NOOK Color Running webOS, Kindle Smartphone Coming?

When Amazon launched the first Kindle device a few years ago, not many folks knew what to expect. The company has come a long way with its products over the years. It has now released a bunch of new tablets and e-readers with more on the way. It seems to have killed of the Kindle DX recently as well, showing a shift in the company’s strategy when it comes to the education market. Amazon is hell bent on making products that tempt users to buy more things from it. So the idea of a Kindle smartphone is not too far-fetched.

Amazon could potentially buy Texas Instruments’ mobile processor (OMAP) business soon. That would give Amazon more control on what goes inside its tablets. But it could also help with the company’s smartphone plans. By owning its own chip line, Amazon may be able to cut its costs. Considering that its main focus is on selling content, a Kindle smartphone could very well be on the cards.

Speaking of tablets, the NOOK color used to be one of the better ones around. The device may be a bit outdated but Ping-Hsun Chen has managed to get Open webOS working on it on top of Android. webOS was known for its beautiful and intuitive interface. Unfortunately, it died a horrible death the day HP discontinued the TouchPad. This looks like an exciting project but won’t breathe new life into webOS.