According to Bloomberg, Amazon is on pace to sell 8 million Kindle e-readers this year, much higher than analysts have predicted.
The news agency cites people “aware of the company’s sales projections,” and says the 8 million sales figure should be hit easily. Analysts, on average, had anticipated 5 million sales.
These same sources also say Amazon sold 2.4 million Kindles last year.
Goldman Sachs had estimated 4-5 million, Caris & Co had predicted 4.8 million and Citigroup, Barclays Capital, BGC Partners LP and ThinkEquity all noted anticipated sales of 5 million.
Amazon recently began selling a thinner, lighter Wi-Fi-only model of their Kindle for $139, seeing strong sales after its launch.
The e-tailing giant has not confirmed the numbers.
Rivals Sony and Barnes & Noble do not disclose their e-reader sales, either.
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Financial firm Goldman Sachs has said today that Apple’s second-generation iPad tablet will include a camera and a mini-USB port.
The device will also be lighter than the current iteration.
Apple may also be planning a smaller device, most likely at 7-inches.
If accurate, the device will fall in line with other new tablets, such as the RIM PlayBook and Samsung’s Tab, both of which have cameras, USB ports and 7-inch diagonal screens.
Goldman’s analysts also say Apple should have no problem fending off new tablets but next summer the real “battle” will begin, when tablets with Android 3.0 are hitting the market.
The new iPad should be released in the Spring of 2011, likely around the one-year anniversary of the launch of the original.
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Palm, the struggling smartphone maker, has said today that the company is up for sale, and already seeking bids.
It is still unclear who would be willing to purchase the company, but HTC and Lenovo are expected to at least bid. Goldman Sachs will be doing the underwriting.
Palm’s shares, which had fallen over 60 percent since February, have rebounded in the last two days, with shares now back over $6, from a low of $3.65 in March.
“Palm still has quite a good brand in the U.S. market, and some strong technology, so you can do something with it,” adds Frank He, a technology analyst at BOC International Holdings Ltd. “The shares have gone down a lot and the company may become attractive to anyone looking for a turnaround play.”
Despite having arguably the best smartphone OS on the market, Palm can barely even give away their Pre and Pixi (and Plus models) phones, with Verizon and Spint needing to slash prices to almost free to get them off shelves.
