If Amazon's tablet user interface is anything like the Kindle's I don't imagine that Apple has a lot to be worried about. The iPad is more than a book reader and music/video player. It's not just about the content--it's about the workable operating system for hosting apps and promoting app development. Google's Android is still the only viable alternative to iOS, and unless Amazon is adopting Android in its device, it will be unlikely to attract developers in sufficient numbers to make a range of interesting apps. Without a broad variety of independent apps, Amazon's new tablet will be little more than a backlit Kindle Plus.

I'm still not sold that tablets have staying power...

By focusing only on trying to make tablets a better place to buy stuff, I think Amazon might be missing the target a little. Everyone gets a new device and goes a little crazy downloading apps and checking out all the gee-whiz that's for sale, but after a while they settle down and do the same stuff they were doing before. A tablet is a worse device to read on than a Kindle, so if they don't increase usability in some other area, they're not going to succeed.

For me, the only thing I really care about is making it faster and easier to browse the traditional web (like Slog, and my documents online). No tablet is anywhere near that goal yet.

There's still a waiting list for the most popular iPad models, by the way.

All your future is tablet - just ask Government Computer News, etc etc etc. All approved for use by the military (they have a cool iPhone app for crowd-sourcing combat i'm jailbreaking for my iPad), government agencies, and selling like hotcakes.

Mmmm, hotcakes.

Add "jailbreaking" to the long list of tech words that Will misunderstands the meaning of.

lol, i was cracking Lotus when you were in diapers, hot shot.

It is not possible to be more ridiculous than you are, Will. Hint: I'm older than you are, and you've never "cracked" Lotus -- another grammatical construction that proves you're a shithead.

@1 The current rumors strongly favor this being an Android tablet. Given Samsung's commitment to the OS and Amazon's recent opening of the Android App Store and the music cloud streaming service, I'd say it's highly probable it'll be running Android 3.0, possibly 3.1.

The big sticking point for me will be whether or not it's running stock Android, or if Samsung/Amazon are going to cripple it with "customizations."

@8: All things considered, Samsung/Amazon could be making it more useful rather than crippling it. The Honeycomb UI is pretty ugly and a tablet maker that added some polish would be appreciated.

I think the Amazon tablet will be hot! and I plan to get one when they come out. Amazon has lots of content and their own Android apps store as well. They are a terrific company and have a lot to offer.

Imagine an Amazon quality tablet combined with the S3 cloud..... When can I pre-order?