Amazon could be close to releasing its own tablet PC, according to several sources.
DigiTimes cites information from its sources saying that Taiwan-based notebook maker Quanta Computer recently received orders from Amazon for a tablet. The sources also said that the device's monthly orders during the peak season are expected to reach about 700,000 to 800,000 units, and Quanta is expected to start shipments in the second half of 2011.
Rumors about an Amazon tablet were ignited when the company launched its Appstore for Android in March, which also led to assumptions that Amazon would be using the Android operating system for its product. But gdgt thinks that the retailer could instead be using Android to build a “totally customized experience” integrating Amazon services, much like Barnes & Noble did with its Nook Color.
So where does this leave the Kindle? DigiTimes says that although the Kindle is popular in North America and Europe, it doesn’t do well in the rest of the world, which means that Amazon may now be forced to cut the e-reader's price even further.
