MG Siegler:
>Thanks to the “openness” of Android, Google has handed Amazon the keys to the Android kingdom. Amazon is going to launch a tablet that runs Android, but it will be fully Amazon’d. It will use Amazon’s Appstore, it will use Amazon movies, it will use Amazon books, it will use Amazon music, etc. Google will have no control over this, even though it will be the seminal Android tablet. That would be terrifying for any brand.

I have no doubt that this would be bad for Google and a partnership with Microsoft for Bing search to be default would make a lot of sense for both companies. What I think may also be a big threat to Google is this bit from Siegler:

>Like $299 or less cheap. But can Amazon really make a 9-inch multi-touch screen color tablet for that cheap? Unless it’s an absolute piece of crap, that seems unlikely. There’s a reason why all other tablet manufacturers are having problems getting their tablets down to even the key $499 price point.

That would worry me if I made Android tablets, because if Amazon comes in an undercuts other tablet price points two things could happen:

1. Everyone loves it and now expects to get any other tablet at that price. Which, if Android tablet makers have a tough time getting to $499 — well this would be bad news.
2. Everyone hates it because the hardware is junky, but because it is from Amazon a great many bought it. Now everyone starts to get a very bad taste in their mouth about Android tablet quality.

It could also flop and not sell, thus none of this matters — being front and center on Amazon’s site though, I don’t see that as a likely outcome.