Recently, we learned that the HP TouchPad was worth about $99, hundreds of dollars less than production cost. Now, analysts question the value of
the ballyhooed Blackberry PlayBook from RIM. The ailing makers of Blackberry smartphones and dud-tablets now have discounted the PlayBook by $200 at Staples. This reduces the cost of the entry-level model to a bargain-basement $299. However, this will not boost sales.
Who would buy a PlayBook?
Every gadgeteer must ask the same question, “Why would anyone buy a tablet device that is not an Apple iPad?” The answer is, “No one would every buy a Blackberry PlayBook unless it was almost free.” The entire world now knows that a non-iPad must sell for about $100 to generate a significant demand, so why would anyone pay $299? Who cares if they get $100 discount plus an instant coupon? The thing is a D-U-D… a dud.
Gee, thanks Amazon!
Just as RIM hopes suckers will buy their piece of crap tablet for $299 from Staples, Amazon chimes in with its own Kindle Touch, Kindle Touch 3G and Kindle Fire tablets. These babies are amp’ed up Kindle Readers with more bells and whistles AND a price lower than the Blackberry Playbook. This device comes with the name recognition of the famous Amazon reader and comes with Android, an operating system that at least runs and has apps available for it, unlike the PlayBook OS.
Kindle Tablet, Ho Hum…
Even with the famous Amazon Kindle nomenclature, the new Amazon tablet will not likely attract crowds on its release Wednesday. The market has spoken, yet manufacturers continue coming up with these lame devices that bomb time and time again.
Repeat after me…
Those of you who have not learned the lesson, repeat after me:
People buy the Apple iPad because it is an Apple iPad, not because it’s a tablet. People buy the Apple iPad because it is an Apple iPad, not because it’s a tablet. People buy the Apple iPad because it is an Apple iPad, not because it’s a tablet. People buy the Apple iPad because it is an Apple iPad, not because it’s a tablet.
Get it?
A new Motorola Xoom is due out (or is it a Google Xoom now?), but that company apparently loves punishment. It has not lost enough of its a$$ to capitulate.
Computer makers should not even think about wasting precious natural resources and suicidal Chinese slave laborers until they can deliver a tablet device for about $99. Only then will markets listen.
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