Bigmouthmedia Search Engine News: /amazon-a9/

Kindle tops Yahoo gadget list

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 05:49:00 GMT

The Kindle has been searched for more than any other gadget in the UK according to the Yahoo! UK Year in Review for 2012.

The e-reader ranked third in overall searches, a result that was in-part fuelled by adult fiction novel Fifty Shades of Grey.

The release of the Kindle Fire HD and Paperwhite has sparked further interest in the product this year despite the launch of both the iPad and iPhone 5 technologies into the market space at the same time. The iPad came in just sixth on the list.

The most searched for topic was The Olympics, followed by Liverpool FC, because of the racism row and the Hillsborough report released in September. Manchester United also made the top ten, as did Arsenal FC.

Kate Middleton also ranked highly, possibly because of the topless photographs of her which were circulated in September whilst in France.

"2012 was clearly the year of sport, with Brits swept up by the excitement of the London Olympics online." Senior News Editor Nick Petche told the Telegraph

"Gadget geeks searching for the latest iPhone and iPad saw technology searches hit the news headlines as well as our most searched list overall.

"However the newcomer to the search charts was Kindle - no doubt fuelled by its latest incarnation which introduces a full colour HD screen and video. It was also helped by the fascination around ebooks, particularly the bestseller Fifty Shades of Grey.

"It's also no surprise to see Kate Middleton making the top 10 - while those photos did increase her search ratings, her popularity has grown exponentially this year and I think we'll only see this continue looking ahead to 2013."

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Amazon will not make profit from latest hardware

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 05:48:00 GMT

Amazon has revealed that it will not make a profit from the sales of its latest Kindle tablet or e-reader, instead relying on software and content sales to turn a profit from the devices.

The news comes as the online sales company launches the Paperwhite e-reader featuring a built-in light, set to be released later in the month alongside the new 7 inch Kindle Fire HD tablet.

Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos, told the BBC: "We sell the hardware at our cost, so it is break-even on the hardware.

"We want to make money when people use our devices, not when people buy our devices."

Alongside the new hardware, Amazon are set to launch a new online book lending service, initially to be offered in the UK, France and Germany. The subscription based system will allow users to borrow one book per month from a digital library, with over 200,000 ebooks expected to be on offer when the service launches in the UK.

Users who wish to access the borrowing facility can do so by subscribing to the £49 per year Amazon Prime service.

Bezos explained the sales strategy, continuing: "What we find is that when people buy a Kindle they read four times as much as they did before they bought the Kindle.

"But they don't stop buying paper books. Kindle owners read four times as much, but they continue to buy both types of books."

One of the main features of Amazon Prime is free fast-track delivery of other products from the website, resulting in subscribers who will be less likely to shop around for a slightly cheaper version of a product.

Technology analyst Colin Gillis told the BBC: "Prime has been the core way for Amazon to reduce the influence small differences in prices can have, to keep its customers loyal.

"[Its] push into offering free digital media content is designed to correlate with its wider sales activity."

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Amazon unveils new Kindle Fire HD tablet family

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 05:49:00 GMT

Amazon has unveiled three new iterations of the Kindle Fire at a press conference in California.

The new devices - all under the Kindle Fire moniker - come in three separate models. The Kindle Fire HD in 7in screen, as well as a second 8.9in screen - which will put the tablet in direct competition with Apple's popular offering, the iPad.

The third device keeps much of the same specs as the original Kindle Fire, but cuts the price considerably.

HD models will feature stereo speakers, an HDMI port, and a laminated touchscreen to help reduce glare in sunlight. Two wi-fi antennas and multiple-input and multiple-output radio wave technology is designed to improve internet connectivity. The 8.9in device - only available in the US - can also be purchased with 4G connectivity.

"This could easily be the product that beats the iPad particularly for those of us who are readers, easy and innovative in design and use, with unique features like X-Ray which allows you to become far more intimate with what you are reading," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told the BBC.

Francisco Jeronimo, research manager at IDC, echoed Enderle, saying: "Amazon's tablet provides a richer user experience than the Google Nexus 7 or any other 10in Android tablet on the market - the content is embedded in the hardware in such a way that it seems a feature of it and not an application that comes with it for users to open when they need access to media."

However, other industry experts are more cautious. "On paper the Kindle Fire HD is a good product but we shouldn't get carried away," said Chris Green, principal analyst at Davies Murphy Group Europe.
"The Android market is deeply competitive and there are better specced models out there, so it's not going to run away with the whole market.

"Also we have still to hear from Apple about its new iPhone and a rumoured smaller iPad, both of which will impact sales."

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New Amazon Product sells out in the US

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 04:01:00 GMT

Following in the footsteps its predecessor, the Amazon Kindle Fire has completely sold out in the US, stimulating suspicions a new product is soon to be released.

"It is a dead certainty that they are going to release a new version. But when the Kindle Fire first came out it was a unique proposition. There was no other way to get a device that size and that price. That is no longer the case," Benedict Evans, an analyst with Enders told the Telegraph

The Kindle Fire offers a broad range of digital content including e-books, films, applications, books and even films and television. It has been noted if indeed a new product is to be released soon, the company will face considerable competition from e-readers like the Googel Nexus 7, which markets at the same price and offers a better service, with a better screen and slightly faster service. Rumours that Apple will launch a similar product in the coming months have also begun to circulate.

"There are widespread rumours that Apple will come out with a tablet with a similar price point and size to a Kindle. If that happens they will blow everybody else out of the water. If they come out with a $300 iPad why would you buy a $200 Kindle Fire or Nexus?" Evans said.

Yesterday, Amazon announced the launch of its own Appstore in the UK, offering both free and paid for Android apps for smartphones and tablets alike. The app is available across Europe in many countries including Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

"It hasn't set the world on fire. The Google Appstore is still pretty poorly executed so there has always been scope for someone to do it better," Evans said of the new Appstore.

"Amazon in a sense is trying to do that but it hasn't had really major adoption yet although since Amazon doesn't release any numbers it is hard to know for sure." Evans concluded.

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Amazon launches UK daily deals service

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 03:24:00 GMT

Retail giant Amazon is jumping headfirst into the UK daily deals market, challenging the likes of Groupon, Living Social and KGB Deals. The service will begin offering deals in London, with the aim to eventually expand across the UK.

Similar to existing daily deal programmes, AmazonLocal.co.uk will email relevant offers to users each day based on geography. Existing Amazon credit card holders will also be offered additional reward points for making a purchase with their cards.

"Our aim is to be the place where customers can come to find anything that they want to buy online, so offering great deals from local businesses like restaurants, spas and theatres is a logical addition to the tens of millions of products that can already be found at Amazon," said Gordon Willoughby, director of AmazonLocal for Europe.

"This is day one for AmazonLocal.co.uk and we will focus our efforts on providing a first rate customer experience for Londoners."

Once considered a red-hot market, consumer interest in daily deals promotions has cooled over time, and major players like Groupon have come under scrutiny for the longevity of its business model and its relationships with merchants.

Both customers and business owners have expressed weariness at the daily deals model - a sentiment that has been reflected in Groupon's continued shares slump since going public last year.

Despite this however, industry experts believe Amazon stands a chance at taking some of the market.

"Amazon has two things to motivate them," digital marketing specialist Peter Shankman told the BBC.
"First one: why the heck wouldn't they? They have tremendous brand influence worldwide.

"The second reason falls under the concept that they don't need this to be their profit centre. If it works, great."

Being part of a wider operation is key to the future success of daily deals providers, Shankman said.

"You're not going to see another Groupon-like company launching anytime soon. They're getting the heck kicked out of them."

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Apple and Amazon assess security after Honan hack

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 07:49:00 GMT

Apple and Amazon are reviewing their security processes after Wired journalist Mat Honan's digital world was wiped by hackers last Friday.

In the space of one hour, hackers managed to access and wipe Honan's tablet, computer and phone and take over his Google and Twitter profiles using personal information obtained through his Amazon and Apple accounts.

The hackers easily obtained the small amount of information necessary to destroy the technology journalist's "entire digital life" by utilising vital flaws in the customer service security procedures at both companies.

First, a call was placed to Amazon, who allowed a fake credit card to be added to Honan's account after requesting only an email and billing address for security verification, both of which are easily accessible on the Internet.

After hanging up, the assailants again called Amazon customer services and provided the new credit card number as a security verification, before changing the password on the account.

This allowed the hackers full access to Honan's Amazon account, including details of the last four digits of all stored credit cards - the exact digits that Apple use for their security verification.

After passing Apple's security checks, the digital invaders gained access to Honan's iCloud account and reset passwords for Google and Twitter before wiping all data from his iPad, iPhone and MacBook, including 8 years of emails and every photo of his young daughter's life so far.

In an article for Wired, detailing events that took place during and after the hack, Honan said: "Those security lapses are my fault, and I deeply, deeply regret them. But what happened to me exposes vital security flaws in several customer service systems, most notably Apple's and Amazon's."

Apple has now suspended the facility for customers to reset their Apple ID over the phone by verifying only a few pieces of easily obtainable information. A spokesman told the Telegraph: "We are reviewing all of our processes for resetting account passwords to ensure our customers' data is protected."

Wired have reported that Amazon have also banned callers from making changes to their account information over the phone.

Honan, who is one of a number of recent hacker victims, concluded: "I'm mostly mad at myself....But I'm also upset that this ecosystem that I've placed so much of my trust in has let me down so thoroughly."

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Amazon's British e-book sales outstripping printed purchases

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 06:37:00 GMT

Online retail giant Amazon has announced it is now selling more e-books than printed copies for the first time in the UK.

The world's largest retailer, which developed and owns the Kindle e-book reader, now sells 114 electronic versions of books for every 100 physical copies.

The success of the Kindle has proved pivotal to these figures, with the e-reader's simplicity and user-friendly interface proving hugely successful with Brits of all ages. In comparison, it took Amazon twice the time to achieve the same results in the US.

Jorrit Van der Meulen, vice president of Kindle EU, explained the situation to The Telegraph: "As a result of the success of Kindle, we're selling more books than ever before for authors and publishers.

"We hit this milestone in the United States less than four years after introducing Kindle, so to reach this landmark after just two years in the UK is remarkable. It shows how quickly UK readers are embracing Kindle."

The Kindle, which is now in its fourth generation model, allows authors to self-publish their work, meaning they can bypass traditional printing houses and engage with readers directly. These independently distributed works tend to be low in price, with authors receiving 70 per cent of the royalties earned through the scheme.

Amazon's most recent success has been the phenomenally popular 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' by EL James, which has sold 2 million copies since its release. However, the multi-national giant is facing increasing competition in the e-reader market, with the iPad and Kobo reader threatening the Kindle's dominance.

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Amazon to release smartphone?

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 08:13:00 GMT

The rumour mill is hard at work again, this time turning out reports that Amazon is set to release its own brand smartphone to rival the likes of Apple's iPhone.

After making its name as an online book store, the firm has expanded considerably to become the world's largest online retailer, eventually making its foray into its own devices as a means of pushing sales of its digital content.

While commentators have been speculating for several months over Amazon's plans to tap into the smartphone market - largely dominated by Apple and Samsung - this week reports gained more traction after Bloomberg reported Chinese mobile phone maker Foxconn was working with the retail giant, and that the firm is also seeking to acquire a number of wireless technology patents to bolster its offerings.

According to the Telegraph, analysts at Citigroup bank have speculated that Amazon could sell its smartphone at a loss, as it does with its Kindle Fire:

"For a normal brand like HTC, they need to price the product at $243 to make 30 per cent gross margin," a research note said. "If Amazon is actually willing to lose some money on the device, the price gap could be even bigger."

Still, at this point rumours are just that - Amazon is remaining tight-lipped on the subject, and has declined to comment on the possibility of a smartphone.

"I think it's only a matter of time before you see a Kindle smartphone," CNET executive editor David Carnoy said. "Ultimately, Jeff Bezos knows that his company is going to have to compete directly against the iPhone if he wants Amazon to be Apple - or even beat it."

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Zappos suffers major data breach

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:12:00 GMT

In what's seen as the first major cyber-attack of 2012, Amazon-owned online retailer Zappos has fallen victim to a data breach affecting as many as 24 million users.

"We were recently the victim of a cyber-attack by a criminal who gained access to parts our internal network and systems through one of our servers in Kentucky," said Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh in an email to employees.

It is believed that the hacker was able to access customer names, email addresses, billing and postal addresses, phone numbers, as well as cryptographically scrambled passwords and the last four digits of customers' credit card numbers.

To combat customer data vulnerability the company said it expired and reset customers' passwords and would be sending an email with further instructions to all 24 million of its customers.

The full nature of the hacking incident is yet to be determined, but in the meantime the Zappos website is currently "not accepting international traffic," according to a notice on the site.

The company is cooperating with U.S. law enforcement to investigate "exhaustively" whether the data was actually downloaded from it servers and to mitigate damage to its customers.

Due to an expected rush of phone calls, the online clothing and shoe store is shutting down telephone support and only responding to email queries.

"Due to the volume of inquiries we are expecting, we realised that we could serve the most customers by answering their questions by email," Hsieh also wrote.

"We have made the hard decision to temporarily turn off our phones and direct customers to contact us by email because our phone systems simply aren't capable of handling so much volume."

Hsieh appeared apologetic in his correspondence with employees and customers, stating: "We've spent over 12 years building our reputation, brand, and trust with our customers. It's painful to see us take so many steps back due to a single incident."

Zappos also took to Twitter to confirm that Amazon accounts were not affected by the hack.

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New-fangled e-books with Amazon's KF8

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:13:00 GMT

Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing has released new tools for creating e-books using Web technologies, announcing it's ready to receive Kindle Format 8 (KF8) books from publishers.

KF8 is Amazon's next generation file format offering a wide range of features and enhancements - giving rise to a new breed of e-book with high resolution colour and pop-up text through the use of HTML and CSS tools.

According to the ever-expanding online market: "Through the use of HTML5 and CSS3, KF8 allows publishers to create great-looking books in all categories, particularly those that require rich formatting and design, such as technical and engineering books and cookbooks."

The move signifies the growing expansion of e-book capabilities. Where pure text is satisfactory for many books and easily meets the needs of reader apps for mobile phones, graphics are becoming more and more crucial for many markets.

Amazon added: "For those doing more advanced formatting by writing HTML5, using design software or working with a conversion resource, KF8 features such as Kindle Panel Views and Kindle Pop Up enable great fixed layout books like graphic novels, comics, and kids' books."

Kindle Fire users - Amazon's tablet introduced last year - will be the first readers to get their hands on books made with the new formatting tools, downloading them straight to their devices.

"In the coming months KF8 will be rolled out to our latest generation Kindle e-ink devices as well as our free Kindle reading apps," Amazon said. However, the company noted that older book formats will continue to work.

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