But nothing costs more than a Space Shuttle

Apache and Blackberry:
During a presentation on the next steps for developing a successor to the Space Shuttle, I was smacked with a crazy set of stats. The Airbus A380, the massive passenger airliner that runs more than $300 million, costs a scant $400 per pound of dry hardware put into the beast. I say scant—by comparison the Space Shuttle costs $21,000 per pound. Even more impressive, at $1,600 per pound, each BlackBerry 8000 series phone costs slightly more than an Apache attack helicopter. Hard to believe, but, then again, can you send text messages to friends or find that great burger joint with an Apache helicopter? Didn't think so.

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5 Comments

you're not going to mention the fact that an Apache weighs about 59,000 times as much as a Blackberry?
An empty Apache weighs 11,400 lb: a lot of which is armor and structure, with electronics and moving parts in between, whereas a blackberry is a mere 88g, packed with individually manufactured electronics: microchips, LCD, compact transceiver etc, not to mention its consumer-oriented markup (though I'm not sure what kinds of profits are involved in Apache manufacture).
So a microchip costs more per unit weight than a hunk of steel. Am I the only one not surprised?

Well, the tactical datalink in the Apache allows you to exchange information with other Apaches and units on the network, and the millimeter-wave Fire Control Radar could certainly find the burger joint, but I don't think that's what the author had in mind.

Can you take a picture of the person next to you in the helicopter and send to another helicopter?

I don't think the author was actually trying to say your Blackberry is more technologically advanced than the Apache. :)

"Crazy set of stats" indeed. Cost per pound measuring should only be applied at a fresh fish market.

svseigel

from APO, AE

In terms of cost density versus real value, I think the space shuttle is clearly a rip-off. I have a sub-laptop Viao computer that gives me the computing power I need in an easily hand portable package. Its retail cost is $1800 and weighs 1.1 pounds (500g). That gives a cost density of $112.50 per ounce or 2.25 euro per gram. The next question is, "Is it worth it?" My answer, you bet. Your answer is entirely up to YOU! It's slow, has limited drive space and wastes too many resources being a Vaio for my tastes, but in the final analysis it accomplishes what no comparable product can and keeps me looking VERY good!

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