Nonsense. People buy a Versace dress because they are one-of-a-kind. They are exclusive in the sense that only few of one model of dress are made. It’s similar to cars; you pay a lot more for a Ferrari than for a Toyota, yet Toyota is the better car (Toyota is the most reliable brand in the world). Why do you pay more for the Ferrari? Part is better performance, but that doesn’t account for everything. The biggest part is rarity: the rarer a good, the more expensive it gets. Same goes for the Versace dress.

This leather case is a mass-product. It’s not rare, it’s not a limited production run, everyone can get one. For most Ferraris, you actually have to be invited to buy one, because only a few hundred of each model are made. This stupid leather case is in no sense different than competitor’s cases alse made out of leather, yet Apple is purposefully pricing these things so high because it knows there are enough stupid people out there who wil shell out the €99,- (yes, it’s even more expensive here).

You are ripping of ANY customer when you ask this kind of money for such a pointless mass product.

Yup, and that’s exactly what I do.

> or haven’t tried any competing game system

I also own a recent Gameboy. The gameboy has a 50 Mhz CPU with 256 KB RAM with a DSTN screen. The PSP has to power a 3D gfx card, a 250 Mhz CPU and 32 MB of RAM, and on top of that, a 4.1″ TFT screen and WiFi. If you think that you need the same battery power for both systems, you are in denial. The PSP has a 1800 mAh battery, and that’s the best it can have for that size. It is ALREADY a big battery. And in my experience, the PSP delivers a solid 5 to 6 hours of 3D gameplay, and that’s a *very* good battery life.

If your PSP doesn’t deliver that, then you have a deffective device.

>yes, there is a difference, subtle perhaps but important.

Maybe for you. Not for me. At least not for my non-native english tongue.

the psp has battery life that is a fraction of the life of the gb, gba, gba sp or the ds. it is similar to the atari lynx, turbo-grafx express, game gear, neo geo pocket or wonder swan in that it is technically better than the ds but you are constantly swapping in batteries if you continually play the system… but that is getting off the main point.

companies can charge whatever they want to charge. if you don’t like it don’t buy it. you can bitch about it all you want. that seems to be what the internet was made for.

however, the difference is that insisting it is a ripoff doesn’t make it a ripoff. a ripoff is not getting something you paid for (if you want to get semantic it means “to ROB; CHEAT; DEFRAUD; STEAL”). if folks who bought the leather holder feel they got what they paid for then they aren’t ripped off, no matter how much it cost to make or how much they paid for it.

you think there is a big difference between designer shoes and a cheap pair of nike’s? you think versace makes stuff out of leather from golden calves? no. same stupid leather used for no-name walmart shoes. people are willing to pay a lot for some things because they have a perception of value. you may disagree with this perceived value but if they are deluded into thinking it has that value ($99) then it has that value. at least to those people. don’t get me wrong, i don’t think these things are worth $99 but i know others do and they will therefore sell and those folks will likely be very happy with them.

btw, i have absolutely no problem with critiquing, i just think your phrasing should be different… try “i don’t think this is worth $99 bucks” instead of “apple is ripping people off”.

yes, there is a difference, subtle perhaps but important. the difference is one makes you sound like you are making a critique and the other sounds like you are a blowhard.

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/human-skin-laptop-bags

If the PSP with its Mhz CPU, 3D graphics card, MD and MSD slots, Wifi, 32 MB of RAM and beautiful LCD screen costs $250, and a PIECE OF SKIN costs just more than 1/3 of that price, then there is something really, REALLY, wrong with that piece of skin. Maybe it is indeed created by skin of dragons: http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7002/ipodcasejoke3km.jpg

We are consumers. We do have the right to CRITIQUE these new products that are rubbed against our faces and eyes all day long through the TV or the web or spam. If they don’t want us to critisize them, then they should not do press releases or advertise their products. Sorry, but I (and others) will never stop commenting on good or bad products.

the point is that you and no one else have absolutely any obligation to purchase these products. if apple is taking people for idiots then let them be taken because they are after all idiots.

is it not silly to accuse apple of wrongdoing for pricing too high and being labeled ripoff artists? and many corporations do have followings and many of them sell products at what some might consider ridiculous prices.

for instance the psp is an expensive gadget that seems to be designed by a committee of baboons. yet amongst many it has a huge following despite it’s obvious faults (crappy battery life, slow loading time, sorely lacking quality games, etc.).

do people call the psp a ripoff because it costs $250 and obviously needed some work to smooth out the rough edges? no. people either buy it or they don’t (or they rant/rave about it or the ds online).

get over yourself.

It doesn’t get any worse than that.

the market will decide, with people being sheep or not.