Kindle Fire is a tablet contender

It was expected that Amazon's latest tablet device would do well based on presale numbers. But, according to market research firm iSuppli, the Kindle Fire is doing extraordinarily well. In fact, the Kindle Fire is the second most popular tablet on the market with 3.9 million in unit orders this quarter.

Certainly, the boost from Black Friday Amazon.com and Target.com websites have helped swell the sales of the device. There are predictions that device shipments could reach five million units by the end of January or sooner. Amazon's placement and price have been big winners for the new product. A low $199 make it a strong competitor against the iPad--essentially making it far more accessible and thrifty. Also, the holiday launch is perfect timing for the device--essentially boosting the press and word-of-mouth frenzy as a result of the heightened holiday interest.