Pricing info leaked for the HTC Thunderbolt and the Motorola XOOM

[vernontwg]

notion ink adam, here i come!

 

[TheOldFart]

My strategy may be to wait until, say, September and then pick up the Thunderbolt at a lower price. In any event, Motorola is NOT part of the equation for me.

-Mike

I can't say a locked bootloader is really a deal breaker for me, but if I get something like the Bionic and then Ice Cream is a leap for the OS (like docking capabilities, or improvements in mirroring, you know real tablet/PC replacement potential)....That would be hugely disappointing.

The phones won't be obsolete and will still be perfectly functional....But nothing is more frustrating than having technical specs to handle an improved OS upgrade and simply not get pushed it.

And I'll just circle back to whining about 512mg ram. Google may try to keep Android from becoming bloated, but that is always going be in direct opposition to adding features to enable Android to do more and more. Ohh, look, people want Android to run a tv, their home security system, car starters, the cofee maker, etc....Well, that's more code that needs to be added.

It's not just the locked bootloader for me. I have real, personal animosity towards Motorola and wish them only the worst luck, as a company. I'd like to see their market share drop to next to nothing - THAT would make me very happy.

-Mike

Wishing for Motorola or any other phone company to fail is just wishing for less competition and less innovation. Increased competition is what drives innovation. The same for people hating Apple. If it were not for the iphone, the products we have now would be 2 years behind where they are. I'm not an Apple fan, but they drive the market and are the driver behind new products from other companies.

 

[UNC]

I can't say a locked bootloader is really a deal breaker for me, but if I get something like the Bionic and then Ice Cream is a leap for the OS (like docking capabilities, or improvements in mirroring, you know real tablet/PC replacement potential)....That would be hugely disappointing.

The phones won't be obsolete and will still be perfectly functional....But nothing is more frustrating than having technical specs to handle an improved OS upgrade and simply not get pushed it.

And I'll just circle back to whining about 512mg ram. Google may try to keep Android from becoming bloated, but that is always going be in direct opposition to adding features to enable Android to do more and more. Ohh, look, people want Android to run a tv, their home security system, car starters, the cofee maker, etc....Well, that's more code that needs to be added.

It's not just the locked bootloader for me. I have real, personal animosity towards Motorola and wish them only the worst luck, as a company. I'd like to see their market share drop to next to nothing - THAT would make me very happy.

-Mike

Wishing for Motorola or any other phone company to fail is just wishing for less competition and less innovation. Increased competition is what drives innovation. The same for people hating Apple. If it were not for the iphone, the products we have now would be 2 years behind where they are. I'm not an Apple fan, but they drive the market and are the driver behind new products from other companies.

Especially since the original Motorola Droid is the only reason that Android EVER gained traction.

 

[Kag Pirate]

You guys completely disregard the fact that any nice smartphone costs $600... If you pay $600 for a phone, why is $800 for a tablet a stretch?

From reading the posts I get the impression that you guys think a tablet should costs less than a phone.... That makes sense how?

I understand what you are saying but it's really the point that you can do about the same with the phone, so for me whats the point of getting a tablet. That bigger then a phone and paying another 600 or what ever it will be. Where as I can spend that money on a laptop and take all my home computer programs with me still surf the web, edit docs read e-books, play games, ect. Knowing I understand the pricing systems, I just think it's a waste of more money. IE I also think our phones are over price as well as phone service for cell phones. Not saying paying 99.99 for my wife's Droid was a fair price and mine was free. I recall the Razer phone costing 500.00 to 600.00 when it first came out over 5 years ago. New tech for the time but, way over price. Not much in cost to manufacturer these phones has changed in 5 years, yet the prices are still hovering at 600 and might be moving up. It all boils down to to government fair pricing laws / Fees / taxes / and the money to be made. I'm not one to say thats not right or wrong. I would say lets lower the phones and tablets cost over all, I bet more would buy. I know other factors are at play for pricing these units I just fell it's over the top.

But I would rather pay 600 out front for my phone and pay less per month on a service plans. Some might not like that idea, hurt my wallet one time and ease it for how ever long I have a contract or month to month.

How much a smartphone really cost.
By Mark Sullivan, PCWorld Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm
(does not talk about tablets, but gives an idea what one might cost.)(Note these are subsidized phones lol and old well to me.)

I read this awhile back and if the 3,800 + or - for a 2 year contract pricing is about right. I would save the cost for a tablet and the cost over a two year contract and buy a laptop 2 years later. I'm poor :icon_eek:

Also I would love to have a tablet I'm a nerd for these things, but cannot see the current and over long range price to have one. WiFi version priced at 500 to 600 might win me over, might.

 

[Kag Pirate]

It's not just the locked bootloader for me. I have real, personal animosity towards Motorola and wish them only the worst luck, as a company. I'd like to see their market share drop to next to nothing - THAT would make me very happy.

-Mike

Wishing for Motorola or any other phone company to fail is just wishing for less competition and less innovation. Increased competition is what drives innovation. The same for people hating Apple. If it were not for the iphone, the products we have now would be 2 years behind where they are. I'm not an Apple fan, but they drive the market and are the driver behind new products from other companies.

Especially since the original Motorola Droid is the only reason that Android EVER gained traction.

+1 for both of you.

 

[gadgetrants]

Regarding pricing, just wanted to note that Best Buy has an ad out on the Samsung Galaxy Tab this morning (it might be a print error) at $399. This is the 3G model, btw. Committment is month-to-month, so cancel after the first month and you're free and clear.

The point is not "everybody should get one" but "this is what happens in a crowded tablet market." Trust me...$800 for the XOOM is pure marketing logic: lead high then drop like a stone. (I remember how much I cried the first time I saw the Droid for a penny.) That puppy will be $400-$500 before summer ends.

-Matt

 

[gadgetrants]

Regarding pricing, just wanted to note that Best Buy has an ad out on the Samsung Galaxy Tab this morning (it might be a print error) at $399. This is the 3G model, btw. Committment is month-to-month, so cancel after the first month and you're free and clear.

The point is not "everybody should get one" but "this is what happens in a crowded tablet market." Trust me...$800 for the XOOM is pure marketing logic: lead high then drop like a stone. (I remember how much I cried the first time I saw the Droid for a penny.) That puppy will be $400-$500 before summer ends.

-Matt

OK, now let me get off my soapbox--after doing a little more research on BBs website--and say I think the $399 is probably a low-ball: doesn't show up in the ad, but on the store website in the ultra-fine print it turns out that month-to-month is $499. I suspect they'll get some heat on that today.

-Matt

 

[electric6]

Dell opus one? maybe, I would much rather HTC make a phone with a 5" screen, but if the tb is too popular I'll just get the Opus One.

 

[MoeDaddy]

Price, well yah it's too high but I imagine the market will take care of that and competition will also help tablets settle into a lower price point.

My biggest issue with tablets is that there is no real need for them, they don't do anything exceptionally well and they do many things mediocre at best. Typing on a tablet is a PITA and if you need an external keyboard well why not just use a laptop?

My other issue is locked down tablets... Computers are totally customizable but tablets for the most part will not be, so basically we are at OEM and provider's mercy (if 3g/4g) for updates where as a laptop we get them directly from the OS developer. We can choose to upgrade or not but we have a choice. Tablets on the other hand, it appears anyway, will not be so open. OEMs all want a piece of the pie with their own locked down app stores and preinstalled software deals... Consumers need to make a stand but unfortunately most are too short sighted and with the kings of the walled garden being the leader in the segment it will probably stay the way it is... Too bad...

 

[elc331]

800 dollars? such a waste.

 

[sb1831]

800 dollars? such a waste.

And yet people still purchased the top end iPad without some of the specs of the Xoom... such a waste indeed