kindle

Well, it's official. Apple today announced the iPad Mini, a 7.9-inch version of its immensely popular iPad.

Available beginning November 2, the $329 device should be a top-seller this holiday season. In fact, it's a safe bet that the iPad Mini will join products such as the Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, and Nexus 7 in winning big sales. But, considering this space is already so crowded, just how will the iPad Mini directly affect Android tablets, and in what capacity?

A pricier point As is the case with other Apple products, the iPad Mini is priced … Read more

After dominating the larger tablet market it popularized, Apple has turned its attention to the slightly smaller screen. The 7.9-inch iPad Mini has Apple's attention to style and detail behind it, but it certainly isn't the only slate of this stature that's worth considering, especially with the Mini's stepped-down processor and screen resolution.

When you line up the specs and the intangibles, which tablet has the upper hand: the iPad Mini, the Asus-made Google Nexus 7 (an original Android 4.1 Jelly Bean device), or the Amazon Kindle Fire HD? … Read more

It seems hard to believe now, but a few years ago the notion that Apple might actually release a device with a clunky name like the "iPad" was openly mocked -- until it came to dominate the category of consumer technology that it created nearly by itself.

Now, the smaller iPad that Apple is expected to announce at a media event tomorrow is stirring similar discussions.

The anticipated 7.8-inch slate with specs comparable to the second-generation iPad has been most commonly referred to as the "iPad Mini" in the onslaught of rumors over the past six months. But we've also heard that it might be called the "iPad Air" in a nod to its MacBook cousin.… Read more

No matter how small or how affordable Apple can make the iPad, nothing can change the fact that it's a newcomer to the market of mini tablets.

Small, inexpensive Android tablets have been around for years and are finally hitting their stride. Through trial and error, manufacturers have figured out the sweet spot of features, design, and performance that seems to be resonating with customers.

What's more surprising is that the players in this space aren't the typical cast of characters that Apple is used to fighting. Sure, Samsung makes an appearance, but so does Amazon and … Read more

Tablets are "reinventing" Americans' relationship with print publications, according to a new report from digital-business analytics firm ComScore.

Based on new figures, more and more tablet owners in the United States are using their tablets to read digital periodicals on a daily basis. For example, ComScore cited that approximately 1 in 10 tablet owners read digital magazines and/or newspapers on his or her device every day as of August 2012.

Mark Donovan, senior vice president of mobile at ComScore, explained in the report that tablets are "redefining" how people consume news because the format is … Read more

Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite and the Barnes & Noble Simple Touch with GlowLight duke it out in this Prizefight slobber-knocker.

The Kindle brings its all-new Paperwhite technology to the table and Amazon's massive ecosystem. How will it match up against the Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight, which was the first true backlit e-reader with touch and physical controls?

These two e-readers continue to innovate and bring the best the e-reader market has to offer. So which e-reader is your Prizefight king of the ring?

Cast your vote!

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is growing concerned with the patent lawsuits simmering across the mobile industry.

Speaking to U.K. news outlet Metro in an interview published today, Bezos said that he's worried that the patent lawsuits "might start to stifle innovation." He also that suggested governments around the world consider intervening in the suits to protect consumers.

"Governments may need to look at the patent system and see if those laws need to be modified because I don't think some of these battles are healthy for society," Bezos told Metro.

The idea that … Read more

Amazon seems to have pulled the plug on its Kindle DX.

A peek at the product's Web site shows that Amazon is no longer directly selling the DX. Only used versions are up for grabs from third-party resellers, at prices ranging from $230 to $350.

The DX also is missing from the Kindle family lineup. The e-book reader's heave-ho comes about a week after Amazon cut its price to $299 from $379, according to blog site The eBook Reader.

There's no indication from Amazon as to whether new supplies are on their way. But it's unlikely. … Read more