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Kindle Fire on sale for $129 today

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 Cyber Monday deal on the entry-level Kindle Fire (8GB), which was updated a couple months ago with a faster processor.

Enter the promotional code "FIREDEAL" at checkout and 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 is the second time in the last few … Read more

Tablet display shipments jump, top laptops in October

Only days after a report anticipating a surge in tablet shipments, it's official: Tablet display shipments topped laptops in October, said NPD DisplaySearch today.

"In a milestone for the global industry, in October tablet PC panel shipments exceeded those of notebook PC panels," NPD DisplaySearch said today in a research note.

Because display panel shipments are always the leading indicator for device shipments, "it can be seen that tablet PCs are threatening to overtake notebooks," DisplaySearch said.

So, is this a snapshot of the laptop in decline or just a fluke?

Here's how DisplaySearch … Read more

iPad Mini vs. Kindle Fire HD 8.9 vs. Nook HD+

Life in the tablet category used to be simple. There were 7-inchers and 10-inchers and comparisons only occurred within each tablet's size category. This year however, Apple, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble have successfully muddied the once-clear waters by respectfully releasing 7.9-inch, 8.9-inch, and 9-inch tablets.

So how do they compare? Let's find out.

Screen The iPad Mini's 7.9-inch, 1,024x768-pixel screen has wide viewing angles and good color reproduction, but when it comes to resolution, it can't hold a candle to either the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 nor the Barnes & Noble Nook HD+. … Read more

Tablet shipments to top laptops: Thank Nexus 7, iPad Mini

Tablet shipments will eclipse laptops for the first time in North America, driven by price and variety, says NPD DisplaySearch.

Popular $199 models and a wider variety of sizes will propel fourth-quarter tablet shipments to 21.5 million units, "far exceeding" the 14.6 million laptops that are expected to ship in the same period, according to a forecast today by DisplaySearch's Richard Shim.

And starting in 2013 in North America, tablet shipments are expected to exceed notebook shipments on an annual basis for the first time; 80 million tablets versus 63.8 million notebooks, he said. … Read more

Digital storage basics, Part 2: External drive vs. NAS server

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories.

Now that you have some ideas about internal storage vs. memory after reading Part 1, here in Part 2 I'll talk about the two main types of external storage devices: direct-attached storage (DAS) and network-attached storage (NAS).

DAS and NAS share a few things in common. They both use one or more internal drives (hard drives or SSDs) on the inside, and they utilize the same methods to combine drives' storage space (when multiple drives are used). But before we … Read more

Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 ships today, earlier than planned

The 8.9-inch version of Amazon's Kindle Fire HD ships today, arriving a little earlier than the company originally said and hitting the market in time for the key holiday-shopping season.

The device, originally slated to ship November 20, starts at $299. The 8.9-inch model with 4G LTE capabilities will ship next week, Amazon said. That version is available with a 4G LTE data package that costs $49.99 for the first year.

Customers can order their Kindle Fire through Amazon's site or buy it at Best Buy starting tomorrow. It will also be available at other … Read more

Kindle Fire on sale for $129 today

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

Tablet Tuesday: Get a 7-inch Dell Streak for $99.99

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

16GB Kindle Fire HD costs Amazon $207 to make

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