Amazon wades into the US video streaming market
Amazon has announced a new partnership with Viacom which allows Amazon Prime members and Kindle Fire owners to stream unlimited television onto their devices.
Extending Amazon's partnership to include streaming puts them ahead of the race against Netflix and the new Verizon and Redbox partnership as the retail giant looks to capitalize on a market wanting more TV on demand.
Amazon overtakes HMV as UK's top entertainment retailer
Amazon is now the UK’s number one entertainment retailer in terms of market share, according to new figures from Kantar Worldpanel.
The company took 22.4% of the market for videos, games and music in the 12 weeks ending December 26 2011, while HMV had a 17.5% share.
Amazon rumoured to be opening shop on the high street
Amazon is said to be opening a trial brick-and-mortar store in Seattle to see if a chain of shops could be profitable.
Though this might seem like a step backwards for Amazon, the need to give its tablets and e-readers a physical shop window seems to be the main motivation.
Are group buying companies money pits?
There are a lot of skeptics when it comes to whether merchants should use group buying sites like Groupon.
For good reason too: there are enough horror stories to demonstrate that heavy discounting and lots of customers can be a really, really bad combination.
But the viability of group buying sites themselves is increasingly called into question. Groupon, the 800 pound gorilla of the space, went public last year, giving everyone a glimpse into is finances. Finances which showed lots of revenue but heavy losses.
Amazon contemplates competing with Netflix
Netflix was once one of the highest-flying internet media companies around.
That all changed in 2012 when its CEO, Reed Hastings, decided that the days of requesting DVDs by mail were numbered.
The future of his business was streaming. To push consumers into the future, Hastings had to break 'DVDs by mail' and 'streaming' into two separate services, each requiring a different subscription.
B&N discounting, giving away NOOKs to sell content
In the battle for the future of the tablet market, Amazon - with the Kindle Fire, may be a top contender for the lead row. But another retailer, Barnes & Noble (B&N), isn't ceding anything to its etail rival.
Yesterday, it announced that customers who pony up $120 for a one-year subscription to the digital version of PEOPLE Magazine will receive a $50 discount on the NOOK Tablet, bringing its price down to that of the Kindle Fire ($199). Customers who purchase a $240 annual subscription to the New York Times (NYT) can have a NOOK Simple Touch for free, or a NOOK Color tablet for $99.
CES promises plenty of tablet action
The International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES as it's widely referred to as, begins tomorrow.
While it may be losing its "clout", it's still one of the biggest venues for companies to launch their new products at - and CES 2012 will be no different.
Can Google take on the Kindle Fire and NOOK?
Amazon's Kindle Fire was one of the hottest consumer electronics products this holiday shopping season. It was so hot, in fact, that according to investment bank Morgan Keegan, Amazon's new tablet may have displaced as many as 2m iPad sales.
And the Kindle Fire has company. Barnes & Noble's NOOK Color and NOOK Tablet devices are selling well, prompting speculation that the bookseller may spin off its NOOK unit after missing its sales targets.
Technologists don't get the Kindle Fire
If you've been reading the headlines about the Kindle Fire lately, you might be surprised to learn that Amazon has already moved millions of units of its tablet and is now the proud creator of the best-selling Android tablet.
Web usability guru Jakob Nielsen isn't a fan, and went so far as to say that he felt, "the Fire is going to be a failure."
Retailers have bigger problems than Amazon's Price Check app
Amazon wants your business this holiday shopping season. If you use its Price Check app while you're out shopping on December 9 or 10 in the US, the e-commerce giant will give you a 5% discount on up to three products you 'price check' - for up to $15 in total savings.
Understandably, brick-and-mortar retailers aren't exactly thrilled. In fact, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) appears downright angry.
