Tablets Sold for Under $150 Only Need Cheaper Components

Ultrabooks aren't the only consumer devices that need to get their act together and actually become affordable. Tablets, too, are trying to get cheaper.

Right now, the cheapest 7-inch tablet that also enjoys a measure of success is Amazon's Kindle Fire, with a price of $199 / €199.

It is now theorized that 7-inch slates could actually go a step further and sell for under $150 / €150.

All they need is for components, especially the displays and touch panels (which account for 30-40% of the whole price), to actually become cheaper.

The first order of business would be for 7-inch FFS panels to be replaced by TN LCDs, maybe with wide-view angle compensation, cutting panel cost by half.

Costs can also be reduced by replacing 1 GB mobile DRAM with 1 GB commodity DRAM.

Also, cheaper NAND Flash chips would help. Rather than MLC or SLC< enterprise MLC would be best.

2013 is when sub-$150 / €150 tablets should make an appearance.