Copying others doesn't just constrain a company to others' frameworks, it presents legal issues too. As we've seen in the case of Apple vs. Samsung, creating devices that have any similarity might be more than a tad problematic.
Not only are there legal costs to contend with, vendors can have their devices banned from sale altogether, even if it's just one tiny feature that infringes on a patent.
If the device launches without any patent problems during Amazon's teething stage in the tablet market, the Kindle tablet has a much greater chance of success.
For the sake of its own wellbeing, and for the market itself, Amazon needs to stay away from the patent wars. To do this, it will need to keep a close eye on the plethora of court cases involving Android right now.
One necessary first step will be in removing the feature in Android which was infringed on by Samsung's Galaxy Tab. If the device launches without any patent problems during Amazon's teething stage in the tablet market, the Kindle has a much greater chance of success.
Again, for business users, it means wider and (hopefully) better choice.
Low entry-level cost
Many tablet manufacturers have shot themselves in the foot with pricing. As HP showed with the fire sale of TouchPad devices, offering consumers a tablet at a low price will attract punters in their droves.
All Amazon has to do is produce a low-price entry-level device for the typical consumer as well as a high-end, pricier equivalent for the power-hungry business user.
It sounds simple, but few manufacturers have adopted the model, instead opting to produce a range of similar devices, the difference between each one only being in the 3G and capacity specs.
Why not offer some really exciting additions in a premium model, whilst ensuring the low-end offering does enough to keep the average tech user happy? It's another area where Amazon can set itself apart, not pander to the Apple way of thinking.
