M+E Exclusive

In its ongoing drive to leverage its position as a media machine, the web was abuzz all day over several confirmed and rumored announcements from Amazon.

First the real news:  The online retail giant announced earlier today that it has expanded its content licensing agreement with NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution, adding hundreds of popular and award-winning TV episodes to Prime Instant Video, including prior seasons of Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica and more.

“We are thrilled to have several of our iconic programs available to subscribers of Amazon Prime, a service focused on the best possible consumer experience,” said Frances Manfredi, President, Cable & New Media Distribution for NBCUniversal. “We look forward to further expanding NBCU’s content offering available to Prime subscribers in the near future.”

Now for the rumors:  The company sparked a wildfire (no pun intended) of interest in their plans to expand their device business when it invited the media to attend a press conference in Santa Monica on September 6th.  No details were forthcoming but that didn’t stop the buzzosphere from wondering if it a new Kindle Fire or a Smartphone — or both — are on the horizon.  And don’t think anyone overlooked the fact that the event is being held in LA with the six studios and major independents a short commute away.  Not surprisingly, several blogs have reported that the device is code-named Hollywood.

A second generation Kindle Fire seems to be a no brainer with the holiday buying season right around the corner.  CNET reported earlier today that it’s  a “good bet” that the press conference will feature a new Kindle Fire (or maybe multiple units and an e-ink Kindle with a built-in lighting option).  The tech news agency has been on this story for a while since they learned earlier this summer from a source that the next generation Fire would overcome reviewer complaints by including a camera and physical volume-control buttons as well as a higher resolution display and a variety of memory options..  A bigger screen unit that would take on the iPad is also a much-rumored possibility, while Amazon’s ability to  leverage its Prime Video library and content delivery power by subsidizing the cost of the unit or even offering a special advertising-supported version could also be a play.

And now for the real juicy stuff:  What if Amazon also used this press conference to really go after Apple with its first smartphone?  This has been the buzz all summer long since Bloomberg News set this story in motion in early July when it reported that Amazon was working with Foxconn on an Android and media-savvy smartphone device that was maximized to play movies, music and books.  In the litigious world of mobile devices, building up a war chest of patents and a team of patent-smart executives are considered the first and vital steps toward delivery of a digital device and this is exactly what Amazon has been doing all year long.

Then again, don’t expect Apple to sit still and take these announcements on the chin. While an announcement of the iPhone 5 is imminent (latest date is Sept. 12), the other buzz that would likely complicate any Amazon Kindle Fire 2 launch is the other big rumor in the mill of an iPad Mini that would enhance the device’s portability and affordability at the same time — and complicate things further for Google’s Nexus 7Either way, today’s Amazon news further emphasizes how vital a role Hollywood is playing in the launch of the next generation personal devices.