Amazon

Roku has added the Roku SD and Roku HD-XR to their instant streaming player lineup, the company announced this week. They now have three models available, the SD, HD, and HD-XR. All players deliver instant entertainment from Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand and MLB.TV.

The new Roku SD player connects to the TV using the included Yellow-Red-White video/audio cable. In addition, the Roku SD player incorporates Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g) and an Ethernet port for broadband connectivity. The new Roku SD is priced at only $79.99 and can be purchased at www.roku.com or www.amazon.com.Read more

Amazon's Kindle Store is coming soon to a computer near you. The new "Kindle For PC" application is available free of charge, with no Kindle device necessary to access the Kindle Store's books and newspapers.

This new app lets you read and purchase new e-books from your PC. It features Amazon's Whispersync technology that automatically saves and synchronizes bookmarks and the last page read across devices. So, now you can read some on your computer, some on your Kindle, and always pick up where you left off. Read more

Samsung just announced that Amazon Video On Demand is available on select Samsung HDTVs via a downloadable widget. Also, Blockbuster's Video On Demand service is now on select 2009 Samsung HDTVs, Blu-ray Players and Blu-ray integrated Home Theater Systems.

Owners of Samsung LCD and Plasma HDTVs Series 650 and above and Samsung LED HDTVs Series 7000 and above can download the Amazon Video On Demand widget for free using the Internet@TV – Content Service feature on their HDTVs.

Specific models featuring the BLOCKBUSTER On Demand service include Samsung Series 650 and above LCD and Plasma HDTVs and Series 7000 and above LED HDTVs. The service is also on Samsung BD -P1600, BD-P3600 and BD-P4600 Blu-ray players, as well as select Samsung Blu-ray integrated Home Theater Systems (HT-BD1250, HT-BD3252, HT-BD7200 and HT-BD8200) via firmware upgrade.

For more information visit www.samsung.com.

Amazon announced yesterday they are lowering the price of the Kindle to $259, down from $299. Also, they added a new Kindle to the line-up—Kindle with U.S. & International Wireless. With the new model, you can wirelessly download content in over 100 countries and territories. It is available for pre-order now for $279 at www.amazon.com/kindle and it ships October 19.

The Kindle with U.S. & International Wireless is just over a third of an inch thin (0.36 inches) and weighs around 10 ounces. The device features a 6-inch electronic ink display, 2GB of memory to hold about 1500 books, and has an experimental Text-To-Speech feature, where the Kindle can read most newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books out loud to you. You can also choose between six different text sizes. Need to make notes, highlight an entry or add a bookmark? You can do that as well.

Kindle with U.S. & International Wireless will be available in over 100 countries on October 19. Pre-order yours now at www.amazon.com/kindle.

Panasonic announced today that Amazon Video On Demand is now available on its entire line of 2009 VIERA CAST-enabled Blu-ray Disc players. If you are a current owner of a Panasonic 2009 Blu-ray Disc player, you will automatically receive a free software update today and can use service as soon as you register your VIERA CAST Blu-ray Disc Player with Amazon Video On Demand.

With Amazon Video On Demand on VIERA CAST, you can:

• Browse and shop for movies and TV shows from Amazon Video On Demand's selection of more than 45,000 commercial-free titles, including the latest new releases and over 1000 titles in HD.
• Enjoy instant playback streamed to your player, no downloading, no waiting and no subscription fees.
• Access and add to your virtual library of purchases, via Amazon Video On Demand's Your Video Library, and re-watch them on any of Panasonic's VIERA CAST-enabled Blu-ray Disc players or online with a PC, MAC or other compatible device.

VIERA CAST also gives you access to YouTube, Picasa Web Albums, Bloomberg News and weather information.

For more information on Panasonic's VIERA CAST Blu-ray players visit www.panasonic.com.

Head on over to Amazon.com and what do you see? Information that the latest Kindle from Amazon, the new Kindle DX, will be shipping on June 10th. The MSRP is $489.

The Kindle DX features a 9.7-inch screen, giving you more screen real estate as opposed to the prior model with a 6-inch screen. Other features of the DX include an Auto-Rotating Screen, Built-In PDF Reader, a Long Battery Life, and the ability to store up to 3,500 books, periodicals, and documents.

Secure your Kindle DX by pre-ordering it now. Is the $489 price tag a bit steep? You can still get the previous Kindle for $359.

The noticeable change in this new device is the screen size. Because with screens – size does matter. 9.7-inch electronic paper display will ensure the reader can see what they are reading. The pre-orders are now open, and the MSRP from Amazon.com is $489. The shipping for the Kindle DX starts this summer.

Textbook publishers are going to offer their textbooks in the Kindle Store as well – which is good news for students. You can store up to 3,500 books on the Kindle DX, and there are more then 275,000 books available in the Kindle Store.

"Personal and professional documents look so good on the big Kindle DX display that you'll find yourself changing ink-toner cartridges less often," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO. "Cookbooks, computer books, and textbooks – anything highly formatted – also shine on the Kindle DX. Carry all your documents and your whole library in one slender package."Read more

Well, well, well...it seems that Amazon just may be working on a new Kindle to be announced as early as this week, per a report in the New York Times today . If you remember, we told you about this possibility just last month. The new Kindle is said to have a larger screen, making it easier to read newspapers and magazines on the device.

Amazon wouldn't comment, but The New York Times (who also wouldn't comment) is expected to be involved in the introduction of the new Kindle. And, interestingly enough, Amazon issued press invitations to an event later this week. Guess we'll just have to wait and see (but not long)...

There is no information on pricing or availability of the new device (as nothing has been officially announced), but be sure to check back...we'll keep you updated.

Amazon announced yesterday that customers can now buy HDTV programming and HD movies from the Amazon Video On Demand service. Compatible devices include the Roku digital video player, TiVo Series3, HD XL DVRs, and the Sony Bravia Internet Video Link. The Amazon Video On Demand library is also now available on Panasonic VIERA CAST enabled HDTVs.

HD movies rent for $3.99 - $4.99. HDTV programming can also be purchased and watched on a PC or Mac (through a compatible device) for $2.99.

For more information on the service, visit www.amazon.com/videoondemand/tv.Read more

Rumor has it that Amazon is already working on a third generation Kindle e-reader device. According to the Wall Street Journal, the new Kindle is going to have a larger screen, designed to make it easier to view newspapers, advertisements etc. It is also thought that the new Kindle will have touchscreen features.

Although Amazon won't comment, speculation has it that the new Kindle will be available in time for the holiday shopping season. This doesn't surprise me given the decline in print advertising and the increase in popularity of digital reading. With a larger screen, newspapers and magazines may have more of an opportunity to get much needed ad dollars. And of course, Amazon would benefit from the increase in sales around the holiday season.

What do you think? Is Amazon working on this too fast, given that the Kindle 2 has only been around a couple of months?