Quote:
Originally Posted by Logseman
Lowering prices is not something you can call "dirty tricks". Dirty tricks are DRM, Sony's rootkits, HTML5 limitations, etc. But Apple has a right to put their things in the market at the price they feel right. The more competition the better.
Plus, I wouldn't imagine QUE competing with an iPad. The PL is much more a niche product than Apple's device anyways.
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What I call dirty business is shocking the competition with a price that breaks the balance of the market; so far big readers, current and newly announced, were priced over $500 and that was considered fair for a black and white, reading only device. The iPad was long rumored to cost at least $899 (again tablets have been traditionally expensive). When they set a low price for a multi-use, big screen device it suddenly creates the illusion of value and makes the eReaders look incredibly expensive.
It is not a matter of rights, as the QUE has the right to survive and perhaps succeed when it enters the market, but what seemed a reasonable price now looks outrageous in terms of cost/benefit. Then again I am glad I am just a customer who will benefit from the inevitable price shift of dedicated eReaders, but I am sure that for companies like Plastic Logic Apple's move was dirty indeed.
What I wonder is how many of the businessmen (QUE's target) that take pride in their Macs or iPhones, or are just drawn by the coolness factor will be persuaded to get an iPad instead and save $150 worth of books (or ~15 bestsellers) use iWorks and enjoy some tunes while they are at it. I guess only time will tell!