On Oct 7, 2011, at 10:05 PM, Wojtek S wrote:
> http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/02/10/apple-can-build-a-500-ipad-for-240/
>
> [WS:] Please note the boutique pricing scheme - the "high end" (64GB w
> 3G) model costs $116 to produce, but its retail price is $330 higher.
>From the article:
> Note that these estimates do not include R&D, patent-holder royalties, advertising or any of the other costs associated with bringing a high-tech product to market.
Considering that Apple's gross margin is said to be about 40% I have serious doubts about the data shown in the article.
> Functionally, Ipad is piece of shit in my opinion, far inferior to a
> netbook that sells for $270 but does not have a "boutique" appearance.
Netbooks are an answer from Intel and Microsoft to the challenge that was posed by Negroponte when he said he'd be able to create a $100 notebook. Before XO, there was nothing close to the netbooks. Intel and MS realized that the way they were milking the consumer cow was starting to show too much and they decided to promote the plastic turds that you refer to as being "functionally" superior to the iPad.
> It is difficult not to see an appeal to snobbery/class status here,
But then, why did not we see people hanging around with tablets in the wild before the iPad ?
JC