Advertisement

Amazon’s tablet computer rumored to cost $250

Share

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.


A writer for the tech blog TechCrunch claims to have taken the long-rumored Amazon tablet computer out for a test drive.

The big news? The 7-inch tablet, reportedly to be called the Amazon Kindle, will be backlit and cost $250, half the price of an entry-level iPad.

Advertisement

‘Not only have I heard about the device, I’ve seen it and used it,’ TechCrunch’s MG Siegler wrote in a Friday blog post.

Siegler reported that the tablet, which may be released at the end of November, will have a full-color touch screen and run a version of the Android operating system customized by Amazon.

The main screen will feature a carousel-type interface that will display all the content available on the device -- from apps to books to movies -- and be deeply integrated with Amazon services, Siegler reports. The music player is Amazon’s Cloud Player, the book reader is a Kindle app and the movie player is the company’s Instant Video player.

Amazon did not work with Google on the device, according to Siegler. Amazon’s own app store will be featured on the tablet, and Google’s Android Market is reportedly nowhere in sight.

The device will have only 6 GB of storage and has a form factor similar to a Blackberry PlayBook, Siegler wrote. He did not give details on how he ended up with the tablet, or Amazon’s response to his test spin.

According to Forrester Research, Amazon could end up selling 3 million to 5 million of the tablets before year’s end if all the speculation about the quality and price turn out to be true, and the device could be a real challenger to the Apple iPad.

Advertisement

RELATED:

Amazon Kindle Cloud Reader app bypasses Apple’s rules

Amazon.com taking pre-orders for HP TouchPad 4G, $700

Vizio’s 8-inch Android tablet in some stores now, $299.99

Advertisement