Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 37

Isn't it about time the Edge price was cut?

I was just wandering around on Handspring's site, and I noticed that the difference between a Platinum and an Edge is $150. Yikes! Considering that both of these units are pretty much identical internally speaking, is a thinner case design really worth $150?

I think this is the kind of thing that's killing Palm. If you want a more expensive flagship unit, make it better internally as well as externally. For instance, Apple's G4 PowerBook vs. the iBook. The PowerBook is $1000 more expensive, but it's got a much better processor, a bigger screen, it's lighter, AND it's in a thinner, sexier case.

Since the Edge's advantage is mainly cosmetic, how many people are going to shell out the extra money just for that? I'm sure there are some, but there would be a lot more people shelling out a LITTLE more, say $325 ($75 more than Platinum).

It's okay to make your new unit expensive for a little while. But eventually, all the nuts who want the "latest and greatest" already bought it, and those of us who are on the fence about it need a little incentive.

I think it's time to retire the Visor 2MB. Make the Deluxe the bottom of the line, then Platinum, then the Edge, then the Prism (which also needs a price cut--say $375?)

I don't want to tell Handspring how to do its business (they obviously knew a lot to get this far). I'm just worried that people are going to consider PDAs expensive toys as long as they're such, well, expensive toys.

And Pocket PCs are starting to look less and less ridiculously expensive, as top-of-the-line Palms get more and more expensive. I guess that's another reason why Palm is losing market share.

Make no mistake about it, Palm dominated the Handheld market because they were cheap. The simplicity thing was just an excuse people who went cheap made to make themselves feel better about being cheap.

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mrjoec
www.mrjoec.com

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

Not really. It's solid competition for the m500, which retails at the same price. Do I want it priced lower? Yes. Is it worth every cent as is (to me). Yes. Handspring already has their "cheap" handheld, which is the main product propelling their share of the market upward. As long as HS keeps an eye on the lower end of the market, their upper end is all icing to them.

Why do you think they should retire the 2MB version and keep the deluxe and platinum? Your product line-up sounds quite odd to me.

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 37

I'm thinking...

I'm thinking that compared to the Deluxe, the Platinum is faster, has a newer OS, and has 16 greys. That makes it worth the extra $50.

The Edge simply looks better and is smaller than the Platinum. That's not worth $150.

The 2MB visor is past its prime. Even as an entry-level product, 2MB is pretty skimpy.

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mrjoec
www.mrjoec.com

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 2531

I think the 2MB version will always have a niche. There will always be the person who needs just a PIM. Why even keep the deluxe around? Shouldn't processing power simply be an upgrade to existing lines (as opposed to an entirely different product)? I have how I'd handle HS's lineup in this thread.

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-Joshua
Abortion: Darwinism at its finest.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 441

Didn't the edge just come out? I don't think we'll see the edge discounted for awhile. How long did it take them to discount the VDX?

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You know it's bad when your Calculus Professor uses the word "Unpossible"

"It's a long way from my thoughts to what I'll say, It's a long, long way from paradise to where I am today." -Switchfoot, Home

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 560

The edge is only expensive when people don't buy it. I sure if sales slip the price would come down.

A case could be made to stop selling the deluxe, especially if it can't be sold for 150.

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Felipe Garcia
Happy Treo 600 user, so far. Thanx Cingular for having an unlocked phone.

My Treo 600 is my phone, my PDA, my watch, and my MP3 player. Oh yeah, I take a picture once in a while with it. Convergence is such a great thing.

Registered: Mar 2001
Location:
Posts: 72

PalminfoCenter just posted a $100 rebate on the Edge!