM on 05/03/2011

Wonder what this means for the kindle. It'll be interesting to see if they go for a matte screen or not, like the nook. The e-ink screen on the kindle is great, but up against a reasonably priced tablet with a matte screen it would be tough sell.

[Michael Interbartolo]

02:28 PM on 05/03/2011

they could go the PixelQ route in the Notion Ink Adam tablet which allows them to toggle between LCD color and e-ink type display.

[Chris Weber]

12:44 PM on 05/03/2011

I have been waiting to buy a tablet, because I've wanted someone to give me a real choice besides Apple, who I refuse to participate with. I would definitely buy an Amazon tablet.

[J0E1]

03:25 PM on 05/03/2011

The Asus Transformer has been getting pretty decent reviews.  It has a wifi only version and the same specs as the Xoom for less money.

[French Toast]

12:05 PM on 05/03/2011

Yes, I think they represent the most serious contender. The Kindle is under their belt so I believe it will have people at least interested in looking. If the price is good and it is a compelling buy then it will do well.

[Gudrun]

01:12 PM on 05/03/2011

They have done a great job with the Kindle, so I would definitely look at any tablet they put out. These devices are going to be ever more common in use.