Kindle Fire owners not a happy bunch?

The Kindle Fire was announced to a fanfare of publicity a little while ago so how is it selling? Well, estimates are that Amazon has sold something like 3.9 million this quarter, so not too badly. However, reports are coming out that all is not well with the tablet device. Philip Elmer-DeWitt reports for Fortune that the device has received low ratings from many owners on Amazon’s site.

Checking for myself I can report that it has an average rating of 4 stars so that’s good, isn’t it? Well, he reports that there are a lot of 1 start ratings (513 our of  when I checked). In addition there are a lot of  2 star ratings (330) and 3 star ratings (455). He makes the point that Amazon (unlike Apple) doesn’t report actual sales to investors, so its difficult to know exactly how many it has sold. As mentioned above, estimates of around 3.9 million have been made, against 18.6 million iPads in the same period. The key number is how many are returned by unhappy purchasers. Truth is only Amazon know and they aren’t saying, unsurprisingly. However, he estimates that around half a million of those 3.9 million will eventually be returned, on the basis of those 1 star ratings.

Cup of tea anyone? Would you like chips with that madam?

In case you think I have just lost my marbles and gone stark raving mad, let me explain. Back in the 1950′s there was a British catering company called J Lyons and Co, who not only ran a chain of tea shops, but sold biscuits and started a chain of fast food restaurants known as ‘Wimpeys’. Now, before you go away wondering what on earth I am going on about, let me tell you that this company kick-started the whole Business IT industry. That’s right, they were ahead of the rest of the world in creating a business computer that was the first one in the world. Called LEO, this computer was introduced to the world 60 years ago.

You can read all about this sadly neglected innovation on the Telegraph’s website. There is also a video below:

iPad may finally have a worthy rival?

Sony has announced its answer to the iPad with its S1 and S2 tablets. The designations are interim, no word yet as what names each model will actually have when it hits the stores.

The first thing one notices about them is that the two models are quite different. The S1 model is the most iPad-like in that it is a single screen with a black surround. The S2 model has two screens (hence ‘S2′ I suppose).

Sony says that the S1 model is “optimized for rich media entertainment”, whilst the S2 is “ideal for mobile communication and entertainment.” My first thought on this is that by having two separate devices Sony is already dividing its market. Apple has stuck with one basic device with just the memory and Wi-Fi/3G capability to distinguish the models from one another in the range. I can see this approach being a problem for Sony if it really does want to be No. 2 in the Tablet market.

Looking at the features of each device, we find that both models will be based upon Android 3.0, will come with WiFI and WAN (3G/4G) capability and  will be able to play PlayStation® titles.

As far as the differences between the devices go, obviously the screens are the main difference. The S1 has a 9.4-inch compared to the S2′s dual 5.5-inch screens. The S2 folds in the middle as it is hinged between the screens, in a clamshell design. It has been described as looking like a “squashed burrito” when closed! The S1 has a wedge-shaped design, which Sony claims makes it more comfortable to hold for extended periods.

More detailed specifications have yet to be confirmed. indeed, Sony says on its site (see image above) that the design is “subject to change”.

Whether we are truly looking at a worthy competitor to the iPad remains to be seen. Sony has certainly got a worthy track-record when it comes to designing cool looking laptops but it remains to be seen whether it can bring the same design capability to bear on the tablet market.

Enterprise adopting iPhones and iPads

It seems that enterprises are  adopting the iPhone and iPad in increasing numbers. What’s good news for Apple is that Android is comparatively nowhere. A report by Good Technology shows that the Motorola Droid lags far behind the iPad in terms of activations by Good Technology’s customers. The release of the Verzion iPhone has also significantly boosted the adoption of the iPhone too.

Their full report gives further details of the success of the iPhone and the iPad in the enterprise  market. It makes interesting reading and can only be seen as further good news for Apple in its battle against the Android platform.