Comment Re:Tablets are more expensive for less hardware (Score 1) 789
Well, smaller components are more expensive because they are produced in lower volumes. laptops are still outselling tablets 10 to 1.
When you want to have your Device (tm) manufactured in China or whereever, you approach a factory. That factory is also making laptops and stuff for lots of other computer brands. So they are making standard parts in the configuration you outline. Its super cheap because they have all their equipment set up to make common parts.
Once you bring in a custom display (that needs to be touch-sensitive), custom connector, custom battery, custom chip... then the factory is going to charge you quite a bit more. They may have to source a battery that is more dense than the standard n-cell battery that is sold in most laptops. They may have to re-tool their molding/milling machines for whatever shape or connectors you are developing.
Once the tablet market is sufficiently saturated and the components are more standard you'll see cheaper prices.
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-build-the-ipad-2-2011-3