From lawmakers to testers, new reports about the Kindle Fire’s Silk Browser talk about speed and privacy.
More (and more) websites talk about Amazon’s new Android-based tablet, the Kindle Fire. Apparently, it is one of the cheapest Android tablets in the market right now, and using Google’s highly popular operating system has added more excitement.
But not all are praising the new Kindle Fire. In fact, a US lawmaker has asked Amazon for clarification regarding the new tablet’s Silk Browser and if it violates the privacy of the consumers. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass) wrote to Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezoz last month, asking the company if it protects the privacy of its customers. Representative Markey mentioned a New York Times article which revealed the ability of the Silk Browser to “collect and utilize information” a Kindle Fire user’s internet surfing and buying activities because the browser is connected to Amazon’s cloud server.
According to Amazon, the technology behind the Silk Browser was used to enhance the user experience of the tablet, allowing web pages to load faster. Apparently, Markey is not convinced.
After Black Friday, Amazon finally has responded to the congressman’s queries, and assured the public that the company is protecting the privacy of its customers. Amazon’s Vice president for global public policy, Paul Misener, wrote in a 2-page letter that the architecture behind the Silk Browser is for enhancing the performance of the browser, and it was designed to respect the privacy of the customer.
Misener added, “Customers care how information about them is used, and we work hard to earn trust in that regard.”
The letter also confirmed that the Silk Browser collects browsing information, but the company assured the representative that the logs are not associated with the customer’s identity. The Silk Browser also logs web addresses, Misener said, adding that Amazon keep all information related to the web addresses for 30 days only. The letter also include the web address of Amazon’s Privacy policy notice.
Meanwhile, A Fox News article is claiming that the Amazon Kindle Fire’s Silk browser is not accelerating the web browsing experience, adding that the technology used by Amazon is delivering slower web loads. The news agency said the four popular websites they tested loaded faster with Silk’s acceleration feature turned off. The article doesn’t include a video to provide evidence, but similar tests posted by YouTube users suggest the opposite.
It is worth noting that the Silk Browser is the native web browser used by Kindle Fire, while Google’s Android operating system offers its own native web browser. Kindle Fire is using a custom version of Android, and the user interface was tweaked to include Amazon’s app store and other web offerings only.
Via House and via Fox News. Follow Carlo Raphael Diokno via Google+.
Search for more Amazon Kindle Fire and Android articles:
Kindle Fire and iPad 2: No Cyber Monday Deals
Kindle Fire: Amazon’s Cyber Monday Star?
Kindle Fire vs iPad 2, Nook Tablet: The Black Friday 2011 edition
More (and more) websites talk about Amazon’s new Android-based tablet, the Kindle Fire. Apparently, it is one of the cheapest Android tablets in the market right now, and using Google’s highly popular operating system has added more excitement.
But not all are praising the new Kindle Fire. In fact, a US lawmaker has asked Amazon for clarification regarding the new tablet’s Silk Browser and if it violates the privacy of the consumers. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass) wrote to Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezoz last month, asking the company if it protects the privacy of its customers. Representative Markey mentioned a New York Times article which revealed the ability of the Silk Browser to “collect and utilize information” a Kindle Fire user’s internet surfing and buying activities because the browser is connected to Amazon’s cloud server.
According to Amazon, the technology behind the Silk Browser was used to enhance the user experience of the tablet, allowing web pages to load faster. Apparently, Markey is not convinced.
After Black Friday, Amazon finally has responded to the congressman’s queries, and assured the public that the company is protecting the privacy of its customers. Amazon’s Vice president for global public policy, Paul Misener, wrote in a 2-page letter that the architecture behind the Silk Browser is for enhancing the performance of the browser, and it was designed to respect the privacy of the customer.
Misener added, “Customers care how information about them is used, and we work hard to earn trust in that regard.”
The letter also confirmed that the Silk Browser collects browsing information, but the company assured the representative that the logs are not associated with the customer’s identity. The Silk Browser also logs web addresses, Misener said, adding that Amazon keep all information related to the web addresses for 30 days only. The letter also include the web address of Amazon’s Privacy policy notice.
Meanwhile, A Fox News article is claiming that the Amazon Kindle Fire’s Silk browser is not accelerating the web browsing experience, adding that the technology used by Amazon is delivering slower web loads. The news agency said the four popular websites they tested loaded faster with Silk’s acceleration feature turned off. The article doesn’t include a video to provide evidence, but similar tests posted by YouTube users suggest the opposite.
It is worth noting that the Silk Browser is the native web browser used by Kindle Fire, while Google’s Android operating system offers its own native web browser. Kindle Fire is using a custom version of Android, and the user interface was tweaked to include Amazon’s app store and other web offerings only.
Via House and via Fox News. Follow Carlo Raphael Diokno via Google+.
Search for more Amazon Kindle Fire and Android articles:
Kindle Fire and iPad 2: No Cyber Monday Deals
Kindle Fire: Amazon’s Cyber Monday Star?
Kindle Fire vs iPad 2, Nook Tablet: The Black Friday 2011 edition
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