Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Mobile
    • PC Hardware
    • Servers
    • Small Business

    Amazon Kindle Fire 2: 10 Features the Tablet Needs for Success

    By
    Don Reisinger
    -
    July 10, 2012
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      The tablet space has dramatically changed the way companies are operating. Years ago, no one would have thought that Google and Amazon would be competing in the tablet market against each other. In fact, it€™s quite possible that, if asked just five years ago whether Google and Amazon would be competitors on hardware, the vast majority of industry observers and analysts would have laughed at such a question.

      But alas, we find ourselves in the middle of a tablet market in which the companies are doing just that. And with the announcement of the Nexus 7, Google and Amazon are going for each other€™s throats.

      Realizing that, Amazon is ready to fire back. The company is reportedly working on a new tablet to replace the Kindle Fire. Amazon hasn€™t, of course, confirmed that€™s the case, but given the state of the tablet market right now, it seems like the obvious decision. Amazon needs a new Kindle Fire, and that device better come with all of the features consumers are looking for or it€™ll be ignored.

      With that in mind, what features does Amazon need to include with the Kindle Fire 2 to make it the type of tablet people will want to use, while maintaining its core function as an e-reader?

      1. A bigger screen

      Amazon€™s current Kindle Fire comes with only a 7-inch screen. That€™s fine for some consumers, but in order for the device to attract the mainstream, it€™ll need a larger display. Amazon should at least match the iPad€™s 9.7-inch screen with its Kindle Fire 2.

      2. Mobile networking

      Although the current Amazon Kindle Fire can connect to the Web via WiFi, matching its chief competitors, the Nexus 7 and Barnes & Noble Nook tablet, the next device should come with 3G. After all, it would be a differentiating factor, and something that would help it provide more value than its top competitors.

      3. More storage

      In the low-end tablet market right now, devices are coming with far less storage than is necessary. Although storage can be expensive, and thus drive the price of its tablet up, Amazon should endeavor to bundle the device with at least 32GB. The Nexus 7€™s maximum of 16GB of storage doesn€™t cut it. And consumers will quickly find that out.

      4. Improved software

      The Amazon Kindle Fire€™s built-in operating system, which is based on Android, is one of the more unique implementations yet. But with each new launch, customers are expecting dramatic improvements not only to hardware but to software. In the next Kindle Fire, if Amazon doesn€™t deliver improved software, it€™ll fail.

      Amazon Should Offer More Services on the Kindle Fire 2

      5. A new design

      The Kindle Fire comes with a design that can about match all of last year€™s products. But with the Surface showing off a unique new design and the Nexus 7 looking awfully attractive, it€™s time Amazon comes up with something a bit more future-focused and appealing.

      6. More powerful components

      Following that, Amazon can€™t lose sight of the importance of the device€™s internal components. From a quad-core processor to vastly improved graphics, the Kindle Fire 2 will need to be able to match its competitors on power in order to hang tough in the tablet space.

      7. Choices

      One of the things Google and Barnes & Noble aren€™t doing is offering consumers enough choice in their selection of tablets. Amazon can change that. The company can offer the aforementioned larger screen, as well as a smaller version to compete directly with the Nexus 7. Choice matters.

      8. Amazon€™s smart advertising strategy

      One thing Amazon must continue to do with its Kindle Fire 2 is engage in its smart advertising strategy. The company used the popularity of Amazon.com to promote its tablet to everyone who visited. The move prompted huge sales in the fourth quarter. Amazon must follow that strategy again with its next Kindle Fire.

      9. An eye on Apple

      Apple might not be a direct competitor to Amazon at the moment, since they€™re targeting two different customers, but that doesn€™t mean the online retail giant can€™t watch what the iPad maker is doing. Apple is the trendsetter in the tablet market, and the benchmark by which all other companies are judged. Not to evaluate Apple would be a mistake on Amazon€™s part.

      10. More services

      One of the smartest things Amazon did with its Kindle Fire was to include its many services in the device. This time around, Amazon should offer more services or try to improve its offerings as much as possible. Amazon€™s Web services, like Prime Instant Video and cloud storage, help distance the company from the competition. It can€™t forget that.

      Follow Don Reisinger on Twitter by clicking here

      Don Reisinger
      Don Reisinger is a longtime freelance contributor to several technology and business publications. Over his career, Don has written about everything from geek-friendly gadgetry to issues of privacy and data security. He became an eWEEK contributor in 2009 producing slide shows focusing on the top news stories of the day. When he's not writing, Don is typically found fixing computers or playing an old-school video game.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×