kindle

Google's Nexus 7 tablet pops up in rare home-page ad

Google really wants people to take a look at its Nexus 7 tablet.

The $199 tablet started popping up on Google's home page today, a rare instance in which Google is actively promoting one of its own products. It's similar to the way Amazon's front page is often dominated by Kindle advertising.

That Google would go to such lengths underscores the company's desire to make a bigger dent in the burgeoning tablet market, one still dominated by Apple's iPad. Given the traffic that goes through Google, the home page would be one of the most … Read more

Amazon about to start a new Fire

Friday's tech news roundup can ease symptoms of Gadget News Overload:

Looks like a new Kindle is on the way. Amazon's making an announcement on Sept. 6 in Santa Monica. We're expecting to hear about a new Kindle Fire with a camera and volume-control buttons, and it could have an improved display.

But be prepared for a rush of new gadget news over the next two weeks. When iPhone season nears, every device maker wants to get their news out before the iPhone steals all media glory. Here's a quick list of what's coming up: … Read more

Amazon set to introduce new Kindles at September 6 event?

We'd been expecting new Kindles to be unveiled almost any day, and now that day has been set -- Amazon has sent out invites for a press conference in Santa Monica, Calif., on the morning of September 6.

While it's unclear just what Amazon will roll out, it's a good bet we'll see a new Kindle Fire (or maybe even multiple Fires) and an e-ink Kindle with a built-in lighting option.

New Kindles: What to expect Back in late June, a source told CNET that the next Kindle Fire would have a camera and physical volume-control … Read more

Amazon launches India Kindle Store

Chalk up India as the next destination for the Kindle, as Amazon has launched the new India Kindle Store and partnered with Indian electronics retailer Croma to sell the Kindle in Croma retail outlets across the country for 6,999 INR or about $126.

That Kindle model is the entry-level, non-touch-screen Kindle, which sells for $79 in the U.S. in a "Special Offers" ad-supported version. The Kindle sold in India will not be ad-supported.

Amazon says the India Kindle Store offers over one million books -- now available for India customers priced in Indian Rupees (INR) -- … Read more

Barnes & Noble Q1 loss narrows to $40M as Nook sales decline

Barnes & Noble narrowed its fiscal first-quarter loss, but suffered through a few hiccups with its Nook e-reader business.

The book retailer posted a loss of $40.9 million, or 78 cents a share, compared with a loss of $56.6 million, or 99 cents a share, from a year ago. Revenue rose only slightly to $1.45 billion from $1.42 billion a year ago.

Analysts, on average, estimated that the company would post a loss of 98 cents on revenue of $1.48 billion, according to Thomson Reuters.

The company's Nook unit, which includes the e-reader and … Read more

Getting started with Pinterest for Android

Just a week after opening up its service to the general public, Pinterest has launched an Android app for the very first time. The tablet-optimized app is now available for your Android smartphone and tablet, as well as the Kindle Fire. Here's how to get started with Pinterest for Android:

Creating new pins You can create new pins from your Android device via its camera or from a photo in your gallery by tapping on Create pin from the main screen.

If you want to create a pin from the Web, tap on your browser's Share button, then … Read more

State Department revokes $16.5M Kindle contract offer

What once seemed like a dream scenario for Amazon has officially become nonexistent.

Two months ago, the U.S. State Department asked the company to negotiate a no-bid contract that would essentially earn Amazon up to $16.5 million to pass out Kindle Touches to the country's embassies overseas.

Today, the government announced that plan has officially been canceled.

Here's what the State Department posted on its Web site today:

U.S. Department of State solicitation (Request for Proposals) SAQMMA12R0272 for Amazon e-Readers, Content Management, and Logistics is cancelled and the Justification and Approval (J&A) to … Read more

Hands-on: AirStash drive solves smartphone, tablet storage problems

Suppose you're taking a long trip and want to stock your smartphone or tablet with a bunch of movies.

Just one problem: there's no room at the inn. A Kindle Fire, for example, famously has only 8GB of storage, with no option for expansion. Same goes for any iDevice you own: once it's full, it's full.

Maxell's AirStash offers storage salvation. It's a USB flash drive that also happens to be wireless, meaning it can store files and stream media to a variety of mobile devices. It's an effective solution, though not an … Read more

Amazon unveils 'Send to Kindle' feature for Chrome

Sending items from the Web to your Kindle is now a one-step process for users of Google Chrome.

Amazon has rolled out a new Chrome extension called "Send to Kindle for Google Chrome." Installing the extension adds a button to Chrome that lets you send stories, blog posts, and the like directly to your Kindle device and apps. The goal is to let you archive and read your favorite Web pages while you're not online.

You can send yourself an entire Web page or just selected text. And by tapping into Amazon's Whispersync technology, you can … Read more