Thursday, September 06, 2012

It’s Amazon’s Day in the Sun…And Boy, Do They Shine

I don’t know where to begin with all the Amazon announcements that came our way. New products and new services. I’m on sensory overload!

First, the current Kindle reader has been upgraded with new features and the price lowered to $69. Next, a new Kindle, called the “Kindle Paperwhite, ” with its own built-in front lighting and highly improved screen resolution was introduced…priced at $119 for Wi-Fi only and $159 for 3G model. It offers 25% increased contrast and still can be read easily in direct sunlight.

Next, the original Kindle Fire has been upgraded to to 16Gb of memory with a faster processor and the price lowered $40 to $159. Wow! Next, there is a new 7” HD model with too many features to name here, for $199. And the big surprise, a new 8.9” HD tablet for $299.

Finally, Amazon introduced a 4G LTE Fire tablet with 32 Gb of RAM for $499, for people who want to be connected all the time. It will cost just $50 a year for 4G service…that is way, way less than what Apple offers for the same service.

In addition to the new tablets, Amazon introduced new non-hardware projects like Kindle Serials and Kindle XRay. Our first story is a complete roundup of all the new products and services that Amazon has brought forth. And our second story is the first review of the Kindle Paperwhite.

Nokia and Motorola also introduced some new products yesterday which are highlighted in a couple of our other stories. Lots to cover here, so let’s get going. - JRC

Amazon unleashes new Kindles (roundup)

Here are the individual stories about all the products that Amazon introduced today...both hardware and new features...and new book deals..

Kindle Paperwhite Hands On: What a Beautiful Screen

The Kindle Paperwhite's screen is so awesome you wouldn't believe it's e-ink. I just saw it and I still don't believe it. It combines the paper-like text of e-ink screens with the usability of LCD screens but none of the eye strain. No other e-reader even comes close to this right now.

Nokia Lumia 920 Looks Very Good

It's finally here! After online leaks aplenty, Microsoft and Nokia unveiled the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820 at simultaneous events in New York and Finland. At this second crossroads of failure and success -- the first was the first generation of the Lumia line -- Nokia needs a hit. And it might have it with the best smartphone camera yet and wireless charging.

Motorola's RAZR reboot: three new phones, new Google integration

In New York yesterday, Motorola announced three new devices as well: the RAZR HD, the RAZR Maxx HD, and the mid-range RAZR M.

Apple: We didn't pass iPhone, iPad device IDs to FBI

Both the FBI and now Apple have come forward to state that they had no involvement the ongoing 'UDID-gate,' which led to more than 1 million iOS device codes leaking to the Web.

22 percent of Android users willing to dump their handset for iPhone 5

In all, 10 percent of those surveyed are preparing to wait in line to be one of the first to get their hands on the new iPhone, and a further 35 percent planning to buy one online on the day of released. Count me in.

Use Gmail and Google Docs to Easily and Quickly Track Anything

Google Docs and Gmail can be used together to create a simple yet flexible way of tracking just about anything. For example, you can easily track your expenses, create a workout log, or set up a food diary. Here's how.

Near-certain ways to improve PC startup times

Four free tools offer safe and certain ways to pare your boot times to the minimum. The process takes a little time and effort, but if you follow the steps outlined here, better boot times are all but guaranteed!

Old men who use computers less likely to get dementia

Now this story is near and dear to my heart (and my head).

Download Reference Posters for Google Web Fonts

Google Fonts is a collection of 500+ typefaces that you can use without restrictions in your web design projects and online presentations. You can also download Google Fonts on your computer and use them with Microsoft Office, Photoshop and other desktop software. With so many choices available, how do you pick that perfect font for your project? These reference posters may come handy here.

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