Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Amazon site redesign is final puzzle piece for Kindle tablet

By
amazon tablet android samsung
Image used with permission by copyright holder

 After HP’s TouchPad withered and died (before returning from the dead for one last wild ride) there were worries afoot that the tablet wars were cooling off before they even got hot. Now a fresh salvo has rocketed out of the cloud: Amazon announced today it is redesigning its site to be more tablet friendly. With Amazon set to release its Kindle tablet in the next few weeks, the coming redesign suggests the company is ready to put its full weight behind tablet computing.

It’s no light task changing up the world’s largest online marketplace. With the tablet market burgeoning and the smartphone market already a veteran force, it was probably about time for Amazon to polish things up. Kindle tablet or not, the iPad user base represents a huge market of shoppers that Amazon surely wants to court.

Recommended Videos

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the changes to the site’s home page include an enlarged search box and fewer buttons. There are larger white areas and less clutter, perfect for mobile users. So far, the redesign has only been rolled out to a small number of users.

Related

Now, one certainly might wonder why Amazon would redesign their site to be tablet and mobile friendly when its already got a mobile app available. Judging by all the various kerfluffles this year over Apple’s App Store policies, Amazon may be moving away from Apple’s App Store altogether. And why wouldn’t it when it already has its own?

Amazon’s got one thing all tablet makers aside from Apple have lacked: a serious app and media store. Most tablet users prefer their devices for their ease of use, and as the iPad has shown, having a native app storefront can cut down on a lot of hassle. Plus, with Amazon’s massive customer base already identifying the brand for books and media, a full-on Amazon app store would have no trouble finding customers.

It looks like the final piece of the puzzle for the upcoming Kindle tablet, which is already expected to be a solid piece of hardware. The Kindle tablet will run a custom version of Android, and is likely to retail for $250. That’s well below the iPad2’s $499 starting price and probably right in the sweet spot of casual first-time tablet buyers. That, combined with Amazon’s shopping prowess, will make the Kindle tablet an interesting bit of hardware indeed.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Derek Mead
Derek Mead
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Every Android tablet we’re expecting in 2024
The home screen on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

It’s an exciting time for Android tablets. Into the vacuum left in 2023 by Apple’s first-ever dearth of new iPads stepped two new contenders offering distinct takes on what a tablet should be, while Samsung’s venerable Tab S9 lineup raised the bar by cementing the position of its largest tablet and bringing AMOLED screens to the entire family.

There’s no reason to believe that this year will be any less interesting as Samsung continues to up its game while Google and OnePlus try to refine their initial first-generation efforts into more mature products.

Read more
The 6 best tablets for watching movies in 2024
Two iPad Pro tablets next to each other against a black background. Both have Apple's Magic Keyboard case.

Tablets are incredibly versatile devices, allowing you to surf the web, check your emails, or play games without the need for a larger (and clunkier) laptop. But one of the most popular ways to use a tablet is as a screen for your favorite movies and TV shows. Since they're slim enough to pack into a backpack and light enough to prop up while laying in bed or on the couch, tablets are a great way to catch up on your favorite shows.

However, not all tablets are great for watching movies and TV shows. Some are built with lackluster displays that can't capture the nuances of important scenes, while others are cheap and unreliable – making them a poor long-term investment. That can make it difficult to shop for the best tablets for watching movies, as there are hundreds of products vying for your attention. But if you know where to look, it's easy to find a premium tablet that'll serve you well for years.

Read more
How to share Kindle books with family and friends
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite next to the Kindle Scribe.

While we adore books, we have to admit that e-books have some serious advantages over traditional print. You can cram thousands of e-books into a single e-book reader, for one thing, making e-books perfect for long holidays, commutes, or just casually carrying around. Doing the same with traditional books would require wheeling around a suitcase or having arms larger than Hercules.

However, physical books are still better in some ways. Want to lend a great book to someone? Throwing a paperback book at them is far more practical than handing them your Kindle and telling them to give it back when they're done.

Read more