Laptop Thoughts: News & Reviews on Laptops, Netbooks, Slates, and More.

"The word is out. That cool Android-based iPad killer coming out from Motorola? The XOOM? It's going to set you back eight Franklins if you want to buy one. That's $800.00, 9,566 pesos, 881,000 won or 5,275 yuan, for those of you keeping track."

And at roughly $800.00 USD, that isn't a price point to compete with the iPad. This is especially true when you factor in the absence of WiFi on the device, and this article isn't the only one pointing this pricing problem out. But what went wrong here with Xoom and why aren't they able to get their pricing point to a level to compete with the iPad? One reason is the control of the Apple supply chain. Apple has been doing this for years, investing heavily in technology such as their own A4 chipset, and leveraging price points by buying in bulk. In fact, the prediction is that by 2012 they are expected to be the largest purchaser of semiconductor technology. Their strategic planning is such that they are able to buy in high enough quantities to bring down their cost per unit to a level that they still make a profit at the low end of the product line. Granted, as you move up the line of products they increase in price, some say too much, but you can't argue that there is still value there. Bottom line however, is that when you control the supply chain, you certainly control the price. The bigger question I have about this isn't about Apple, it's about the competition. Why aren't they doing the same thing? Is the bigger issue lack of foresight rather than supply chain control? What are your thoughts?

"Now that Verizon's gone official with its LTE pricing for an initial launch in some 38 markets this Sunday, we wanted to take a quick look at how it compares to the other players in the laptop data market -- after all, how much you're paying month to month can be just as big of a determining factor (if not a bigger one) in choosing a carrier than the speeds you're seeing. So how do Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Clear, and Rover stack up? Let's break it down."

A clear winner? The answer is that nobody is really sure, and yes, I am confused. Downstream speeds (in theory) up to 21 Mbps, winner T-Mobile. Best price for unlimited data, $39.99 per month from T-Mobile. Coverage? Nobody is really sure, as the carriers are providing apples vs. oranges numbers, for example 282 launched markets vs. 250 million people covered. Huh? Some use speed throttling. Some provide/create mobile hotspots (MiFi), but not T-Mobile. Verizon does not have USB devices that work with Macs, and doesn't offer an unlimited usage plan. Sprint (EV-DO) charges $59.99 per month for 5GB, and 1GB of overage usage will cost you another $50 while the maximum price per GB with TMo (HSPA+) is a whopping $124.95. If I had to pick a plan, it'd be T-Mobile's contract-free unlimited plan for $39.99 per month. Anything less than an unlimited plan, beware those overage costs - a 200MB plan can be used up VERY quickly at the speeds offered.

"The Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet will soon be available on five major carriers in the U.S., and while the various models aren't the same, they're similar enough to give similar experiences. They're all priced differently, so if you're interested in an Android tablet, take a look at our chart."

Hopefully, this price comparison chart will help you decide where to buy your Samsung Galaxy Tab. The chart shows pricing for the Tab with a two year agreement or no contract, as well as the cost of data over two years. Depending on how much data you will use with the device, you may profit more by going with a different carrier than you normally use.