Thread: Pocketbook's new models announced
View Single Post
Old 08-21-2010, 03:23 PM   #55
Forkosigan
Wizard
Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.Forkosigan knows who John Galt is.
 
Forkosigan's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,836
Karma: 71344
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Dresden
Device: Pocketbook Touch (622)
Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres View Post
The time to talk about price is *after* they're announced. When we know the size, weight, and full specs.

If we *must* talk price now, though, bear in mind that there are *two* baselines to consider:
- Low: Kindle DXG. That's US$379 for a connected 10" eInk reader, 4GB storage, no expansion.
- High: iPad. That's US$499 for WiFi-only/$599 for 3G for 10" color multifunction device with touchscreen.

From there, you start making trades on the consumer value of eink vs color LCD, weeks of battery life vs one-day charge, and the value of apps and widgets.

For the 901 (unfortunately no longer an option for consumers), which had been announced for around US$350 (90% KDX price) this was a clear trade-off; lighter, smaller, SD expandability and PB software platform vs Kindle Plaform and connectivity and Pearl screen. Not a bad deal. Eagerly awaited.

902/903? they look to be the same general size as KDGX. No Pearl screen.

- 902 offers WiFi and bluetooth, SD expandability, PB Software platform. Value? comparable to KDX. Price had better be within 10% of KDXG and safely under iPad territory. Risk? KDXG is *not* going to be US$379 forever. It is easy to see KDXG hitting US$299 by next spring at the latest.

- 903 adds touchscreen and 3G. Added price would be expected. Perhaps as much as another US$100. And that would bring it within iPad pricing range. Anybody willing to pay extra for a touchscreen might just be willing to pay extra for color. This is dangerous territory; the probability of volume sales declines with increasing price. Quality sells, but quality sells *less* than value.

In auto terms: Lexus/cadillac vs Honda.

Current Pocketbook models are priced Honda-like; not price leaders but with careful mix of features and a good value proposition. Adding features and adding cost brings risk of adding more cost than value.

I'll reserve judgment until I see the pricing.

But at this point I just might be more interested in the Pocketbook IQ (if it does come with Pocketbook software) than the 902/903.

We'll see, I guess.
Thanks.
Forkosigan is offline   Reply With Quote