Kindle Fire is launched... Will it swallow Apple

This was published in Economic Times yesterday... pretty interesting read...




NEW YORK(AFP): US online retail giant Amazon unveiled a tablet computer, the Kindle Fire, on Wednesday that costs $199, less than half the price of the cheapest iPad from market-leader Apple.

The Kindle Fire, which has a seven-inch (17.78-centimeter) screen, smaller than the iPad's 9.7 inches (24.6 cm), will be available in the United States on November 15, the Seattle-based Amazon announced at a launch event in Manhattan.


"Kindle Fire brings together all of the things we've been working on at Amazon for over 15 years into a single, fully-integrated service for customers," Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos said.

Presenting the new tablet to the press, Bezos said Amazon is hoping to sell "many millions" and touted the features of a new Web browser in the Kindle Fire called Amazon Silk.




Bezos also unveiled three new Kindle electronic book readers: a new basic Kindle for $79, a Kindle Touch for $99 and a Kindle Touch 3G for $149.

The Kindle Fire has Wi-Fi connectivity only and is powered by Google's Android software. It does not have a camera like many other leading tablets, including the latest iPad.


According to technology analysts, a low-priced Amazon tablet could pose the most serious challenge yet to the iPad, which has dominated the fast-growing market for tablet computers since it went on sale in April 2010.

"Amazon will sell millions of tablets, and the rapid fire adoption of the Kindle Fire will give app developers a reason -- finally -- to develop Android tablet apps," said Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps.


"Apple's place as market leader is secure, but Amazon will be a strong number two, and we expect no other serious tablet competitors until Windows 8 tablets launch," Rotman Epps said.

According to technology research firm Gartner, the iPad will account for 68.7 per cent of the 69.7 million tablets sold this year and will remain the top-selling device over the next few years.

At $199, Amazon is significantly undercutting Apple with the price of the Kindle Fire. Apple's cheapest iPad sells for $499.

"Amazon is competing on price, content, and commerce," Rotman Epps said.

The Kindle Fire comes with a 30-day free subscription to Amazon Prime, whose members pay $79 a year for free shipping and receive other benefits such as unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows.

It also has a pre-installed Amazon shopping application as Amazon seeks to drive Kindle Fire buyers to its online store, which features books, music, movies, TV shows and games.

"Over the past few years, Amazon's customers have gotten used to one-click purchases of books and other published content via the Kindle," independent technology analyst Carmi Levy told AFP.

"(Amazon's) goal is to drive as much business as possible to and through its online retail presence," he said. "Amazon doesn't need to maximize its profits on every tablet sold.

"It'll take thinner margins -- or even per-unit losses -- if that means getting as many Amazon tablets into consumers' hands before the all-important Christmas shopping season," the analyst said.

Technology research firm Forrester has forecast that Amazon could sell 3-5 million tablets in the fourth quarter alone.

Apple sold 9.25 million iPads last quarter and has sold nearly 30 million since launching the device in 2010.

Amazon shares were up 4.16 per cent at $233.54 in midday trading on Wall Street.

Five steps to get headhunted

This was posted at Linkedin by one  of the Headhunting companies.. 

HOW to be offered a job without applying for it. 

1. Be known

Recruiters cannot target you if they do not know who you are or what you do.

Having experience in the industry or holding a significant or well-known position will help to get your name out among potential employers.

Often these methods take time to achieve but there are many other ways to get your name recognised in your industry that require varying levels of time and effort.

These include networking among people in your industry, making professional connections on social media or joining a professional association.

Do your best at work so that when people do hear your name, they will think of you as a good worker rather than as a slacker or being incompetent.

2. Be contactable

There is no point blocking social media inboxes, email addresses or mobile phone numbers to unknown contacts if you want people to find you after they hear about you.

Spread the word by listing your professional contact details on appropriate social media or company websites.

If privacy is important to you, set up a generic email using a public provider for social media or list a general office number as a contact.

You don't need to be contacted immediately but headhunters need to be able to leave a message or get on to you easily at some point.

3. Make yourself an expert

To go beyond having your name recognised in your industry, make yourself respected as a commentator or authority on a subject or industry.

Start a blog, set up a Twitter account or get an article published in your professional magazine.

There also may be opportunities to speak at a conference.

You do not have to be in a senior position at a company or hold years of experience to become an expert just know your subject matter well and target what you have to say to a suitable audience.

Your knowledge may not be accepted by a group of senior executives but may prove invaluable to junior staff or special interest groups.

4. Be obvious

Approach headhunters and tell them you are open to being headhunted if the right position came along.

If the headhunters think you are a good prospect, they will contact you when one becomes available.

5. Know what you want

It can be flattering to be headhunted and if the proposed salary is substantially more than what you now receive, it can be hard to refuse.

Carefully consider all offers.

You may not expect or realise the opportunity that is being provided if you are not active in the job-search market.

Accepting too quickly may cause you to regret your decision later down the line.

Sleep on it and discuss the move with friends, colleagues and mentors.

Also remember if this headhunter has noticed you, others may as well.

How Raghunandan Kamath made Natural Ice Cream a 50 crore business

This article  was published on 9th Jan -ET & was interested in it since it shares about a success stories - one the Rags to Riches stories..
 

We were probably the first to mass produce natural ice cream in the traditional way. We also took the lead in experimenting with unconventional flavours like cucumber and turmeric. We were possibly the first to have an international celebrity like cricketer Vivian Richards to endorse the brand on television without being paid for it. That's a lot of firsts for the son of a fruit vendor from Mangalore. It just goes to show how passion and perseverance pay.

Kamaths Ourtimes Ice Creams, better known as Natural Ice Cream, has come a long way from the time I started it nearly 30 years ago. Perhaps my real journey began in school when I assisted my father in selling fruit and developed a fondness for fruit. I wasn't a bright student-I barely managed to clear the 10th standard from a Kannada-medium school in Mumbai. So when I turned 19, my family decided that I would help out my elder brother, who operated a south Indian restaurant in the city.

It was here that I first thought of serving something unique as a dessert-a blend of fruits in ice cream. Being the youngest in the family, my suggestions were often turned down, and so was this one. But I was convinced about the concept, so when I parted ways with my brother 10 years later, I decided to open my ownice cream parlour. The timing was not entirely favourable.

I had just got married and did not have the money to start a business. But my wife Annapurna supported and encouraged me, so I borrowed around Rs 4 lakh from friends and relatives. With this I bought and refurbished a 250-sq-ft outlet at Juhu, where most of the Bollywood and small-screen celebs reside. That's how the first outlet of Natural Ice Cream was launched in 1984.

There were no ice-cream outlets in those days and, unlike today, ordinary people didn't go out to have desserts; only the rich did. To form a broader customer base, I decided to serve pav bhaji and follow it up with my special ice creams. The place was very small and most of the cooking had to be done at my home. My wife managed the tedious task of grinding the masalas and making the curry. We also started blending fruits such as mangoes, custard apple, jackfruit and tender coconut. The customers lapped it up.

A year later, I stopped serving pav bhaji and dedicated all the resources to the ice cream business. Theturnover in the first year was just around Rs 1 lakh, but we did not lose hope. I employed five or six people to make ice cream in the traditional way and these staffers doubled as waiters. What worked in our favour was the word-of-mouth publicity.

Within two years, we had the top movie and television celebrities as our clients.

In 1986, I was watching The Sunny Days, a TV programme anchored by cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. During the interview, Vivian Richards, the former West Indian cricket captain, mentioned that he had been to the Natural Ice Cream outlet and liked the Sapodilla (chikoo) and custard apple ice cream. It was such a thrill, such an unexpected back-thumping for us.

However, we have faced enough challenges too. In 1994, a key staff member decided to quit and set up an ice cream unit in the same area.

I realised that unless I expanded and made my brand's presence felt, my business would end. So I took a loan of around Rs 65 lakh from Saraswat Bank and bought a 5,000-sq-ft space at Mira road, a western suburb in Mumbai.

This acted as my factory unit. I then employed 15-20 people and started making ice cream on a bigger scale. I also decided to distribute five franchises in Mumbai. My turnover in 1994 grew from a few lakhs to around Rs 3 crore.

Today, we have 100 outlets across the country and serve around 100 varieties of ice cream. We travel frequently, constantly seeking new recipes, and many of them are developed in my kitchen. Some have even been suggested by our customers.