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Electrical retailer Dixons has said that it is waiting on Amazon to confirm the release date in the UK of its tablet device Kindle Fire, despite yesterday predicting that it would be one of its bestselling items this Christmas.
Online tech news site the Inquirer said a representative for the group confirmed to them that the Kindle Fire would go on sale “around October”, but did not specify a date or a price.
The electronics retailers this week unveiled a rundown of predicted bestsellers this Christmas, including Google’s Nexus 7 tablet and the Apple iPad. Dixons said it expected the Kindle Fire to be the sixth bestselling item, with Google's Nexus 7 tablet predicted to come in at number three.
A spokesperson from Dixons refused to confirm the launch date to The Bookseller, indicating that the wishlist was based on expectations within the industry, rather than an actual planned launch. The spokesperson said: "We are waiting for Amazon to confirm the details of a Kindle Fire launch.”
The Kindle Fire, a 7-inch tablet version of the company’s e-reader, has been on sale in the US since November 2011, and sells for $199 (£129).
Although the Kindle Fire is mentioned in the Dixon Christmas Wishlist it was conspicuous by its absence from the Amazon Christmas Wishlist, which was showcased at an event for media this week. When asked when the Kindle Fire was likely to be released in the UK, an Amazon spokesperson said there was not yet a confirmed release date.
On the list of books Amazon thinks will be popular for Christmas were The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling (Little, Brown), Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals by Jamie Oliver (Michael Joseph), Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger (Simon & Schuster), Brazil by Michael Palin (W&N), Walliams by David Walliams and Cheryl Cole’s autobiography, yet to be announced, from HarperCollins.
Amazon was voted Britain’s favourite brand, ahead of Google, the BBC, and Marks & Spencer. A YouGov poll put the online book retailer at number one for the first time after being rated for quality, value and customer satisfaction.