Kindle News: WSJ says that Amazon is testing a smartphone with its suppliers

      The Wall Street Journal says Amazon's reportedly already testing its smartphone

The Wall Street Journal's Lorraine Luk in Taipei writes today that Amazon's working with component suppliers in Asia to test a smartphone (presumably their own).

  As always, "officials at some of Amazon's part suppliers" declined to be named, but they said that "mass production of the new device may start late this year or early next year."

  It's said that the screen of the phone currently being tested "measures between four and five inches."

Greg Bensinger in San Francisco contributed to the WSJ-Asia Technology report.

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CNet quotes an analyst on supply-chain info re 4 new Kindle Fires. Smartphone being readied?

CNET now says that four Kindle Fire 2 tablets are on their way

CNET's Brooke Crothers cites NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim, saying that Shim gets his information from sources in the "supply chain."
What Shim sees: '

• 7-inch Kindle Fire 2:  1,024x600 display, no camera; August production.
  
• 7-inch Kindle Fire 2:  1,280x800 display with camera; August production.
  
• 7-inch Kindle Fire 2:  1,280x800 display with camera and 4G; September production.
  
• 8.9-inch Kindle Fire 2:  With 1,920x1,200 display; Q4 production. '

First, the #1 item on their listing (all these are said to be based on orders from makers) is more likely continued production of the to-be-cheaper $149 current model rather than of the Kindle 2.

  I see no reason for Amazon to be doing a new Kindle 2 with the current display resolution and no camera.  But it's been said they do plan to continue the current model as the economy model, which means they have to keep ordering it too.

  The one coming out sometime in August would be the one with a 1280x800 display with camera.

  And, as Apple did with their first iPad, they may add a 3G/4G model afterward; in this case, Shim is "seeing" - September for production.

  The 8.9" one by the yr-end 4th Qtr Holidays -- all this needs to be taken with a grain of salt, remembering that recent CNet rumors were that the 10" one was coming year-end and that they were not moving after all on an 8.9" one.  Since this is SAID to be based on orders from companies, this would seem stronger, but these things have been said before and didn't materialize.  It could go either way, but I'm pretty sure they plan something larger by the Holidays for those who are not interested in the 7" size.

One thing for sure.  Amazon won't be standing still.

Bloomberg says Amazon plans a smartphone as well
Bloomberg assigned three people to this story: Tim Culpan, OlgaKharif and Ashlee Vance
The story is that Amazon is developing an Android phone that would go up against Apple.  Foxconn International Holdings Ltd is working with Amazon on the device, according to "two people with knowledge of the matter."

  Amazon is said to be working on acquiring patents covering wireless technology, but they're not commenting on this.  The writers also say that Mark Mahaney, a Citicorp analyst, had said back in November that Amazon was planning to release a smartphone.  Many others said this as well.
  The Bloomberg story explains it quite a bit more.

  Those who want to read even more speculation on this should go to Computerworld's story by IT blogwatcher Richi Jennings, who put together a collection of information and speculation he found.

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Current Kindle Models for reference, plus free-ebook search links

US: Kindle Fire  7" tablet - $199 Kindle NoTouch ("Kindle") - $79/$109 Kindle Touch, WiFi - $99/$139 Kindle Touch, 3G/WiFi - $149/$189 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189, Free, slow web Kindle DX - $379, Free, slow web

UK: Kindle Basic, NoTouch - £89 Kindle Touch WiFi, UK - £109 Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi, UK - £169 Kindle Keyboard 3G, UK - £149   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB

OTHER International Kindle NoTouch Basic - $109 Kindle Touch WiFi - $139 Kindle Touch 3G/WiFi - $189 Kindle Keybd 3G - $189   Keybd: w/ Free, slow 3G WEB

Check often: Temporarily-free recently published Kindle books
  Guide to finding Free Kindle books and Sources.  Top 100 free bestsellers.  Liked-books under $1
UK-Only: recently published free books, bestsellers, or £5 Max ones
    Also, UK customers should see the UK store's Top 100 free bestsellers.

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Below are ways to Share this post if you'd like others to see it.
-- The Send to Kindle button works well only on Firefox currently.

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(Older posts have older Kindle model info. For latest models, see CURRENT KINDLES page. )
If interested, you can also follow my add'l blog-related news at Facebook and Twitter
Questions & feedback are welcome in the Comment areas (tho' spam is deleted). Thanks!