Hey gang, here’s one fun thing we all can do as we wait to see if the latest hurricane is going to kill us all; let’s think about the price of technology!

Just about everyone in the known galaxy announced new products last week.  Apple, Google, Microsoft, the Klingons, and the Penguins of Madagascar (the GERD thinks it was a tablet; the one that eats everything ate it so I’m not sure).  In the wake of this gadget blizzard there is one thing that stands out when considering this cornucopia of cool gadgets, what’s the price?

When Apple introduced the original iPad one of the things that attracted the GERD (besides the engineering, the great display, the size, and the ecosystem) was the price – $499 seemed like an extremely affordable price for what the GERD was getting.  So much so if fact that he would go on to buy 4 of ‘em (in the GERD’s defense, I didn’t buy them all at once and the other three did eventually go to family members).  To purposely misquote a famous politician, “it’s the price stupid!”

Let’s recap – Kindle Fire HD – $199; Google Nexus 7 – $199; Samsung Chromebook – $249;    Apple iPad Mini – $329?  Oops!

The GERD has bought expensive toys and inexpensive toys – there was a time when the gulf between the two was wide.  However, Apple has forced everyone else to not only innovate but engage in aggressive pricing and Amazon, Google, Asus, Samsung, and others have done so.  When good companies are forced to do this, we, the consumer, are the winners.  As long as this competition continues, we will continue to win.  Once they start idolizing the bottom line, the prices will start rising and the quality will start dropping. When that happens the era of the tablet will be over.