on Kindle Pricing Part II
Last week I provided an estimate of the implied revenue Amazon expects to earn in advertising from the newly discounted Kindle with Special Offers. I happened to catch MG Siegler’s post on TechCrunch on the same topic. Siegler takes an approach I heard frequently immediately following the announcement, namely that $25 isn’t a strong enough discount. Amazon should have been more aggressive and marked the device […]
The 360 degree solution
this was previously published in March 2008 in Dealerscope Magazine: Ten years ago, consumers bought consumer electronics devices largely independent of the services and content they would eventually use in conjunction with those devices. Those times are gone. As opposed to piecing together an a la carte experience by coupling hardware, software and services, today’s […]
The Value of Advertising on the Kindle
Amazon recently announced they would sell a new Kindle with “Special Offers”version. Kindle with “Special Offers” has the same specs as their WiFi-only Kindle but will include advertisements as the screen saver and on the home screen bar. In exchange, Amazon will only change $114. In all likelihood Kindle hardware will one day be free (or close to free) because of cross subsidization […]
2011 CES Tablets
In October I said I expected 80+ tablet launches at 2011 CES. AS CES approached it was clear 2011 was going to be the year of the tablet and a few days before the show I said that my 80+ estimate was looking conservative. I updated my expectations and said I wouldn’t be surprised by 100+ tablet launches […]
The Revealing Insights of App Downloads and What it Teaches Us about Hardware
What apps are downloaded (or conversely not downloaded) tell us much about a given individual’s tastes and preferences. These metrics in aggregate tell us even more about the desired use-case scenarios of hardware. Last week Apple released their iTunes Rewind 2010 where they highlight the top performing apps for 2010. They did this in 2009, […]
Kindle v. iPad: Value Positions, and Why Selling Hardware on Specs Alone is Dead
On Monday Amazon premiered a new Kindle commercial during Good Morning America. The ad (above) portrays two individuals trying to read poolside – one on an iPad and one on the new Kindle. The essence of the commercial touts the relative readability of Kindle’s e-ink display in direct sunlight. Commentary (for example: here and […]
Rethinking the Context of Connectivity
Last week I spoke at that the Digital Media Conference where I shared some of the following thoughts on connectivity and Internet accessible devices. The number of devices connecting to the Web via cellular, wireless, or wired connections continues to proliferate. But many of these devices frame the value of connection within a historical context. […]
