??? 上周，亞馬遜（Amazon）高調而自豪地發(fā)布了Kindle Fire HD系列產品。

????憑借全系列的新款平板電腦、電子書閱讀器和關注消費者需求的產品功能，亞馬遜就像美國職業(yè)摔角聯(lián)盟（WWE）中使用的“攻擊波”（smack-down）一樣勢不可擋。這家電子商務領域的霸主盯準了消費者的錢包，直面競爭，在一個新興市場建立新的據點。

????亞馬遜上周于圣塔莫尼卡舉行的產品發(fā)布會上，該公司的Kindle Fire平板電腦在7英寸和9英寸兩條產品線上同時發(fā)力，以期狙擊谷歌（Google）的Nexus 7和蘋果的iPad。顯而易見，亞馬遜已經做過市場研究，并且知道自己擁有獲得成功所需的消費者影響力（以及自有的云計算基礎設施）。這是一家真正圍繞價格和便利開展零售業(yè)務的公司，在具備了這種特質的情況下，亞馬遜已經準備好在節(jié)日銷售季大展拳腳了。

????然而，亞馬遜還需要解決一些問題，包括它與內容提供商簽訂的既昂貴又具有挑戰(zhàn)性的合同，“同室操戈”的可能性，以及整體上的內容銷售。幸運的是，平板電腦仍然是一個新興的細分市場，其商業(yè)模式可謂五花八門。既然所有主要的消費類科技公司——蘋果（Apple）、谷歌、微軟（Microsoft）、三星（Samsung）和亞馬遜——不僅身處同一塊擁擠的競技場，而且各自的步調也差不多，因此，看到眼下其中一些公司變得越來越激進是一件極為有趣的事。

????蘋果專注于產品設計和利潤率——這體現在其零售價格上。但即便是蘋果也不愿放棄中端市場。正如傳言所說，蘋果將在10月份發(fā)布一款小尺寸的平板電腦。至于產品尺寸變小后蘋果的利潤空間將會受到多大程度的擠壓，這一點還有待觀察。另一家主要廠商谷歌將攜Nexus 7主攻以量取勝的低端市場，那里的情況就跟傳統(tǒng)的PC市場類似。

????亞馬遜在小尺寸平板電腦的身上看到了機會。去年，在這個沒有精通客戶服務的主要品牌廠商涉足、以及沒有主要內容提供商競爭的領域，亞馬遜激發(fā)起了消費者們得到更實惠體驗的渴望，于是Kindle Fire應運而生。

????以下是亞馬遜為什么能夠以及為什么會進入這些領域的原因：

關注消費者需求

????其他廠商很容易覬覦iPad——它是一款非常出色的設備，但過于昂貴。如果一款售價200美元的平板產品配備了高清視網膜屏幕，并且可以輕松地用一手掌握，那它將具有強大的吸引力。對那些支持亞馬遜在線零售模式的人來說，情況更是如此。購買一臺iPad的花費可以買下兩臺售價200美元的小尺寸平板外加年費79美元的亞馬遜金牌服務（Amazon Prime，該服務可以讓消費者在一年內享受無限制的流媒體視頻內容和免費的兩天送達服務）。

????有多少人討厭在節(jié)日期間去商場購物？金牌服務為那些并非以平板媒體內容為中心的產品提供了助力。作為大賣場型的零售商，亞馬遜除了流媒體服務以外還在其他家居用品上展開競爭，如今消費者的錢包也因此捉襟見肘。

????不過，如果消費者就是希望購買iPad那樣的大尺寸平板，同時又不想花那么多錢呢？定位中端市場的8.9英尺Kindle Fire HD系列起價為299美元，其中有一款以iPad為競爭對手。它支持4G LTE，包含數據套餐在內的價格稍高一些（549美元）。

????谷歌，還有蘋果，你們接招吧。

????Last week, Amazon brought it loud and proud.

????With a full slew of new tablets, e-readers and consumer-minded features, Amazon (AMZN) is in full WWE-style smack-down mode. The online commerce overlords are screaming for your wallet, pointing directly at the competition and establishing another foothold in a young market.

????At its latest product announcements in Santa Monica last week, the company expanded on its Kindle Fire tablet line in the 7-inch and 9-inch space looking to undercut Google's Nexus 7 and Apple's iPad. What is evident is that Amazon has done its market research and understands it has the consumer clout (and its own cloud) to build on its own success. With a truly retail penchant around price and convenience, Amazon is primed (unintentional pun) to crush holiday sales.

????There are, however, some issues to contend with: expensive and challenging contracts with content providers, potential for 'cannibalization', and overall content sales themselves. Luckily, tablets are still an emerging segment with business models all over the map. Now that all the major players of consumer tech -- Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Samsung, and Amazon -- are not just at the same crowded playground, but at the same set of swings, it's incredibly fun to watch how aggressive some companies are getting.

????Apple focuses on design and profit margins reflected in its retail pricing. But even Apple can't stay out of the mid-range market, as it is rumored to be announcing a smaller tablet in October. It remains to be seen how much profit will compress as Apple's version gets smaller. With the Nexus 7, Google, the other major player, is going after the low-end volume sales of tablets similar to the traditional PC market.

????With smaller tablets, Amazon saw an opportunity. Last year, in a place where no major brand with a knack for customer service or major content offers was competing, the company opened up a stream of customers eager for a more affordable experience. The Kindle Fire was born.

????Here is why Amazon can and will play in the these spaces:

Customer focus

????It's easy to covet the iPad -- it is a gorgeous device, but it is pricey. A $200 tablet with an HD retina screen that you can easily hold in one hand is mighty appealing, especially if someone is already sold on the way Amazon works as an online retailer. It is possible to buy two smaller tablets at $200 and an Amazon Prime subscription for $79 for less than the cost of one iPad (membership includes streaming movies and free two-day shipping on everything for a year).

????How many people despise shopping at the mall over the holidays? Prime helps with non-tablet media-centric products. As a superstore retailer, Amazon competes on household items beyond streaming services. The dollar has now been stretched.

????But what if a customer wants a larger tablet like the iPad but doesn't want to spend that much? The mid-range, 8.9-inch Fire starts at $299 and one priced like the iPad that includes 4G LTE and some data is included at a higher price point ($549).

????Google, Apple: You have been served.