this tablet will destroy not only kindlefire but also the other android supplyers tablets. perhaps the google has changed their strategy that aims to compete against the MS Surface and iPad by its ownself. poor samsung who created some decent android tabs contributed raising android tab shares.

Since I bought a smart phone with android that requires me to have a google account to use my calendar app whether or not I want to use the cloud to store my contacts for the world to hack into, I will never buy a crappy android or google product. Unfortunately it looks like Windows 8 is the same requiring a Windows Live Acc. More than creating something cool they all including apple want your personal data to sell to others or to advertise to you stuff you don't want or need and in some places causing you to pay for the advertising in bandwidth fees. The whole thing is a big scam in my opinion. Android being based on Linux I am sure its a far cry from what Linus Torvels original vision for the OS.

scoobydoo,

Yeah unfortunately in order to use their calendars, have to sign up for Windows Live, Google, or Apple's Me.com.

Anyways, ASUS is a very reliable hardware tech, so at least this won't be shortchanged in hardware quality. We'll see how this pans out.

Let the competition begin! IPAD is way too over priced now, and a bit of competition will force them Apple folk to lower their prices, IMHO.