Amazon Kindle Thoughts

Today was the big day that Amazon announced the latest crop of their Kindle line.  A recurring theme of Bezos is that Amazon is building premium products at non-premium prices.

This is a fine strategy, and unlike some others, I believe that they are following the economy where folks want cheap and value above all else.  They have been slowly cutting the prices of their readers for years, and much attention got focused on the Kindle Fire, a $199 iPad competitor that features a 7" color display and a new browser.

However, I think that equal attention should be paid to the other eInk offerings, that sans bells & whistles offer an even better deal.  Specifically, the new Amazon Touch, and Amazon Kindle.  The new Kindle will go for a mere $79, which makes this accessible to most consumers.  In addition, the Amazon Touch has a new touchscreen interface, and still comes in at $99.

At the end of the day, I am not sure if I will be parting with cash to purchase any of this, but I am glad to see that Amazon is driving the price down of eReaders.

[Engadget]

Amazon Basics Flash Cards

While I have a drawer full of flash cards, it seems like I can always use one more.  Especially as memory becomes less expensive, they do seem like a bargain.

I spotted today that Amazon has a line of their own branded flash cards, and like most things Amazon they are quite cheap.  They are SD cards, available in the 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB and 32 GB sizes.  Their are Class 4, which are standard speed, and Class 10, which are suited for more rigorous devices such as digital cameras.  They also have microSD cards in the same capacities as well.

The current "sweet spot"  would be the Class 4, 16 GB card that can be had for $18.99, with free shipping.  This type of item is also useful to fill the order up to the $25 threshold to get the free shipping on another item, and will likely get more use that the eraser I bought once to complete the box.

AmazonBasics 16 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card

Ultrabook: Size Does Matter

For quite a while, I simply don't get why the standard screen size for a notebook is 15.6", as I find that it is simply too large, and it becomes more of a desktop that folds, rather than a mobile computing device.  For the record, I currently use an 11.6", a 12.1", a 14" and a 15.6" notebook.

Care to guess which one gets the most use?  For a while, the 14 incher has by far gotten the most use.  I find that it has most of the real estate of the larger 15.6", and at the same time is considerably more portable.  I have recommended the 14" size to several folks and they invariably love it, and wonder why there are not more models made at that size.

So now, Intel has been pushing the ultrabooks, which promise a thinner, more portable notebook computer, and which will hopefully compete better with tablet computers, especially the iPad.  The news item for today is that it looks like all the ultrabooks on the drawing board are either the 13.3" or the 14.1" size.

However, let us hope that they also do make an ultrabook in an 11.6" size.  I have a CULV in that exact size, and it is ideally portable to the point that I traveled with it cross country, and would do it again without a second thought.  The smaller sizes are also usually less expensive, and the major stumbling block so far to the ultrabook has been that they will probably command too much of a premium.

See the models to be introduced here

Windows 8 Developer Preview

There have some miscellaneous glimpses at the next version of Windows, so far dubbed Windows 8.  It is currently in Developer Preview, and can be downloaded, although this is not for the faint as it will not be stable at this point.

There are several new features to it, but overall it looks to me like it was designed from the groundup for tablet computing.  It nicely integrates into the cloud as well.They have also relegated a more traditional style of the Windows Desktop to just another app.

I have to wonder if there will be much point to upgrading a Win 7 desktop to 8, as most of this depends on a touchscreen interface.  There is also no official release date so no rush either.

Keynote at This Is My Next
Download here

Asus Eee PC X101 MeeGo Netbook

Announced at CES last year, Asus' cheap inexpensive netbook is coming to market.  It is available at select retailers for the sub-$200 price point, although Amazon is currently at $226.

The high points are a "slim is in' thickness of a svelte 0.69".  Another high point is that the drive is a solid state one.

However, there are definitely compromises at this price, such as the single core Atom N435 chip that is unlikely to win any benchmark races, even with processors from years, no make that eons ago.  The OS, to drive the price down is the quite obscure MeeGo Linux, which is unfamiliar to all but the geekiest Linux fans.  And that solid state drive is a mere 8 GB's, not to mention the 3 cell battery.  They even cut corners on the USB ports, with a mere 2 when most netbooks have 3 in this space.

Rounding out the package is the standard netbook fare, including 1 GB of RAM, a 10.1" display (1024 x 600), and the usual wired and wireless connections.

Before we write this model off, I will say at this price point it does become an almost disposable piece of electronics, and a 2 pound Linux machine.  We'll see what the market decides on this one.

Liliputing

Windows 8 Boot Time

I always turn my computers off when I am done with them, so a faster boot time would be something I would appreciate.  I have been pleased how Windows 7 boots much faster than Vista, and would like to see that trend continue.

Wondering what that phrase at the end of the video means that she can't wait for us all to get this soon...

MaximumPC

Samsung Cannot Be Fixed

So, I brought my HDTV in for service, and on the 800 number from Samsung, they did tell me that this sounded quite like a capacitor issue.  I was also promised that it would be done at no cost to me.  Well, not so much...

I brought the set in, and I was then told that there was a $25 bench fee for diagnosis, and of course, this was not covered.  Well, I did want this fixed, so I went along with it.  The folks kept my TV for days, and kept telling me they had not gotten to it.  You can probably guess where this is going...

After almost a week, I am told that this is definitely not a capacitor issue, and probably the powerboards.  I ask them nicely to humor me and replace the capacitors, but they tell me no, and that the problem is intermittent and they are having issues replicating it.  I remind them that the startup issue only happens when the set is cold, and that I will be by to pick it up.

I had them demonstrate that the set worked at the shop, and they commented how good the picture was... duh.  Maybe they were trying to convince me to put some green into this.  At any rate, when I got home and tried the set later, you will not be surprised to know that I was able to get the prolonged startup on the first try.

I am still frustrated by the idea that not much can be fixed these days.  I also join the chorus of those that will never buy another Samsung product again.  Those companies that do not want to stand behind their junk, will simply not get my cash.

ViewPad For Peorder On Amazon

Well, it looks like 7" is the new 10" as I am expecting to see more 7" tablet devices in the coming months.  I have to say that it makes sense to me as when I used a 10" iPad, the thing always felt too close in size to a small notebook, yet without as much functionality.  I think the 7" size should be a better niche for the tablet space, with an extended battery life as well.

At any rate, the ViewPad is up for preorder at Amazon.  With the recent demand for the HP webOS device at $99, the preorder price of $199 should attract some consumer interest, even at the higher price point.  The OS is Android 2.3, better known as "Gingerbread."  Even at this price point, the specs are decent, including 4 GB of RAM, and a microSD expansion slot.

Tom's Guide

Amazon