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Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Amazon Releases The Fire Phone

  • 4.7-inch screen
  • 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization
  • 2.2-GHz processor with 2GB of RAM
  • Gorilla Glass on both sides
  • 3 D Effects
  • One-handed shortcuts
  • Firefly
  • MayDay
  • Starts at $199 on a two-year contract according to AT&T's website 
  • Starts at $649 off-contract according to Amazon's website 
  • Launches July 25
  • Exclusive to AT&T

Apple Offering Lower Cost iMac Desktops

Timing is everything and perhaps today's Apple announcement that they are offering a lower cost iMac on the same day that Amazon is announcing its new smartphone is just that.  While it may not derail the Amazon PR efforts, it certainly tries to keep Apple in the news. 

Some news is already speculating that the exclusivity distribution for Amazon of its new smartphone on the AT&T platform will hurt them.  I don't tend to agree and think that exclusivity, especially if the product delivers unique value, will serve them well.  Still, until we hear the official news, we can only wait and see.

As to the Apple iMac announcement, it is limited to the desktop.  More and more people have found the power and flexibility of the laptop far more important.  It may just be a way to lower inventory while more future effort will be focused on a new line of laptop computers.