By Claire Reilly
SYDNEY, NSW: Amazon released the newest product in its Kindle line-up in America overnight, a touch-screen tablet known as the Kindle Fire.
Weighing in at just under 414 grams and boasting a 7-inch full colour LCD touchscreen and dual core processor, the Kindle Fire is smaller and lighter than its main rival, the Apple iPad. And with US pricing set at $199 (compared to the iPad’s $499 US starting price), it is also significantly cheaper.
Speaking about the new device was Amazon.com founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos.
“Kindle Fire brings together all of the things we've been working on at Amazon for over 15 years into a single, fully-integrated service for customers,” said Bezos.
“With Kindle Fire, you have instant access to all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, the convenience of Amazon Whispersync, our revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser, the speed and power of a state-of-the-art dual-core processor, a vibrant touch display with 16 million colors in high resolution, and a light 14.6 ounce design that's easy to hold with one hand – all for only $199.
“We're offering premium products, and we're doing it at non-premium prices.”
Click here to sign up for our FREE daily newsletter
Like the Kindle e-reader before it, the Fire focuses delivering Amazon-specific content such as Kindle e-books, movies and TV shows from Amazon Instant Video and music from Amazon MP3.
In addition, it grants users exclusive access to 100 graphic novels (including the Watchmen series which was previously unreleased in digital format) as well as magazine and newspaper titles and Android apps.
In addition to the Kindle Fire –the product generating the most buzz following Amazon’s launch event – the company also announced the arrival of a refreshed Kindle e-reader that is 30 per cent lighter than its predecessor, and the launch of a new touch screen Kindle e-reader.
The Kindle Touch features a 6-inch E ink display with multi-touch capability, as well as a new X-Ray feature “that lets customers explore the ‘bones of the book’.”
“With a single tap, readers can see all the passages across a book that mention ideas, fictional characters, historical figures, places or topics that interest them, as well as more detailed descriptions from Wikipedia and Shelfari, Amazon's community-powered encyclopedia for book lovers.”
The Kindle Touch is available in a Wi-Fi only model for US$99, as well as a model that offers Wi-Fi and free 3G for US$149. The refreshed Kindle e-reader is available for US$79.
Come on baby light my fire… The new Amazon tablet.
Also launched overnight was the Kindle Touch, which boasts a multi-touch E ink display.