fire

More people are interested in the Kindle Fire HD, which starts at $199. But for those who don't want to spend that much, Amazon is running a lightning deal on the entry-level Kindle Fire (8GB), which was updated a couple months ago with a faster processor.

You can pick up the "new" Kindle Fire for $129 or $30 off its list price. That's a pretty nice deal, though I'd personally opt for the Fire HD.

This one will sell out fast but I suspect Amazon will continue to offer spot deals like this throughout the … Read more

Save for a few cheap no-brand knockoffs, tablets have yet to really crack the $100 mark. Sure, you can buy a Kindle Fire for $159 (and Amazon Gold Box has them for $129 for the next couple hours, while supplies last), but if you have only a double-digit tablet budget, you're kinda outta luck.

But not today. While supplies last, Newegg has the refurbished Dell Streak 7 (Wi-Fi) Android tablet for $99.99 shipped. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF), which comes in the form of a prepaid debit card.

Make no mistake: by today's … Read more

Amazon spends $207 to build a Kindle Fire HD, which means the company is still losing money, but not as much as it did with the original Kindle Fire, according to the results of a teardown by research group IHS.

The company broke down the cost of a low-end $199 Kindle Fire HD -- which has a 7-inch display, 16GB and is Wi-Fi wireless only -- in its report. The report says materials and production costs Amazon $147. IHS estimates that the added cost of other expenses like software, licensing, or royalties, would put the device's cost at $207. … Read more

Apple's tablet market share took a hit as consumers "sat out" the third quarter in anticipation of the iPad Mini, analyst firm IDC said. Android tablets made gains as a result.

After a strong second quarter, Apple's unit shipment growth slowed in both consumer and commercial (including education) markets, according to an IDC report published Monday.

"We believe a sizeable percentage of consumers interested in buying an Apple tablet sat out the third quarter in anticipation of an announcement about the new iPad Mini," said IDC analyst Tom Mainelli in a statement.

Apple's … Read more

Apple's new iPad Mini does have two stereo speakers, despite Amazon's attempt to fudge the facts.

On Sunday, the retail giant unveiled a comparison chart on its home page pitting its own Kindle Fire HD against Apple's iPad Mini. With all the stats stacked in favor of the Kindle, Amazon said that its tablet offers dual stereo speakers while the iPad Mini is stuck with just mono sound.

Though Amazon has since taken down the chart from its home page, another chart contrasting the two 7-inch rivals now says the iPad Mini has a single speaker.

But … Read more

Amazon has kicked off its first mobile game, and one that can be played on both Android and iOS devices.

Taking to the skies today, Air Patriots lets you command a squad of planes by moving your finger around the screen. Drawing paths on the screen manuevers the planes to the right spots to defend your territory and battle the enemy.

You can outfit your fleet with 13 different types of planes. The game offers 28 levels and 7 different maps (the first 3 maps are free). The more victories you score, the more gears you collect, which can unlock … Read more

Vodafone, one of the larger carriers in the world, is bringing a mobile-payments service to its customers next year.

The companies announced the plans today, saying that CorFire -- the mobile-commerce arm of SK C&C, a South Korea-based IT service provider -- will deliver the technology behind it. According to CorFire, Vodafone customers will be able to make payments from their smartphones, just as customers do with competing services, like Google Wallet.

The deal could be a major opportunity for CorFire, since Vodafone has over 406 million customers in 30 countries around the world.

However, CorFire needs to … Read more

Amazon is understandably partial to its Kindle Fire HD. And it surely wants you to feel the same way, especially given the splashy arrival of a new kid tablet in town.

The e-commerce giant with the tablet business sideline today spruced up its home page with a big, blatant comparison of the Kindle Fire HD against the iPad Mini, unveiled just days ago by Apple. There's no mistaking the conclusion Amazon wants to leave in your mind, what with the supersize typeface proclaiming "Much More for Much Less." That would be the Kindle Fire HD, of course.… Read more

But seriously, Tim Cook, how do you really feel about smaller tablets?

The Apple CEO let loose on 7-inch tablets during a conference call with investors, insisting that the company would never build one. "We would not make a 7-inch tablet," he said today. "We don't think they're good products."

Cook, of course, is staying true to the late Steve Jobs' proclamation that a tablet that's smaller than the original 9.7-inch iPad was too uncomfortable, and that consumers would have to shave off parts of their fingers to actually use it.

But … Read more