$2,400 Atom-Based Industrial Tablet Is Living in the Past

Is the end near for clunky, heavy industrial tablets?

Construction may be one of those fields where tablet computers were actually used, back when they were little more than laptops without a keyboard. The new, semi-rugged GD3015 from General Dynamics does almost nothing to acknowledge the huge changes in the tablet market over the past year, and offers little more than a specialized netbook without a keyboard.

The GD3015 is designed for public safety, utilities, transportation, and warehousing workers. To this end it is dust, water, shock and vibration resistant, has options for 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS and can also be had with an optional magnetic stripe reader, barcode scanner, camera or RS232 port.

But at its heart, the tech is all very 2008. The processor is an Intel Atom chip, the touch-screen “works even with gloves on,” meaning resistive, not capacitive touch, and the battery life is listed at five hours, so in real life it will surely be less. Worse, it runs Windows 7, which offers a thin touch skin over a regular resource-hogging desktop OS.

But the real eye-opener here is the price. The GD3015, as it is known, starts at $2,400, and that’s before you get into all the options above, or make a choice to put in an SSD. Even more astonishing is this snippet from the press release, which shows that General Dynamics actually considers this computer to be cheap.

The GD3015 pairs ruggedness with a Windows-based operating system so budget-constrained IT managers have a computing solution that is easy to deploy, minimizes training costs for users and leverages existing software and operating system configurations.

“Budget constrained.” Ho ho. $2,500 for a netbook in a drop-proof case. How many iPads (or Android tablets) in ruggedized cases can you buy for $2,400? And with a real tablet, you don’t need to worry about 3G, Bluetooth or SSDs being optional.

Call me cynical, but these overpriced, under-specced commodity machines don’t seem to have much of a future.

GD3015 semi rugged tablet [General Dynamics]

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HP to Launch TouchPad With Cloud-Storage Freebies

Box.net will offer free online storage to new TouchPad tablet buyers. Photo courtesy Box.net

Those in the market for a tablet may have more incentive to opt out of buying the iPad.

Box.net will offer 50 GB of free online storage to buyers of HP’s new tablet device, the TouchPad. The company plans to announce the deal Friday, the same day as the TouchPad’s launch.

New TouchPad owners can download the Box.net app from HP’s App Catalog store beginning Friday.

Over a year late to market, HP needs to give potential tablet shoppers all the reason to buy a TouchPad it can muster. Along with the storage promotion, HP offers a $50 rebate to owners of Palm smartphones — like the Pixi and Pre — through the end of July.

The cloud-based storage industry has grown dramatically over the past few years.

Despite recent security issues, Dropbox attracted a considerable number of users since its launch in 2008, hitting the 25 million user mark in April. Google obviously has its entire suite of cloud-based apps, including the invite-only Music Beta. And of course, Apple’s iCloud is due to drop this fall, offering 5 free gigs of online storage, as well as backups to iOS devices.

Box.net’s offering is actually a fairly nice deal for those needing online storage. The 50 GB of free storage amounts to approximately $240 in yearly savings, as the 50-GB storage costs the average user a $20 monthly subscription fee. Though it’s difficult to compete with Amazon’s storage pricing, which costs only $1 a gig yearly (the first 5 GB are free).

But still, will these packaged freebies make it worth buying the TouchPad? Amazon’s storage locker is available on any Android device, and Google’s suite is available across most platforms (except webOS 3.0, that is). We’re not sure, but if you’re already planning to buy a TouchPad, hit HP’s App Catalog to pick up Box.net’s deal.

The TouchPad launches in the United States this Friday for $500 and $600 for the 16- and 32-GB versions, respectively. The tablet rolls out globally over the rest of July.


Clash of the Tablets: From iPad to TouchPad, 6 Slates Compared

These six tablets span four operating systems, multiple screen sizes and a range of connectivity features. (Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com)

In today’s crowded market, looking for a tablet is like buying a new car. Everything looks great when it’s slick, polished and sitting on the lot. The hard part is keeping track of what’s under the hood.

Wired.com took some of the front-runners from the current tablet field — the brand-new HP TouchPad, Apple’s iPad, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab and others — and stacked up their features side by side in the chart below.

In the wake of Apple’s iPad, which released April 2010, technology manufacturers are quickly churning out competing slates in hopes of luring customers into the new product category with fancy hardware and flashy apps. The tablet market is quickly gaining momentum with a new slate hitting stores every month.

(Speaking of apps, don’t miss our breakdown of software ecosystems, explaining the pros and cons of the app stores on each mobile operating system.)

  • Device
  • Hardware
  • Software/Connectivity
  • Performance
  • HP TouchPad
    $500-$600
  • Processor: 1.2-GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon
    Storage: 16 or 32 GB
    RAM: 1GB
    Cameras: 1.3-megapixel front-facing, no rear camera
    Dimensions: 9.45 by 7.48 by 0.54 inches
    Weight: 1.6 pounds
  • OS: webOS 3.0
    DLNA: No
    Wi-Fi/3G/4G: Wi-Fi only, AT&T version coming soon
    Bluetooth: Yes
    Ports: micro USB, no SD card slot
  • Battery Life: Approximately 8 hours under heavy use; closer to 9 or 10 hours under casual use conditions.
    Javascript Test Results Average: 4128.47 ms
  • Motorola Xoom
    $600-$800
  • Processor: 1-GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2
    Storage: 32GB
    RAM: 1GB
    Cameras: 2-megapixel front-facing; 5-megapixel back-facing camera
    Dimensions: 9.8 by 6.61 by 0.51 inches
    Weight: 1.56 to 1.6 pounds (depending on version)
  • OS: Android 3.1 (Honeycomb)
    DLNA: No
    Wi-Fi/3G/4G: Wi-Fi, Verizon 4G (eventually)
    Bluetooth: Yes
    Ports: micro USB, HDMI-out, microSD
  • Battery Life: Approx. 8 to 8.5 hours
    Javascript Test Results Average: 2170.6 ms
  • Apple iPad
    $400-$730 (where available)
  • Processor: 1-GHz Apple A4
    Storage: 16, 32 or 64GB
    RAM: 256MB
    Cameras: None
    Dimensions: 9.56 by 7.47 by 0.5 inches
    Weight: 1.5 to 1.6 pounds
  • OS: iOS 4.3
    DLNA: No
    Wi-Fi/3G/4G: Wi-Fi, 3G (AT&T)
    Bluetooth: Yes
    Ports: Proprietary
  • Battery Life: Approx. 10 hours
    Javascript Test Results Average: 3305.9 ms
  • Apple iPad 2
    $500-$830
  • Processor: 1-GHz dual-core Apple A5 custom-designed
    Storage: 16, 32 and 64GB
    RAM: 512MB RAM
    Cameras: front and back-facing
    Dimensions: 9.5 by 7.34 by 0.34 inches
    Weight: 1.33 to 1.35 pounds (depending on model)
  • OS: iOS 4.3 (iOS 5 coming fall 2011)
    DLNA: No
    Wi-Fi/3G/4G: Wi-Fi, 3G (AT&T or Verizon)
    Bluetooth: Yes
    Ports: Proprietary
  • Battery Life: Approx. 10 hours
    Javascript Test Results Average: 2163.3 ms
  • RIM BlackBerry PlayBook
    $500-$700
  • Processor: 1-GHz dual-core Texas Instruments OMAP
    Storage: 16, 32 or 64GB
    RAM: 1GB
    Cameras: 3-megapixel front-facing, 5-megapixel back-facing
    Dimensions: 7.6 by 5.1 by 0.4 inches
    Weight: 0.9 pounds
  • OS: PlayBook OS (QNX)
    DLNA: No (RIM claims it’s coming soon)
    Wi-Fi/3G/4G: Wi-Fi, 4G versions to come (though some carriers are backpedaling)
    Bluetooth: Yes
    Ports: micro USB, HDMI
  • Battery Life: Approx 7.5 to 8 hours
    Javascript Test Results Average: 2362.6 ms
  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
    $500-$600
  • Processor: 1-GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2
    Storage: 16, 32 and 64GB
    RAM: 1GB
    Cameras: 2-megapixel front-facing, 3-megapixel back-facing;
    Dimensions: 10.1 by 6.9 by 0.338 inches
    Weight: 1.25 lbs
  • OS: Android 3.1 (Honeycomb)
    DLNA: Yes
    Wi-Fi/3G/4G: Wi-Fi only (AT&T 3G coming soon)
    Bluetooth: Yes
    Ports: Proprietary; no SD card slot
  • Battery Life: Approx. 9-10 hours
    Javascript Test Results Average: 2188.9 ms

That’s a lot of info to digest, right? Fret not, tablet shoppers: Here’s some of that info broken down across seven categories.

Body

Essentially, choosing a piece of hardware that works for you boils down to taste and utility. Want something light and airy that won’t wear your arm out while e-reading? Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 has everyone beat; It’s the thinnest, lightest 10-inch tablet out to date, even besting the super-svelte iPad 2.

Maybe you want something smaller, or with a rubberized backing to combat your butterfingers. Almost the size of a trade paperback, BlackBerry’s seven-inch PlayBook would best suit your needs.

Tablets like the TouchPad, Xoom and first-gen iPad all weigh and measure in at approximately the same range, but with some of the recent slimmer releases, they’re starting to look positively bulky.

Power

In this generation of tablets, you aren’t going to see any chips backed by less than 1 GHz of processing power. Our two Android tablets run on Nvidia’s powerful Tegra 2 processor, while Apple’s iPads are powered by the custom-made A4 and A5 series chips. RIM decided to go with a Texas Instruments OMAP, which Palm used in its Pre smartphones. Only the TouchPad clocks in at 1.2 GHz, running on a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ 8060 CPU.

Most of these tablets come with 1GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly, save Apple’s offerings — the iPad 1 comes with a paltry 256MB, while its successor doubles that amount.

It’s difficult to run a consistent processing benchmark across three different platforms, so we’re not going to give the edge to any one tablet quite yet. Still, Qualcomm’s next generation Snapdragon chip ran smooth as silk in the TouchPad — especially while multitasking — so we’re inclined to give it props.

Frontrunner: HP TouchPad

Cameras

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Shooting photos on a tablet is just weird. Like, “defending yourself in a food fight with a cafeteria tray” weird. Still, we’re all about choice here at Wired.com, and if you want to shoot photos on your tablet, some of these slates can accommodate.

Except for the first-gen iPad, which lacks any cameras at all. Similarly, the TouchPad comes with a front-facing camera for the Skype-loving crowd, but no rear camera for the shutterbugs.

All the rest come with front and back-facing cameras of variable quality, the iPad 2’s being the poorest of them all. The PlayBook has the highest resolutions on both front and back cameras, but you’ll lose viewfinder real estate with the device’s smaller screen. Conversely, the Xoom dips a touch in front-facing camera resolution while bumping up your screen size considerably.

Edge: Motorola Xoom


Platform Wars: How Competing App Stores Stack Up

As app stores proliferate with the rise of multiple mobile platforms, one question remains: Which one will you choose? (Photo: Jon Snyder/Wired.com)

In the mobile world, tablets and smartphones are only as good as the apps they’ll run. Besides, what’s a tablet without apps? A fancy digital photo frame.

There’s no dearth of choice in hardware out there, and considering the pros and cons of a mobile platform’s application ecosystem is equally important to purchasing the device itself. From “open” to closed, sprawling to sparse, each platform’s parent company has a different philosophy when it comes to delivering apps.

Over the past few years, application markets have been popping up hand in hand with new hardware releases, all in varying states of maturity. Some, like Apple’s iOS devices, have flourished. Others, like Android devices, have seen tremendous growth and promise. And still others, like RIM’s BlackBerry products, have dwindled. But whatever the case is with the hardware, half the battle lies in figuring out how to beef up an app ecosystem properly, and how to catch on with consumers.

Why is an app store so important? In today’s app-obsessed age, a software ecosystem defines a gadget’s longevity as an investment. Customers get more value from their hardware if they have access to the latest and greatest apps. And programmers will make software for app stores that have a large audience and a viable future.

We took a look at some of the most prominent mobile-application ecosystems out there today, comparing the benefits and drawbacks of each. Before buying that next tablet or smartphone, we suggest you take a look.

Apple’s App Store

For better or for worse, Apple’s approach is clear: We’re in control.

Well known by now as the “walled garden,” Apple reviews every app submitted to its App Store. Developers are required to follow a seven-page list of strict guidelines in order for their app to be approved.

But the vetting process has its upside. Official reviews from Apple employees means an average of higher quality apps — more wheat, less chaff.

The Good:
Apple worked extensively with developers from the beginning, and it shows. As of late May, the App Store is host to more than 500,000 approved applications, with over 85,000 registered developers creating apps for the platform. The iPad alone has over 90,000 native applications available for download.

If your app is featured on the App Store’s front door, you’ve got a chance at striking it rich. Steve Demeter made $250,000 in just two months after releasing his application. The creators of MacHeist, another popular iOS game, have raked in millions.

The Bad:
With such a large ecosystem, it’s difficult not to get lost in Apple’s sea of apps. That’s hard on developers — who want to be seen, and want their apps downloaded — as well as customers who just want to find a cool app. Despite Apple’s careful curating and centralized location for apps, it’s nearly the same amount of work as finding an independently distributed web app.

Apple’s wait time to approve your app is also uncertain, ranging anywhere from two days to two weeks, according to independent app developer Ralph Gootee.

And of course, Apple maintains complete editorial censorship control over any and all apps submitted. So if your ideas are too racy, twisted or politically incorrect, you’re probably susceptible to Apple’s axe.

Android Market

Even though the gradual development of iTunes gave Apple’s App Store a 10-year head start, Google’s platform growth is a force to be reckoned with.

As the second biggest player in the mobile app space, Android has made staggering gains in the two-plus years it’s been publicly available. In May, Google announced that the platform surpassed 200,000 apps in the Android Market, and a recent tweet from Android chief Andy Rubin claims 500,000 new device activations every single day.

The Good
Google’s main draw rests on its heavily-marketed “open” approach. Although this mainly applies to the open source principles of the Android platform code itself, some of this openness ideal has spilled over into the Android Market. Unlike Apple, for instance, there’s absolutely no vetting process for developers who want to submit apps to the Market. As long as developers follow the relatively lax rules Android has in its submission agreement — no malware, no porn — many types of apps make it in to the store that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to find with Apple. Upload the app and boom — it’s available for download almost instantaneously, no waiting period required.

Not to mention the other open aspect of Android apps: alternative markets. Unlike Apple, which only lets you download applications from its official App Store — unless your iPhone is jailbroken, of course — Android allows the existence of app markets outside of its own. By authorizing installations from “unknown sources,” you can install an app store provided by someone else, right on the phone. And through a process called sideloading, you can transfer apps you download from a website to your Android device either via USB, or by downloading the .APK file independently. Although you run the risk of installing malicious code, it’s far more choice than you’d otherwise get with an iOS device.

The Bad
Despite the burgeoning platform’s promise, developers still have problems making money on their apps. Eighty percent of all paid applications in the Android Market are downloaded less than 100 times, according to a study published by Destino in May.

And even with the flood of Android-powered tablets hitting the market this year, relatively few native tablet apps populate the Android Market. As of early June, only 232 apps created specifically for Honeycomb are available for download through Google’s store.

The Android Market web-based presence isn’t as mature as that of its main competitor. Unlike Apple, which has allowed access to its App Store via desktop or laptop since 2007, Android launched its web store in February of this year.

Google is still working out the web store kinks, too. In May, Android drastically revamped the Market’s front page, highlighting top paid, free, grossing and trending app downloads, among other categories. By contrast, Apple has had much more time to mature its landing page with a three-year head start.


LeapFrog’s LeapPad Tablet Is Just for Kids

LeapFrog's LeapPad tablet has a 5-inch touch screen, a still camera and a video camera.

Today’s kids sure do have it lucky. My idea of a mobile gadget growing up was a Walkman cassette player with a Beach Boys tape inside, or maybe my dad’s wristwatch.

Times have changed. Now, kids are clamoring for their parents’ iPods and tablets, and they just seem to know how to use them as soon as they leave the womb.

But kids aren’t quite as careful with technology as their adult counterparts (as my dad unfortunately found out with his wristwatch). Luckily, LeapFrog has come to their iPad or Galaxy Tab’s rescue with the LeapPad Explorer.

The LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet is a $100 tablet PC encased in kid-proof plastic. It’s a pint size version of mom and dad’s tablet: It’s got a 5-inch display, a still camera and a video camera, a mic, and 2GB of memory.

LeapFrog develops educational toys for children, including a number of youthfully styled (and sturdily constructed) “me too” gadgets for the under 12 set, which in the past have included a digital camera and an MP3 player. The original LeapPad was released in 1999, and was the top-selling toy in the US in 2001 and 2002. The Leapster Explorer handheld gaming device was a more recent product release.

LeapFrog’s new LeapPad runs similarly to its predecessor, the Leapster Explorer, and is cross compatible with its gaming cartridges. Like grown-up tablets, the LeapPad can act as an ebook reader (for children’s books, of course), and play videos. It comes with apps that let kids create and personalize their own stories with photos taken by the device. The LeapPad’s educational games auto-adjust for difficulty level and are available in areas such as mathematics, spelling and phonics. A child-sized stylus even lets kids practice their writing skills.

The LeapPad is intended for kiddos between the age 4 and 9 with versions in pink and green (pictured).

You can pre-order the tablet beginning June 29th, but it won’t be available until August 15.


Scribbly: A Fat Marker-Pen Stylus for Tablets

There seem to be two distinct kinds of capacitive tablet stylus: fat and chunky, or slim and, well, less chunky. The Scribbly falls into the former category, and it is modeled on a regular white-board dry-erase marker, complete with chiseled tip.

It comes down to taste and also hand size, but of all the styluses I have tested I prefer the fatter ones. They’re easier to grip and, for people like us who seldom lift a pen to write more than a shopping list, they don’t tire your pampered fingers as fast. My current favorite is the pencil-shaped Alupen, but the Scribbly is even fatter and therefore — possibly — even comfier.

A cap protects the tip (until you lose it) and the plastic construction keeps it cheap. When it goes on sale, it will cost just £10, or $16. Available “soon.”

Scribbly product page [Scribbly via Oh Gizmo]

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First 4G Android Tablet With Netflix Launches on Outdated OS

HTC's Evo View is the first tablet to run on Sprint's 4G network, and the first to run the Netflix app. Photo: HTC.

It’s a big day of firsts for Sprint. The carrier launched its first Android tablet on Friday compatible with the new 4G “Wi-Max” network. The device is also the first Android tablet out there capable of running Netflix.

Unfortunately, despite being first in line for 4G and Netflix, Sprint’s HTC Evo View tablet ships with the older version of Android: 2.3 (Gingerbread), not version 3.0 (Honeycomb). A future software update will bring Honeycomb, the version of Android made specifically for tablets, to the device.

That speaks to a larger problem of “fragmentation” on Android devices: the inability to implement the platform consistently across multiple types of hardware made by different manufacturers. Fragmentation is also the key reason why Android tablets have been slow getting popular video-streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu onto its devices. It presents a problem for making sure that Digital Rights Management technologies — or applications that make sure you aren’t ripping and recording any of the streaming content you’re watching — function across all devices.

“It’s not one type of gas that goes into every vehicle,” said Netflix head of communications Steve Swasey, in an interview. “DRM isn’t consistent across all Android devices, and unlike the iPad and iOS devices, there’s not one universal solution to it.”

Nonetheless, the HTC Evo View 4G’s compatibility with Wi-Max will be significant for those who want to watch streaming media on their tablet devices, as the speed boost you’ll get moving from a 3G device to 4G is considerable.

The even better news for movie buffs: Unlike the multiple Android tablets that have already hit the market this year, it’s the first Android tablet to run Netflix at launch. The device will essentially come pre-bundled with the Netflix app (after a minor software update upon first powering up the tablet). As of today, only five Android phones are officially capable of running the Netflix app.

“This is a result of extensive testing of the Netflix app on the product to make sure it works smoothly on our network,” a Sprint spokeswoman told Wired.com.

Most tablets released in 2011 so far fall into two categories: Wi-Fi only, the type of device most manufacturers launch first, and a 3G or 3.5G networked device, like the original Samsung Galaxy Tab (on Sprint’s 3G network) or T-Mobile’s G-Slate (which is 3.5G at best). HTC introduced the Flyer, the Evo View’s Wi-Fi-only predecessor, in late May.

Under the hood, the Evo View 4G is no slouch. The tablet sports a 1.5-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, a gig of ram, front and back-facing cameras and a 7-inch 1024×600 screen. It’s also got a stylus pen, which (for a limited time) will be thrown in for free if you buy a two-year contract.

In addition to the Evo View tablet, Sprint also launched the Evo 3D, HTC’s first 3-D-video-capable Android smartphone. The Evo View and Evo 3D are both available in Sprint and Best Buy stores as well as online, for $400 and $200 respectively, if purchased in conjunction with a two-year contract.

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Voltaic Spark Case Powers Tablets With the Sun

Ten hours of sunlight is enough to fully juice your iPad

Solar-powered laptop chargers always seemed a little mis-matched. Using a trickle of Sun-power to juice a thirsty computer is a little like running your big-screen TV from a trunk full of AAA cells. But tablets, which spend much longer away from power outlets, are perfect for solar power.

And the Spark Tablet Case is just the thing. The case, made from PET (recycled soda bottles), has a compartment inside for your tablet plus a bunch of mesh pockets for cables and other sundries. On the side are the solar panels, and these will fully charge the internal battery in ten hours (in direct sunlight).

That battery is the important part, as you could leave this hanging from your tent all day and then plug in your iPad when you get back from a long hike. The power comes out through two USB ports. Both provide 5 volts, one sends out 600mA and the other 2A. You can also plug in pretty much any other device using adapters, and the voltage can be stepped up to 12v for charging camera batteries.

It seems ideal for camping trips, except for the weight: at 1130 grams (around 2.5 pounds), you’ll probably wan to leave this at base camp. Just don’t forget to put it on a sunny rock while you’re gone.

$300, available now.

Spark Tablet Case [Voltaic]

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How Bad Could It Be? The $100 Arnova 7 Tablet

Make sure your parents don’t mistake this for an iPad at Christmas

You know how the only non-iPod MP3 players that people buy are those $10 pieces of junk in dime stores, or by the checkout in cheap supermarkets? I have a feeling that the tablet market is going the same way.

With all the major players struggling to match the iPad’s aggressively low price, it may be left to junk like the $100 Arnova 7, a seven-inch tablet packed with all the latest tech — if we were living in 2005.

The tablet runs Android 2.2 Froyo, has a whopping 4GB storage, a mystery-meat processor, and an 800×480 pixel screen. The screen is — laughably — resistive, just like the ones we used to enjoy on our tablet PCs back in the day. Data can be gotten onto the machine via USB or microSD card, and you can sit back and relax as you watch movies at up to 720p (not bad, if it works without skipping).

And that’s it. What did you expect for $100? You want to know the battery life? Well, it seems that Arnova is too embarrassed about this to tell us. The product specs give both music and video playback time as “up to hours.”

It would be easy to laugh this off as a toy that nobody will ever buy, but the truth is infinitely sadder. Imagine poor little Johnny waking up excited on Christmas morning, tearing the wrapping paper off what he thinks is an iPad, and finding that his clueless parents have bought him this piece of tat instead.

Arnova 7 [Arnovatech via CrunchGear]

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Rumor: Amazon Gunning for a Tablet Release This Fall

A shot of Kindle apps on the iPad. A sneak peak at what we can expect an Amazon tablet interface to look like? Photo courtesy Amazon

It looks like we could be getting an Amazon-branded tablet sooner rather than later, based on the latest reports on the retail giant’s plans.

According to DigiTimes, Amazon will launch its tablet PC models by August or September of this year. The company hopes to push four million units by the end of the 2011 holiday season.

Previous reports suggested that Amazon would be releasing two tablets, codenamed “Coyote” and “Hollywood”, before the end of the year. “Coyote” is tipped to feature an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, while “Hollywood” is purportedly built with Nvidia’s T30 “Kal-El” quad-core processor. DigiTimes claims that Amazon’s tablets will incorporate TI processors instead.

Amazon’s forthcoming tablets will also reportedly be accompanied with their own movie streaming service.

Amazon began its foray into the hardware space in 2007 with the debut of its Kindle e-book reader. Now in its third iteration, Amazon has proven its chops in the mobile device market with a loyal following of Kindle users, even snagging a piece of the iOS and Android party with Kindle iOS and Android apps (and a WP7 app as well).

Amazon solidified its stake in the Android platform in particular with the recent debut of its own Android app store, which would be an obvious choice to have baked in on an Amazon-branded tablet. That, paired with Amazon’s Cloud Drive music streaming service and the rumored movie streaming service, the tablets could be a veritable Amazonian tour de force in the tablet market, if they’re executed correctly.

Market research firms agree: Amazon would be the most credible threat to Apple’s dominance in the tablet arena.

And with Amazon’s focus on non-reading based media and entertainment services, its potential tablet offerings sound perfectly in line with CEO’s Jeff Bezos’ previous carefully-worded statements regarding new products like a tablet (if you need a refresher, he said we should “stay tuned” and that the company “will always be very mindful that we will want a dedicated reading device”).

With the recent rumors and reports, and Amazon’s latest activities, all signs seem to point to “yes,” we’ll be seeing an Amazon tablet in the next few months.

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