Looks like Sony wants to take on the likes of Apple, Netflix, and Amazon in the digital content business: in an interview, Sony executive VP Kaz Hirai has said that Sony is hoping to launch its own online content service by early 2010. The service, provisionally called the “Sony Online Service,” would build on the company’s existing PlayStation Network to bring movies, music, books, and more forms of digital content to devices like Sony Bravia TVs, walkman personal media players, devices like the Sony Reader, Sony Vaio PCs, and Sony Ericsson phones.
Tag Archive: Amazon
Nokia N900 Drops to $480 at Amazon.com
Amazon has another great holiday smartphone deal for you: The online retailer is dropping the price of Nokia’s N900 to $530 minus another $50 (after mail-in rebate) for a $480 take home price. The N900’s US retail price is $649 without the carrier subsidies making this pretty little smartphone quite the splurge. This unlocked cell phone has not been
Choosing an E-Book Reader for Christmas
As I travel with my Kindle DX, I’m getting a lot of comments from folks planning to buy a Kindle for Christmas for their spouse or parent. Given that there are actually three competing products from major players in the market and two sizes of Kindle (along with a number of niche products that I’d stay away from as gifts because they are too specialized), I thought it would be good to use some of my experience to suggest a path so that you don’t get a product that sits on the shelf. I say this because the Kindle is my fifth e-book reader and the first four ended up on a shelf unused, with the Sony being my biggest disappointment. You may also want to consider some accessories that can enhance the Kindle experience, if you decide to go that route.
Amazon Drops Sprint’s Palm Pixi Down to $25
Amazon is on a holiday sales roll this week. Amazon.com is now offering the Palm Pixi for $24.99 with a Sprint service plan. The webOS -based phone is Palm’s slimmest smartphone and has an 8 GB internal memory, 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth stereo music, and about 5 hours of talk time and up to 350 hours (14.5 days) of standby time. You also get free 2-day shipping when you purchase this item plus a service plan from Amazon, making this probably the best Palm Pixi deal out there. Mobile experts suggest the Pixi will soon be a freebie when purchasing a service plan from Sprint– this new Amazon post is just one step closer to that conclusion.
Amazon Offers Limited-time Wii Fit Bundle for the Holidays
Looks like Amazon is trying to keep up with the pre-Black Friday sales a lot of major retailers are advertising. Amazon.com announced it will be offering a special Wii Fit Bundle for $290 with free shipping, but only up until November 22. When you purchase Nintendo’s Wii console along with a Wii Fit Plus and the Balance Board from Amazon.com you will
Amazon Kindle Set to Invade Canada
Amazon.com has announced it is now offering its Kindle Reader in Canada, just in time for the holiday buying season. Amazon launched a globally-capable version of its Kindle reader last month, but Canada was noticeably absent from the list of countries included in the launch. Industry speculation had Amazon trying to work out a deal with a Canadian mobile operator to support the Kindle’s wireless service…and while Amazon hasn’t named its carrier partner, but Canadian customers can now order the Kindle for $259 USD with immediate shipping from the Amazon Web site.
Google’s Book Scanning is Angering Publishers
Google has had its share of allegations that it has a monopoly in the online search/advertising world. The most recent of these accusations comes from the book scanning program that Google runs. Google ultimately plans to make the scanned books accessible online to more readers to help eliminate lost works and let readers opt out of print material.
Two Colleges Shun Amazon Kindle For Now
Amazon’s Kindle can read books aloud, but if you’re blind it can be difficult to turn that function on without help. Now two universities say they will shun the device until Amazon changes the setup.
The National Federation of the Blind planned to announce Wednesday that the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Syracuse University won’t consider big rollouts of the electronic reading device unless Amazon makes it more accessible to visually impaired students.
Both schools have some Kindles that they bought for students to try this fall, but now they say they won’t look into buying more unless Amazon makes changes to the device.
PayPal Login Page is Seeing More Action Than eBay
Most people know eBay Inc. for its online marketplace, where deals abound on everything from gadgets to antique furniture. But soon, eBay’s biggest business will likely be PayPal, the online payments service that has been growing steadily even as the economy has stumbled.
EBay has spent much of the past two years trying to improve its faltering marketplace business, hoping to increase buyers’ trust and clean up the look of its Web site. In the meantime, PayPal has thrived as more consumers and merchants use it to send money online.
Publishers and Booksellers Rally to Support eBooks and eReaders
Lovers of all things printed, bound and published have a new literary hopeful hovering over their heads. But rather than the next Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, it’s the electronic reading device known as the eReader. Thankfully, while Johannes Gutenberg may be rolling his eyes from beyond the grave at the concept of digital tablets that display virtual volumes known as eBooks, the reality is that we’re potentially standing on the cusp of an industrial revolution. Better yet, even the field’s formerly staunchest holdouts – newspaper, book and magazine publishers – are finally waking up and embracing the technology’s potential in growing numbers.
