<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Reading between the lines on your post, you may be confused because you might be assuming that profit is implied as being bad. I took a different read. The article seems to be trying to substantiate that refinements that lead to smaller and more simple designs, result in more profitability. But then again, maybe Business Week is just jealous of Apple's margins. I agree that margins are a very good thing... unless you are currently in the banking business. Keep repeating as we joyfully pay our fair share tomorrow. :)<div><br><div> <br><div><div>On Apr 14, 2009, at 6:16 PM, Ralph Waechter wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "> I trust this is not off-topic for this list, but I could not help but scratch my head reading this one. If one accepts the premise that there is a boat load of margin in the sale of a single Nano, I ask, "what's the point?" Even assuming some component of advert or other overhead cost is added into production cost, the GASE as it were, maybe the margin is a mere 21-foot two master worth of profit, rather than a Trump-esque ocean cruising yacht-sized profit. Still, I ask, whatzapoint? Sustainable sellers always try to max out on profit - that is why they make and sell what they do ... figuring out price is less a function of cost (the apparent point of the article) than it is what consumers will pay. If consumers pay the ask, then it is worth precisely that to the consumer. The trick for Apple (rather successfully it would seem) is that they make profits in sizable amounts by creating things folks pay a price for that permits the taking of profit. Kudos to Apple. Kudos to those consumers who value the product and pay the price. <div><br></div><div>So, what was the point ;-)</div><div><br></div><div>Sorry, couldn't help myself.</div><div><br><div><div>On Apr 14, 2009, at 11:51 AM, R_Adams wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><a href="http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/04/teardown-of-apples-tiny-ipod-shuffle.html">http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/04/teardown-of-apples-tiny-ipod-shuffle.html</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">_______________________________________________</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">NPMUG mailing list</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="mailto:NPMUG@davesevick.com">NPMUG@davesevick.com</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a href="http://davesevick.com/mailman/listinfo/npmug">http://davesevick.com/mailman/listinfo/npmug</a></div> </blockquote></div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></body></html>