Amazon launches Kindle Oasis

Amazon has launched its most advanced e-book reader 'Kindle Oasis' that features company's highest-resolution 'Paperwhite Display' and is the first waterproof (IPX8) device.

The all-new Kindle Oasis is available for pre-order for Rs 21,999 for the 8GB model and Rs 28,999 for the 32GB model (WiFi + free 3G). The device will start shipping from November 13.

'Kindle Oasis' has a battery life measured in weeks and has fast-charging capability that allows it to go from zero to fully-charged in less than two hours.

With 7-inch 300 ppi display, the device fits over 30 per cent more words per page and it has the fastest page turns of any Kindle.

The crisp and laser-quality text reads like paper with uniform display lighting and no glare, even in bright sunlight.

It has a 3.4mm display that features strongest cover glass and a new aluminium back. 'Kindle Oasis' can be immersed in up to two meters of fresh water for up to 60 minutes.

Customers can also buy covers that open like a book, automatically waking the device when opened and putting it to sleep when closed.

The water-safe fabric covers can be purchased for Rs 2,999 and come in indigo, charcoal and sandstone colors. The premium leather covers are available for Rs 3,999 and come in black ad merlot.

Amazon launches Marketplace Model in India

Amazon Inc has launched its "Marketplace Model" in India, a country that has big potential for online retailing.

Starting with books, movies and TV shows video products, Amazon will include mobile phones and cameras in the coming weeks, the company said in a statement.

Under the marketplace model, the US company will offer a platform for third parties and consumers to sell and buy products. Foreign companies are currently not allowed to directly offer online retailing in India.

Amazon already runs a price comparison portal, junglee.com, in India.

Amazon to update Kindle Fire in two weeks

While Amazon’s Kindle Fire Android tablet might be receiving some mixed reviews from the tech community, the 7-inch tablet seems to be a success among consumers.

But the device isn’t without criticisms, most notably, from users complaining that its performance is leaving something to be desired. Users have trouble with the touch interface on the device, which is reportedly too small and results in tapping the wrong thing a little too often. The device’s web browser, which uses Amazon’s cloud-based Silk feature to help speed its performance, is also still slow enough that it has users complaining. Amazon is addressing those concerns, though, and says it plans to roll out some software updates for the device in the coming weeks.

The enhancements coming to the tablet will fix up a variety of things about the tablet, in areas like its web browser and touchscreen navigation responsiveness.

The over-the-air update to the Kindle Fire is due in less than two weeks, Amazon says. It’ll also give users the ability to choose what appears on the device’s navigation carousel and generally improve performance everywhere.

Amazon still isn’t saying just how many Kindle Fires it has sold, but it has said the number is “millions” and that it’s the most successful product the company has ever launched. It says it’s also building more to tablets to meet continued demand. The Kindle Fire is a cheap alternative to other Android tablets, and recently overtook the iPad to become Best Buy’s best-selling tablet.

Regardless of the reviews, the Kindle Fire has a lot going for it including its affordable price tag of $199, which undercuts almost every other tablet on the market by a couple hundred dollars. It also has a lot of brand recognition and the leverage of Amazon’s entire retail empire behind it, making it a solid way to consume media sold by Amazon.

It seems that Kindle Fire users are mixed on the tablet, but that’s apparently not slowing down sales. If Amazon can address some of the more fixable user-experience concerns, like the interface troubles and the browser speed, it seems likely that the Kindle Fire could become even more popular. Amazon has opened a door with the tablet, now it needs to keep that door open by patching the software and keeping customers happy.

Google working on Amazon Prime challenger

Rumor is spreading about a move Google may be making into Amazon’s realm. The search giant supposedly wants to set up a service that would allow customers to receive products bought online within the same day. The service would charge a low fee.

WSJ cites that big retailers such as Macy’s, Gap and OfficMax have already been approached. A Macy’s spokesperson acknowledged Google’s pitch to the company, but declined to state whether those in charge had made any decisions. Some retailers have expressed interest in the idea.

Google reportedly plans on attaching this new quick-shipping service to Product Search, a comparison shopping feature which aggregates deals and directs shoppers to retailer websites, rather than selling the products directly to consumers. The speedy shipping would be made possible using the information on inventory which retail partners already share with Google. Product Search would allow shoppers to see whether a product is in stock nearby and whether that product could arrive in the same day or the next. Supposedly, Google has approached UPS and other courier companies to partner with them on the project.

This move would definitely be a challenge to Amazon and its Prime product, which is a service charging $79 annually that offers fast shipping for Amazon shoppers. Prime has been very good to Amazon, boosting its sales by 42% this year. Not only would Google be venturing into Amazon’s Prime space, Google has its eye on the ad revenue lost to Amazon’s product search domination.

According to WSJ, the shipping service may be launched in the next year. Google hopes the move will garner more ad-money earned from its Product Search feature, but critics believe the venture may be too expensive. The Product Search feature was recently updated, adding more information to products and offering an easier, more intuitive experience to online shoppers.

Comparison: Nook Tablet vs Kindle Fire

Here is a comparison of the major features of Barnes & Noble Inc.'s Nook Tablet computer and Amazon.com Inc.'s Kindle Fire:

Price: The Nook Tablet costs $249; the Kindle Fire, costs $199.

Connectivity: Both tablets connect to the Internet only through Wi-Fi.

Screen size: Both tablets have displays that measure 7 inches diagonally. That's about three times the size of an iPhone screen and half the size of an iPad screen.

Software: Both run modified versions of Google Inc.'s Android software. Neither one has direct access to Google's Android Market for third-party applications; Amazon and Barnes & Noble run their own stores.

Apps: Barnes & Noble says there are about 1,000 third-party applications available for the Tablet. Amazon has nearly ten times as many.

Storage: The Nook Tablet has 16 gigabytes of storage plus a memory-card slot. Of the built-in memory, all but 1 gigabyte is reserved for content bought from Barnes & Noble. The Kindle Fire includes 8 gigabytes of internal storage and no memory-card slot.

Battery life: Barnes & Noble claims up to 9 hours of video on the Nook Tablet, Amazon says 7.5 hours on the Kindle Fire.

Thickness: They're nearly identical: the Nook tablet is 0.48 inches thick, while the Kindle Fire is 0.45 inches.

Weight: Again, nearly identical. The Nook Tablet weighs 14.1 ounces, the Kindle Fire half an ounce more.

Movies: Both come with apps from Netflix and Hulu, which provide streaming movies and TV shows to subscribers. The Kindle Fire also provides access to downloadable and streaming movies from Amazon.

Amazon to launch a 7-inch tablet

After much anticipation, Amazon is expected to unveil its own tablet on Wednesday. Many believe an Amazon tablet stands the best chance of stealing some of the popularity thunder from Apple’s iPad.

On Friday, Amazon invited select media outlets to a mysterious event, which will be held this Wednesday, September 28. The company did not say why they are holding the event, or what will be launched. But it doesn’t take a genius to deduce that a tablet is in the pipeline – we’ve been hearing quite a few details about the device for some time.

According to earlier reports, Amazon will release a 7-inch tablet, which is expected to be an extension of its Kindle e-reader line, but one that runs on Google’s Android operating system. A 10.1 inch version will reportedly be released sometime next year. MG Seigler of TechCrunch, describes the “Amazon Kindle” tablet as “very similar” in look and “form-factor” to the BlackBerry PlayBook.

The timing of Amazon’s event is telling. If the rumors are true, Apple will unveil the iPhone 5 on October 4 – a little less than a week after the Amazon event. By holding an event this week, Amazon positions itself to steal the tech press spotlight in the lead-up to the alleged Apple event. After that, it’ll be all Apple all the time.