($AMZN) Amazon.com Inc plans to unveil a cheaper, smaller $250 rival to Apple Inc's iPad tablet device in November, industry blog TechCrunch reported on Friday.

Sporting a back-lit 7-inch screen -- smaller than the iPad's and about the same as Research in Motion's PlayBook -- the device is geared toward playing music and movies off the Internet, the tech blog reported.
TechCrunch, which said it had played with a testing prototype, reported that the plan was for Amazon to offer Amazon Prime -- its $79-a-year Internet streaming service -- for free along with the gadget. It did not cite any sources.-Reuters