What does Amazon have?They have a vast amount of content, solid payment relationships with millions of users, an existing Android app market that can be leveraged, a good reputation for their hardware products, and surprisingly effective channels for promoting products.In an interview with Reuters, Jason Krikorian, partner at venture capital firm DCM and former co-founder of SlingMedia, stated this.The formidable Amazon already has e-readers and tablets, and may even launch a smartphone. So what’s the next step? Naturally, it's a TV set-top box. According to sources from Reuters, Amazon is planning to roll out a device this fall that will bring its video offerings into living rooms across the country.This set-top box can be connected to a TV, allowing users access to Amazon's video support. The menu includes the latest movies and TV shows, while the Instant Video service is free for Prime members.Currently, the set-top box is being developed by Amazon's Lab126 department in Cupertino. The project gathers many experienced experts. The leader is Malachy Moynihan, former VP of Emerging Video Products at Cisco, who worked at Apple for nine years during the 80s and 90s. Other team members include Andy Goodman, former senior engineer at TiVo and Vudu, and Chris Coley, former hardware architect at ReplayTV.It’s easy to imagine that the arrival of this set-top box will provide Amazon with the most direct way for users to access its video products on their TVs. This new product will inevitably compete with Roku, Apple TV, Boxee Cloud DVR, etc. Amazon's biggest advantage, however, is its content.Amazon's efforts in the video field should not be underestimated. Earlier this week, it introduced 14 pilot TV shows, all financed and produced by Amazon. By monitoring consumer feedback, Amazon decides which shows to produce as full series. Additionally, the company secures exclusive streaming rights through paid agreements, such as for "Downton Abbey." Not to mention the video products available in its store.Many set-top box devices can already receive Amazon's video services, but it remains unclear whether Amazon's set-top box will welcome competitors' video streaming services once launched. Another unanswered question is the name of the new set-top box; considering Amazon's five-year history in hardware, calling it Kindle TV wouldn't be surprising. An Amazon spokesperson declined to comment on this news.Using content to pave the way, and hardware to consolidate channels, you can't stop Amazon's progress.Cover image from: wired