Just pulled the trigger on the 64GB version. I came real close to picking one up at a retailer yesterday for $399.99 and would have had to pay sales tax. Blackberry store offers free shipping too! SWEET deal!!!!
This is starting to feel like a product dump. Usually that means it is discontinued or, there is a new model comming.
I wonder the same as well, but I would think if it was a product dump, they would be discounting the 16 and 32 below $299.00? I am hoping that this is more like an inventory blowout as they may be low in supply on the smaller versions and big on supply of the 64.
Maybe to sustain some momentum before the 2.0 update?
If the update is as good as promised, any chance the price may go back up a bit after it's released?
I wonder the same as well, but I would think if it was a product dump, they would be discounting the 16 and 32 below $299.00? I am hoping that this is more like an inventory blowout as they may be low in supply on the smaller versions and big on supply of the 64.
Well i as well wondered about that, but I think RIM has too much at stake with the playbook and committed to it too deeply- not to mention what would happen to the stock if they admitted another failure.
Personally i think the playbook is salvageable, it just appears that they ran into too many roadblocks (and poor management and lack of focus and a mission statement i suspect is at play)... All this device needs is the OS to be completed (even the crackberry podcasters admit this device had come out as betaware).
I feel RIM is trying a new strategy... they spit out the playbook originally and figured the developers would come running, but as we know now they didnt; I suspect the devs have all have collectively told rim "we do well with android and ios, prove to us we have a market in qnx or we wont bother"... so voil�, rim is flooding the market with them to increase the customer base and in doing so will attract developers. You will notice the last devcon seemed to be all about android porting and attracting android developers... hmmmm....
It would be interesting to know the approximate cost to build each PB model. With the HP TouchPad, it was generally accepted that the "fire sale" prices amounted to a straight-out loss on each unit for HP, which was fine since they were discontinuing the product and wanted to recoup what they could.
The question is: With RIM, can they have 16GB Playbooks selling through at $199 without taking a total bath on the deal? Taking into account the smaller screen size (vs. TouchPad) but also the superior build quality? In other words, can they at least break-even and thus use this as a "loss-leader" scenario to grow market share and (hopefully) attract developers?
If they can pull this off without dipping into TouchPad-is-toast pricing territory, then I think they may have a workable strategy. Clearly, the inventory is moving at the new price points (16GB and 32GB units are now all but impossible to find), this despite the obvious "is it being discountinued?" reservations being expressed on forums like Crackberry.com. If OS2 is a winner, and they evolve the hardware while honoring their commitment to us early adopters, then all will be forgiven.
I also saw this as a very good deal (64gb) and was tempted. As both an iPad1 and Playbook 16gb ($189 at Shopblackberry last month) owner, I decided to save the $299 for down payment on the 10" iPad 3 with retina display due out in February. Although Playbook is ok, I really think the iPad 3 will be a technical leap way beyond Playbook with money better spent there.
The question is: With RIM, can they have 16GB Playbooks selling through at $199 without taking a total bath on the deal? Taking into account the smaller screen size (vs. TouchPad) but also the superior build quality? In other words, can they at least break-even and thus use this as a "loss-leader" scenario to grow market share and (hopefully) attract developers?
RCK
Definitely bath time. The bill of materials *alone* is just north of $200 for the 16 gig (? $208). Add in all the other expenses beside the raw parts cost (manufacturing, shipping, something for the retailers etc etc etc) and it's plain to see how bad it is.
People who see this price as a "strategy" are giving RIM far too much credit. Calling it a "loss leader" is revisionist history at its finest. It is plainly a late realisation that this product is a flop and that getting something for their mountain of unsold Playbooks is better than waiting and getting nothing. Time and technology march on.
I also saw this as a very good deal (64gb) and was tempted. As both an iPad1 and Playbook 16gb ($189 at Shopblackberry last month) owner, I decided to save the $299 for down payment on the 10" iPad 3 with retina display due out in February. Although Playbook is ok, I really think the iPad 3 will be a technical leap way beyond Playbook with money better spent there.
More or less my plan as well. If the 64 gig model were $75 or so cheaper it would
*almost* be worth it as external SMB storage with benefits. As it is, I am using my 16 gig as a stopgap device until the iPad3 is out and proven, assuming it comes with the 2048 x 1536 (!) screen. I really like the Playbook screen, but 2048 x 1536... If true it will be something to see.
Well I returned my $199 16 GB PB today right after I ordered the 64 GB version from shop BlackBerry. This is an incredible deal and I was originally looking for the 32 GB version.
Below the scratched out and replaced with $299 prices for the 3 models, you will again see the prices and also the savings spelled out:
-----------------------------------
ON SALE: $299 (16GB, 32GB, 64GB)
SAVE: $400 (64GB), $300 (32GB), $200 (16GB)
SALE ENDS: 2/4/2012
-----------------------------------
The 64 gigs aren't selling in any quantity even at the sale price of $399. Consumers see the 16gig at $199 and aren't willing to pay *double* (previous sale price of $399) for the same speced device with nothing more than a memory upgrade. How can RIM dump these 64 gig devices? The above prices are their latest attempt. It may even work. $500 to $200 (0.4 times the original price) moved the stagnant 16 gigs to some extent. $700 to 300 (0.42 times the original price) may move the 64 gig boat anchors as well.
Putting all 3 memory configs at the same price guarantees that any sales they can muster will draw down their fossilised 64 gig supplies.
This is really starting to smell like a "going out of the tablet business" sale. Ditch whatever they've got on hand however they can do it. Next step after letting these prices run to try to deplete the 64 gigs (which presumably they produced in smaller overall quantities) will be swapping the firesaliest (look Ma, new word) price to match remaining inventory. Finally, tuck tail between legs and try to survive as a handset maker.
Those who think they are going to these extremes to clear the way for a new, improved tablet are delusional. The present tablet has greatly contributed to bringing RIM in its present form to the edge of ruin. Getting a new tablet project going would *never* get past RIM's board or investor groups. There would be a full fledged revolt.
The PlayBook will serve as a cautionary tale in business courses for years and years.
From what I recall reading, there's only a small number of 64gb made, compared to the 32b and the 16gb...wonder what this new strategy is (and what they are planning to do in other jurisdictions).
I think they will basically try to sell off all the 64gb and then stop making it. There are very few tablet manufacturers that can sell a high end 64gb model...
From a cost perspective, the 64gb model isn't THAT much more than the 16gb and 32gb...and totally not worth the extra 200 bucks. Those in the US, get your 64gb now! I have mine and it's been great!
