Funny that. Prices are rising because the $ is recovering against the £.

So what happened to all the continual slashing of prices as the $ dropped? I don't recall american goods here being half the price of the states while the pound was strong (the 'merkins just got a bit richer per unit item). We still moreorless had the 1:1 £ to $ ratio (as always). Now that it's recovering, they are using the fact that the ratios are going back to where they were to shunt the prices up 6-8%. Bet our national representitives (Broon, Darlin' etc) will be swinging into action to protect our interests then. Sorry, what? Oh...

Why are these companies allowed to have the best of both worlds? It's the same with petrol - when the price of oil rises, pump prices go straight up to reflect the rising cost of the fuel. Yet now the oil price has dropped, we're told "we're still using the more expensive stock, so prices won't drop until the petrol from the cheaper oil hits the pumps".

I guess the question is, what can we do about it other than get wallet-raped?

Paris, cos she's got the solution to all life's problems but acts like she doesn't know.

we get charged x2 the price for the damned things already, there is no balance between the dollar and pound prices, they simply replace the $ sign with the £ sign.

isen't the pound still stronger than when these prices were set 2-3 years ago?

... Apple and Microsoft having used a 1:1 exchange rate in recent years won't have to adjust their prices.. or will they?

This will only make our indigenous manufacturing industries more competitive in Europe and the US, improving our balance of payments!

Oh, wait ..

How does that work then? I'm sure we've seen regular price increases because of the weakness of the dollar over the last couple of years. Seems to be all take with no give if you ask me!

Because I distinctly remember them lowering their UK prices by 10% when the pound climbed from 1.75$ to 2.00$.

So when the Dollar enevitably slinks back to what it was once the economy returns to normal, they'll knock this 6-8% off right? right?!?!

If I recall, last year sometime the £ was worth $1.50 or something, so even at $1.75 it is still worth more than it was before the dollar crashed to $2. So if the prices now are the same as they were when the $ was at 1.50, shouldn't they be less now?

I expect to see a similar move in Europe too.

The fact is that in the last 6 months prices of computer was far from the 1:1 ratio of € versus $. The eee PC 701 is sold $299 (excl. tax) in the US but can be found for €199 (incl. 20% tax). Netbooks with a price point of $399 (excl. tax) are sold €299 (incl. 20% tax ).

Considering today's exchange rates (1€ = $1.4) and the 20% tax most of this stuff is now cheaper in Europe than in the US.

I was just about to rush out and buy some quality Acer products, too!

I seem to recall when the pound was stronger that US companies were raising UK prices "due to the higher cost of doing business here".

So what would lead to a fall in prices? Answers on a postcard.

Mine's the coat labelled 'Made in China', which makes their argument weaker overall.

...there goes that shiny new Aspire One I wanted for university then.

I won't feel quite as much of an arse for buying an Acer One for £250 and then seeing it in the same shop the next day for £199 - by which time I'd installed an extra GB of memory (warrenty shmorrenty) and installed Debian so couldn't really return it as 'broken', demand my money back then immediately buy an identical one and £50 worth of SD cards.

With the price back up to about £225 I'm only feeling like one buttock now.

Now that it is clear the battery shortage will still be with us [Bill Withers? - ed] for another 6+ months and the pounds dropped by 12% in the last 6 weeks then I guess now is the time to buy that Acer Aspire One for £199 from Dixons Retail Group (who are surprisingly the cheapest UK place for them!).

I was holding out for the rumoured 6-cell battery before buying but looks like there is no longer a worth while reason to 8-(

Bullshit!!

Here in The Netherlands Bart Smit are still selling the Asus for €299 (incl. 20% tax ).

So, Eric, is it HP or Acer that you work for?

None of my 3 Acer machines was made in the US. Surely it is more relevant what the exchange rate with the Chinese Yuan/RMB or Taiwan dollar is doing. If the US dollar is rising against other currencies, it should just mean Acer gets more profit from the US market. Did they raise prices in the US when the dollar was weak? Are they cutting them now?

I agree with the analogy about petrol. It was ever thus. Two weeks ago when oil was dropping from $150 per barrel to $100, my local filling station lowered the price/litre by 3 pence, then put it back up by a penny a few days later, where it has stayed. We will be lucky if petrol/diesel ever go back to the prices they were, even when crude oil does. The shareholders will be happy with their record dividends though.

In any company with a clue, pricing is only vaguely related to cost. The "reason" for a price increase is always a smokescreen to deflect our attention from the real one -- namely that they decided they could get away with it. Twas ever thus. There's no story here.

Guess it's a good job I picked up my new Acer 8920G on Thursday then - nearly a grand is bad enough without the extra 8%, thanks very much.