Yesterday, the internets were abuzz with the news that Amazon briefly considered building their own Amazon-branded phone. Engadget points out that Amazon currently has 80 job openings in their (ominously named) Lab 126 hardware-creation division, which means they're probably looking to expand beyond the Kindle.

Today, PC World makes the case for several Amazon-branded devices. Of all these options (does the world really need another phone?) I think they're onto something with this:

Tablet: No, I don't think Amazon should build its own iPad. But I do think there is a potential device that sits somewhere between a Kindle and an iPad — a device with a color touchscreen and the ability to play back audio and video content and games (in addition to serving as an e-reader). Oh, and if it could offer contract-free 3G service and built-in Wi-Fi, that would be even better.

I bet lots of people would be willing to pay for a device that avoids the internet entirely (or, more accurately, hides the internet under a skin) to strictly provide access to downloadable media content. Whereas the iPad is interactive, this would be almost entirely passive, for consumption. I bet this is an idea that Amazon's working on.