kindle

More 8-inch Android tablets on the way, says analyst

Android tablets have largely been a 7- or 10-inch affair to date, but 8 inches could be the new sweet spot, according to NPD DisplaySearch.

Dell and Lenovo are among the tablet makers preparing 8-inch Android tablets, according to a blog post Tuesday from NPD DisplaySearch.

Supply chain indications point to production of Android-based tablet PCs with 8-inch, 1,280x800 displays in Q3'13 [third-quarter 2013]. Brands including Acer, Asus, Dell and Lenovo are expected...Initial panel production plans suggest that the 8-inch tablets will make up between 5 to 10% of the total tablet PC market by the end … Read more

Episode 41: Underwater iPhones and rugged cameras

Most of you are probably just gearing up for your summer vacations, but we here at Always On have already had ours. It's all for you, dear viewers; it's all for you. On this week's episode, we visited Hawaii's Big Island to road-test gadgets meant for sun and water fun. And not to be all lowest-common-denominator, but that last sentence basically translates to an entire episode filmed in swimsuits. Just saying.

First up, we went snorkeling with three underwater cases for the iPhone: the $20 Proporta BeachBuoy, the $89 Hitcase, and the $329 iGills SE-35, to … Read more

Barnes & Noble slashes Nook HD prices for one week

Wow.

Remember last month, when Barnes & Noble chopped Nook HD and Nook HD+ prices the week leading up to Mother's Day? Turns out they like Dad a little more.

This week only, you can get the Nook HD (8GB) 7-inch tablet for $129 shipped and the Nook HD+ (16GB) 8.9-inch tablet for $149 shipped (plus sales tax in most states).

Those are unprecedented deals, especially considering that these are new units, not refurbs. The Nook HD normally sells for $199; the Nook HD+, for $269.

I've written about both these models before, and you can learn … Read more

Amazon Kindle debuts in China

The Amazon Kindle has officially landed in China.

On Friday, both the Kindle Fire HD tablet and the Kindle Paperwhite e-reader popped up for sale on Amazon's Chinese Web site. The Fire HD tablet costs 1,499 yuan ($244) for the 16GB version and 1,799 yuan ($293) for the 32GB version, while the Paperwhite e-reader costs 849 yuan ($138).

The Kindle devices will also be sold locally through Suning and Tesco Shi, two retail chains in China, according to Chinese news site Sina Tech. Chinese consumers will be able to find the Kindles at stores in Beijing, Shanghai, … Read more

Episode 40: Road tripping and torture-testing the HTC One

Summer's here, almost officially, which means the road trip season is upon us. We set out to try to find out which gadgets could entertain you on a long drive, or at least keep the kids out of your hair, and whether the phone that's arguably the hottest of the season could handle some road trip mishaps.

But here at Always On, we road trip in style. No cramped back seats for us ... we were rolling in The Woody, a massive high-tech RV that's the custom showcase creation of OCRV Paint and Service. Thanks for the ride, … Read more

Father's Day deal: $20 off any Kindle Fire HD

Attention, everyone in my family (immediate and extended): Father's Day is Sunday, June 16. You have less than two weeks left to shop. That is all.

Oh, I mean, just being a dad is gift enough. Heh. Heh. (Seriously, though, where's my cake?)

Never one to let a holiday go by undiscounted, Amazon is offering $20 off any Kindle Fire HD tablet when you apply coupon code DADSFIRE at checkout.

That means you can get the 7-inch Kindle Fire HD (16GB) for $179 shipped, the Fire HD 8.9 (32GB) for $279 shipped, the Fire HD 8.9 … Read more

Get a Kindle Fire HD 8.9 tablet for $239

I would argue that Amazon's Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is already a steal at $269. Thus, today's deal practically amounts to theft.

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Staples has the Kindle Fire HD 8.9 with Special Offers tablet for $239 shipped (plus sales tax). That's after applying coupon code 46097 at checkout.

But wait, there's more. Staples is offering a $40 gift card by mail when you purchase this model. It's not quite as good as a check or debit card, but I suspect you could burn through $40 at … Read more

Amazon Kindle reportedly destined for China on June 7

Amazon may finally open up shop for its Kindle devices in China.

Citing information from "multiple sources," blog site Sina Tech said today that the Kindle Fire tablet and Kindle e-readers will officially launch in China on June 7. Amazon will reportedly sell the devices through Chinese online retailer Suning.

The Kindle Fire HD (either the 7-inch or 8.9-inch version) will sell for 1400 to 1500 yuan ($228 to $244), while the Kindle Paperwhite Wi-Fi e-reader will go for 849 yuan ($138), according to Sina Tech.

Amazon has slowly been moving into the Chinese market. Last December, … Read more

Star Apps: GigaOM's Om Malik

Award-winning journalist Om Malik leveraged years of tech and business media experience -- senior editor at Forbes.com, senior writer at "Red Herring" and later "Business 2.0," and contributor to "The Wall Street Journal," "The Economist," and "MIT Technology Review" -- to found leading indie tech blog GigaOM, back in 2006.

Offering news and opinion on startups, social media, cloud computing, mobile gadgets, and of course, software, Malik's CNET Blog 100-recognized Web magazine has since spawned numerous conferences such as GigaOM Structure (cloud computing and Internet infrastructure), GigaOM … Read more