ugh... unfortunately, when the big guys fight, its the small guys that suffer!
As someone who works in the airline industry, its something i know all too well.
I personally still think that Astak offers more than A LOT of the competitors do. But then again, I am reasonably gadget-savy, I did my research. I knew what features were most important to me, so as a result i am VERY happy with my choice.
I can get Kobo here in Australia now for $199, but i still would rather pay extra and a get a feature-rich reader.
But to be honest, out of the general population, how many customers bother with an in-depth research?? How many will simply walk in the shop and buy Kobo upon seeing that magic 199 number?