amazon tablet

Is it a Kindle? Join CNET at 10 a.m. PT for Amazon press event (live blog)

Tune in to CNET's live blog from Amazon's Santa Monica press conference starting at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET today.

Nokia and Motorola have had their say, and Apple and Nintendo are still a week away. But the parade of gadget unveilings known in techdom as September continues today with Amazon set to take the wraps off a new batch of Kindle devices in Santa Monica, Calif.

The company has said only that it is hosting a press conference, without divulging details of what it will discuss. But several leaks -- and the fact that … Read more

Rumor Has It: Is the Kindle Fire 2 really dropping next month? (video)

Our big rumor of the week is directly related to Google, so thankfully Karyne made it back in town just in time to witness the Google Glass-wearing skydivers jump from a dirigible into Google I/O. Wait, what? Whoa!

Before the keynote went off on a crazed adventure sports tangent, Google announced a new product: the new Nexus 7 tablet running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and selling for the small sum of $199. What else sells for that? Oh right, the Kindle Fire.

So this leads us to the question: is Amazon now feeling the pressure to update its … Read more

CNET looks at current and upcoming tablets

Editors' note: This list was originally posted on March 2 and is updated regularly. If sifting through long HTML tables isn't your thing however, skip over to our top tablets list or check out all our tablet reviews and features.

The tablet market is like that kid in school who, at first, no one really noticed. Then, a year later he starts the school year a foot taller, with a new wardrobe, and suddenly everyone wants to be his friend. But, does he deserve his newfound popularity?

I really don't know. Personally, I've yet to purchase a tablet, and I've still not seen a compelling reason to do so. Still, millions feel differently and have already dived full on into the tablet sector.

Yet, every day there seems to be a new announcement of another manufacturer's plans to release a tablet. It's getting confusing and a little crazy out there, and we at CNET wanted to provide you with a snapshot of not only the current tablet landscape, but a look into the near future and how it's evolving.

We've compiled a list of all the major U.S. released current tablets interwoven with all the tablets yet to be released in the U.S. Enjoy, and if there's any other information you'd like to see on this list, let us know in the comments or via e-mail. … Read more

Kindle Fire has already been hacked

If there's one thing you can say about the Android developer and hacker community, it's that it moves incredibly fast.

Each time a new smartphone or tablet finds its way into the market, the modders and hackers get to work, trying to root the device. And now, just days two days after its release, the Amazon Kindle Fire has become the latest target.

Gaining root-level access gives users the ability not only to install applications from additional sources, but also it allows for the removal of the standard software. Potentially that means that developers and tech-savvy enthusiasts could … Read more

CNET Labscast 8: Tech toys; more ultrabooks; Kindle Fire; and the PS3 3DTV

CNET Gotham may be over, but we've got some of the best laptops and tech toys from the week-long event right here. Also, a quick hands-on with the new Kindle Fire tablet, and we run the new PS3-branded 24-inch 3DTV from Sony through some tests.

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Content will be key to Kindle Fire's success

After more than a year of rumors, and six weeks after its official debut, the Amazon Kindle Fire is now in the hands of reviewers.

Although it's not being touted specifically as an Android tablet, the 7-inch device certainly will affect the landscape of "iPad killers." With upwards of 5 million Kindle Fires on order for the fourth quarter alone, it could already be considered a success. But what is it specifically that has everyone talking about the Amazon tablet?

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Kindle Fire: Yep, it'll have Netflix, Pandora, and more

Amazon wants to reassure consumers that its upcoming Kindle Fire tablet will run big-name apps like Netflix and Pandora.

The company sent out a release this morning dropping the names of the two big streaming-media apps, along with plenty of others that will be available for the Kindle Fire right out of the gate when it becomes available next week.

Barnes & Noble made a big deal out of its brand-new Nook Tablet's compatibility with Netflix and Pandora at its recent unveiling, apparently giving Amazon a bit of a complex.

Amazon did its best to one-up the Nook in today's release, rolling out the laundry list of Fire-friendly apps that will be available on day one, including "Netflix, Rhapsody, Pandora, Twitter, Comics by comiXology, Facebook, The Weather Channel and popular games from Zynga, EA, Gameloft, PopCap and Rovio."… Read more

Is the Kindle Fire the Android tablet that fans were hoping for?

After months of rumors and speculation, the Amazon Fire is now a reality. Making its official debut yesterday, the 7-inch tablet ultimately ended up looking more like the Nook Color than the iPad, with very little hints of Android.

In fact, aside from the multitasking, Web browser, and Amazon Appstore, most users will be hard-pressed to identify the Android 2.3 platform under the hood. Taking this into consideration, I began to wonder how this will affect the sales of the Kindle Fire. Are Android fans going to buy this in hopes of getting a lower cost tablet experience or … Read more

Kindle Fire vs. Nook Color spec breakdown

Update (11/07/11): You can find a comparison between the Amazon Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble's Nook Tablet on CNET's Android Atlas. The following piece compares the Kindle Fire to Barnes & Noble's older touch screen reader, the Nook Color.

In the aftermath of Amazon's Kindle Fire announcement, the world of budget-priced Android e-reader tablets just got a whole lot more interesting. If you're curious to see how the Kindle Fire stacks up against its closest competitor (the Barnes & Noble Nook Color), here's a handy spec-by-spec breakdown.

Related stories: • Kindle Fire sets a new (low) price point for tablets • Kindle Fire leads Amazon onslaught (roundup) • Amazon unveils Kindle Touch and Kindle Fire tablet

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To beat Apple, Amazon's trying to be Apple

commentary The long-awaited Amazon tablet is finally here, or at least will be when it ships out to consumers in early November.

Make no mistake about it, the 7-inch Kindle Fire--which was announced at an event this morning--has its sights set on Apple's iPad, as well as the bevy of other tablets that have hit the market. It lets users browse and buy touch-based applications, while tapping into any and all of Amazon's services, including the company's Web store. Amazon is also luring in buyers with a $199 price tag that comes in lower than most tablets. … Read more