As demand for mini-laptops continues to grow, CPU, display, and other hardware vendors are having a tough time keeping up with demand. According to DigiTimes, DRAMeXchange says that there aren’t really enough netbook components including CPUs, LED parts, and networking components to go around — especially with demand for netbooks starting to rise in China, which, last I heard, represented a potentially enormous market.
So what happens next? We could see some computer launches pushed back, or see shortages of some models. And we could also seem some price increases. DigiTimes reports that prices of Intel Atom and VIA C7-M processors could climb 5 to 10%, and DRAM modules could go up as much as 30% in May.
Just some industry BS to try to “educate” us into thinking its perfectly fine to pay $600-$700 for what will essentially still be last year’s netbook, give or take an inch.
I consider this a temporary setback, and when it’s over we’ll be even more spoiled for(mostly the same with Atom, 160GB HD, etc…)choice than we are now, if that’s possible.
An increase in the number of a manufactured product results in lower prices. The only reason prices might go up is because one of the major parts supplier, Intel, is pissed as hell that netbooks are successful. Netbooks are driving down demand for Intel’s higher priced CPU’s, and they’ll do what ever they can to artificially increase the prices for the Atoms, and limit it’s use in notebook competitive machines.
While this could drive up prices short term, in the long run it will help drop prices as more vendors will start making these parts (competition) and the current vendors will increase capacity (economies of scale).