The one thing Microsoft and Mfg's aren't talking about is Pricing...

[Dethzilla]

I'm sure we can all agree that we want a Windows 8 Tablet more than we want anything else.... I mean... I literally can't wait. I've seen the RC run on some Windows 7 Tablets and it's pretty incredible. However... the Windows 7 Tablet costs about $1000.

If Windows 8 Tablets Release and they aren't priced between $250-$600... I will probably get an Ipad. I also think at the higher pricepoint... the tablets will fail at the consumer level. Mfg's really need to start hinting at prices and if it's higher than current tablet Market they really need to justify why it's going to be worth it. I'll be kinda upset at the fact that I'm holding off on my purchases only to find that they're priced like Mac Book Pros.

 

[vp710]

The ARM version of Windows should be within your price point but the Intel ones will be priced more like a MacBook Pro.

 

[jdevenberg]

I think this is specifically why MS is now developing for ARM. An ARM based tablet will be able to come in at iPad like prices. The only Intel tabs that may come close to the $600 mark are low end Atom based tabs, and that experience may not be that great.

 

[fatclue_98]

I think this is specifically why MS is now developing for ARM. An ARM based tablet will be able to come in at iPad like prices. The only Intel tabs that may come close to the $600 mark are low end Atom based tabs, and that experience may not be that great.

A game changer would be an Intel x86 at ARM pricing. Atom really put a hurt on MS's rep with the netbook fiasco so forget that. Keep the ARM tablets at the Kindle Fire price point and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[jdevenberg]

I agree that an x86 at ARM prices would be a game changer, but there would have to be compromises elsewhere to get there. Be it a crappy screen, cheap build, low ram, or something else.

 

[fatclue_98]

I agree that an x86 at ARM prices would be a game changer, but there would have to be compromises elsewhere to get there. Be it a crappy screen, cheap build, low ram, or something else.

Would there really? HP proved that at the right price point, anything will sell regardless of opinion. To wit, the Touchpad. Fine piece of equipment but was priced the same as the iPad. Along comes the fire sale and people went bonkers, still are. Devs went to work immediately on porting CM7 because there was a rush on these things. If OEMs are serious about wresting the crown from Apple, they're going to have to eat some profit in the beginning and establish a foothold in the marketplace. Crappy screen res and low RAM ain't gonna do it. JMO. I do agree with your original post but in this greed-oriented corporate world, I just don't see it.

 

[jdevenberg]

Would there really? HP proved that at the right price point, anything will sell regardless of opinion. To wit, the Touchpad. Fine piece of equipment but was priced the same as the iPad. Along comes the fire sale and people went bonkers, still are. Devs went to work immediately on porting CM7 because there was a rush on these things. If OEMs are serious about wresting the crown from Apple, they're going to have to eat some profit in the beginning and establish a foothold in the marketplace. Crappy screen res and low RAM ain't gonna do it. JMO. I do agree with your original post but in this greed-oriented corporate world, I just don't see it.

They only sold TouchPads at that price because they were clearencing them out. The difference between other OEM's and Apple is that Apple makes money of off the ecosystem, other OEM's don't. HP can't sell a tablet barely above cost or even at a loss (like Amazon) because their profit from the sale of the device is the only profit they will see from it, they don't get money from app sales or subscriptions or music sales or anything else that people do with the device. So yes, there would have to be a compromise. To get iPad level hardware with an x86 processor would cost more, because the processor costs more. It would also either need to be thicker or have worse battery life because x86 chips cost more. To keep the same thinness they would have to use thinner (and more expensive) screen tech that would again raise the price of the device. Being a vertically integrated ecosystem is the only was Apple is able to sell its tablets for the price it does and still make huge profits off of them.

 

[Nataku4ca]

well, u guys might be happy to know the mid-high range acer 700 is looking to be priced at 799, which means we will probably see cheaper options as well

there are laptops/ultrabooks selling at 399 and they just need to add a touch panel to that (and they are i7 devices as well) so i don't think getting a low priced tablet would be much of an issue

 

[btgusto]

ARM will be aggressively priced. I don't believe any ARM tablet will be over 700$ The Asus 600 I think will be price around the same and the android cousin.

 

[jdevenberg]

Where are you getting your price info for the Acer 700? That is a device I am seriously interested in.