Amazon.com recently introduced the much talked about Kindle Fire tablet, a 7-inch tablet available for $199. The tablet has great potential to compete with the iPad with its multi-touch capabilities running on the Android operating system, which has been modified exclusively for the Kindle. Along with the tablets, the retailer also introduced a new line of Kindle cases with a $149 Kindle Touch 3G, a $99 Kindle Touch without 3G and a $79 Kindle Non-Touch.

At the launch, Amazon.com CEO Jezz Bezos said, “We don’t think of Kindle Fire as a tablet. We think of it as a service.”

The new Kindle tablet has 8GB of storage and over 8 hours of battery life with free cloud storage and Wi-Fi. According to some sources, the Amazon tablet is expected to be an instant hit as consumers will find it hard to resist the low price. Tablet. Data from eDataSource, which tracks consumer purchases, reveals that the tablet has already gained quite a bit of momentum with more than 95,000 pre-orders in the first 24 hours of its announcement.

The new Kindle cases are specially designed to protect the tablet against wear and tear. Stylish and inexpensive covers are available for pre-order.

• Charcoal Zip Case – A simple yet stylish zip case designed to protect your Fire tablet from scrapes and scratches. The lightweight cover is available in multiple colors and is priced at $29.99.
• Marware Leather Case, Black: A leather case lined with soft microsuede protects the tablet from scratches and impacts. The cover, priced at $44.99, also doubles as a convenient stand for viewing or display.
• Marware MicroShell Folio Case, White – This is the thinnest and lightest protective case for the Kindle Fire with a slim, hard polycarbonate back and a soft front cover that doubles as a flip stand for hands-free viewing or viewing. The cover is available for $39.99.
• Belkin Verve Tab Folio, Black is a stylish, leather-like cover with a magnetic tab closure that helps protect your Kindle from scratches and scuffs. It has a soft faux fur exterior and a soft anti-screen interior lining and is priced at $29.99.
• Kindle Fire Verso Covers: The well-designed cover provides optimal protection for your tablet with a rugged exterior to guard against external damage and a soft microfiber interior to protect the screen from scratches. Available at $39.99, it is equipped with a 4-corner elastic strap that provides a snug fit without compromising functionality. The collection has different versions like Verso Prologue Cover for Kindle Fire, Tan; Verso Prologue Case for Kindle Fire, Red; New York Times Kindle Fire cover, Liberty Face.

Amazon plans to release a new version of the 10-inch touchscreen Kindle tablet in the first quarter of 2012. Since Apple’s iPad has a 70-80% market share, it’s going to be a tough competition for the Kindle. Amazon.