Tag: amazon

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Amazon fights Brick & Mortar stores while trying to save the US Postal Service

Amazon-logoTwo birds. One stone.

Starting now, Amazon Prime customers in Los Angeles and New York Metro areas might be able to receive packages on Sundays via the US Postal service. Amazon is hoping to roll out the service to other major markets like Dallas, Phoenix, and New Orleans throughout 2014.

It’s a pretty clear stab at the recent transitions Amazon has gone through in these major markets. Most states are now trying to enact some kind of internet sales tax on companies like Amazon. Now the online sales giant has been experimenting with ways to combat local sales. First with services like Amazon Locker, now with Sunday delivery. It still wont have the instant gratification of buying something in person, but you’ll no longer have to wait until Monday to get your hands on a Thursday or Friday purchase.

If it helps out the US Post Office, well that’s just a win-win for everyone.

Full PR after the jump. Continue reading “Amazon fights Brick & Mortar stores while trying to save the US Postal Service”

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PSA: Amazon thanks the FAA by selling Kindles for 15% off (Today Only)

kindle amazon faa thank you saleGetting a little cheeky and I like it.

Amazon is showing their appreciation to the FAA for opening up the restrictions on electronic devices. As long as they’re in Airplane Mode, our favorite glowing rectangles may now be used during take off and landing, and several airlines are already allowing passengers to geek out.

Today only, Amazon is running a coupon for Kindles, and if you use the promo code “ThnksFAA” at check out you can chop 15% off the price of a tablet or eReader. Well done FAA. Well done Amazon.

Get at it folks! Sale runs through today only!

Shop for Kindles on Amazon.

Related:
Kindle Paperwhite Review

 

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Polaroid’s iM1836 Android Powered, Lens-Swapping Camera Now Available at Amazon and Walmart

polaroid iM1836 android micro43 camera amazonIt’s fascinating watching companies try to evolve. For traditional film photography businesses like Kodak, it meant leaving the consumer space and moving into corporate imaging. Polaroid however is taking another stab at consumers. The quick-to-print darling built their rep on delivering pics the moment they were taken. In an age of Instagram however, that novelty fades a bit.

Announced back at CES this year, the iM1836 follows in the footsteps of Samsung’s Galaxy Camera, but offers up a few fun twists. The 18MP image sensor is Micro 4/3rds which puts it on par with most entry and mid-level SLR’s, and allows for an interchangeable lens system. The “fun” and immediacy of this new outing comes from a camera body powered by Android, making it a full-fledged multimedia device. Think iPod Touch+incredible optics.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are on board for connectivity, so that insta-share experience is maintained. Apps on the camera and your phone allow for instant social media participation over WiFi or your phone’s data connection.

That the iM1836 manages to hit a $299 price point is pretty remarkable, as that’s very close to high-end point and shoot camera territory for an SLR grade image sensor bolted onto an Android media player. The camera isn’t shipping yet, but Amazon can hold you a place in line. Delivery should drop just in time for the holidays.

(via Polaroid)

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Quick Review: 2nd Generation Kindle Paperwhite – Amazon Improves on the Best eReader

kindle paperwhite second generation ereader review somegadgetguy (3)This is the second generation of Kindle Paperwhite. The first gen was largely heralded as being the best digital ink eReader you could buy. Not much needed to be changed or altered for the 2nd gen Paperwhite, but Amazon still found some areas to tweak and improve.

Paperwhite stands as an excellent execution of an eReader. If you’re looking at a gadget to primarily read books on, a digital ink display is critical. For years now they’ve near perfectly replicated the printed page. Digital ink is static, and doesn’t refresh 60 times a second like LCD displays do. Once the page refreshes it stays in place until you turn to the next page. This also radically reduces battery drain, as electricity is only used when turning pages.

kindle paperwhite second generation ereader review somegadgetguy (5)In terms of design, Paperwhite is simplicity at it’s finest. There are no distractions. It’s built for one purpose: reading. We’ve even given up on the illusion that eReaders also have to be MP3 players. Nope. Reading is more than enough to justify the gadget’s existence. There’s a power button and MicroUSB port on the bottom. That’s it. You should only care about the screen and what’s on that screen. No buttons or switches or rockers. End of story.

Continue reading “Quick Review: 2nd Generation Kindle Paperwhite – Amazon Improves on the Best eReader”

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Blue Microphones now offering Amazon exclusive colors for SnowBall USB Mic

blue microphones snow ball usb mic colors purple amazon somegadgetguyIf what was holding you back from buying a Snowball was the limited number of color options, Blue Microphones might just have the trick for you now.

Available today, the Snowball comes in a variety of colors, now on offer in Black, SIlver, Purple, Green, Pink, White, and Blue. Now while recording your podcasts or voice overs, you’ll have something a little more colorful to look at.

$99.99 out the door for those of you wanting to improve your home recordings, and Blue’s reputation here is pretty much second to none.

Blue Microphones’ Snowball on Amazon

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Amazon heats up the Tablet Market with Kindle Fire HDX

Kindle Fire HDX Family (Photo: Business Wire)Tablets are hot right now. Google just ramped up the 7″ market with the New Nexus 7, offering up one of the most powerful small form factor slates at a market disrupting price. The only game in town right now for that kind of price competition is Amazon, and they’re not sitting idly by.

Dropping the bomb quietly tonight, Amazon took the wraps off their refreshed Kindle Fires. The new HDX line of 7″ and 8.9″ tablets now feature higher resolution screens and faster processors. Featuring a completely redesigned chassis built out of magnesium and a molded glass-nylon alloy, the new tablets have shed a significant amount of weight. The new 8.9″ Kindle weighs in at only 13.2 ounces.

On board now are Qualcomm 800 series CPUs, basically the peak of mobile processing at the moment, and backed up by 2GB of RAM. Storage options now include 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. The 7″ tablet is sporting a 1080p screen while the 8.9″ moves up to a 2560×1600 resolution display. To my knowledge, that’s the smallest screen yet to feature that high a resolution, handily topping the iPad’s Retina screen for pixel density.

feature-accessory._V355642688_Amazon is claiming 12 hours of run time, and there are 4G LTE versions for AT&T and Verizon. Pricing is super competitive. The 7″ Fire HDX starts at $229 and the 8.9″ starts at $379. The older Kindle Fire will remain as a low cost option starting at $139 for the 7″ and $269 for the 8.9″.

Also on tap is a new “Origami” case which looks pretty spiffy.

Pretty exciting stuff for the Kindle ecosystem.

Full press release (and a few more pics) after the jump, or you could just head directly to Amazon and push the button on a pre-order.

Continue reading “Amazon heats up the Tablet Market with Kindle Fire HDX”

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Amazon to finally receive second batch of Google Chromecast HDMI streamers?

google chromecast in stock amazon somegadgetguyChromecast is an incredible little gadget. For $35 dollars you get a fantastic stream-to-TV experience in a gadget little bigger than a USB flash memory drive, and controlling your TV with your phone or tablet feels like the future.

I got mine at launch, but since then they’ve been a little tricky to get a hold of. When a store stocks them, the $35 price tag all but guarantees they’ll sell out quickly. If you’ve been wanting to schnag one on Amazon to take advantage of Prime free shipping, you’ve largely been out of luck. The best we’ve seen for the last several weeks has been “Out of Stock” with no time estimate on when they’ll have more.

Well, looking up the little wunder-gadget this morning, the time estimate is now “Usually ships in 7-10 days”! Hopefully this means Amazon is due to receive another proper shipment soon, and those of you who were hoping to shop one there can now finally push the button.

Happy hunting!

Google Chromecast (Amazon)

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Target Ticket has iTunes and Amazon in their video streaming sights (not really Netflix though)

target ticket online movie store beta somegadgetguySo, a lot headlines talking about the Target Ticket beta keep comparing it to Netflix. Netflix is an all-you-can eat subscription service. You pay monthly to watch all you want. iTunes and Amazon built services which allow customers to rent or own digital copies of individual movies and TV shows (though Amazon now also has an all-you-can eat component with Prime, but I digress).

Now which of those to services do you think Target Ticket more closely resembles?

Target will be launching with 15,000 titles, and we’re expecting pricing similar to Amazon and iTunes. Movies can be rented for around $3-4 per title or owned for around $13-15, and Target is promising compatibility with Android, iOS, Mac, and PC. Content providers including ABC, AMC, CBS, CW, Fox, FX, HBO, The WB, NBC, Showtime, Starz, and USA are already on board.

Target Ticket is currently only available to Target employees with no official word on when it’ll open it’s digital doors for business.

So what do you think? Is this a service you’ll try out when it leaves BETA? Is there room for another movie “store”? Drop a comment below.

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