Amazon, Apple Expected to Strut Their Small-Tablet Stuff Soon 115
After a few years of rumors and hints, All Things Digital says that a smaller iPad will debut in October. And Amazon may be trying to steal their thunder with a revamped Kindle tablet: Nerval's Lobster writes with a report at SlashCloud that "Amazon could be readying a new set of Kindle tablets for unveiling in early September. That's the widespread speculation following the online retailer's invitations to media for a Sept. 6 event in Santa Monica, Calif. Even by the coy standards of most tech companies' event invitations, Amazon's is notably bereft of detail. It will take place at 10:30 AM PST at Barker Hangar, a noted (and quite large) event space. But the timing of the event is auspicious: with Apple rumored to be unveiling a smaller iPad in the near future, and the holiday shopping season a few months away, early September could prove the ideal time for Amazon to whip back the curtain from a new tablet and dominate the media conversation, at least for a few days."
Re:the right price (Score:4, Informative)
Phones and tablets currently cost roughly the same $200 - $700 depending on features. Cellular carriers hide this cost behind a subsidized contract when a 3g modem is included in either the tablet or the phone, but we are all still paying it. How much more can the price of the phone and the tablet be bridged?
Re:A small iPad will finally make room for others (Score:4, Informative)
If it uses the same resolution as the iPad 1/2, the fragmentation should be pretty minimal in terms of apps and the like.
Re:no clouds, no thunder (Score:2, Informative)
Correction: user perception is king.
However, most users are not qualified to speak about nuances of user experiences nor technical specifications. Most Slashdotters aren't qualified, honestly. Brand image plays a huge part of what a consumer perceives to be a good product.