So-called converged devices, the ever-popular handheld fusions of cell phone, camera, calendar, and MP3 player, illustrate the power of marketing over sensible logic in purchasing decisions. These devices cost several hundred dollars and offer no new functionality over the devices they replace, instead simply repackaging multiple capabilities into one expensive, fashionable, and well-marketed device.
The argument above would be most dramatically weakened if which of the following were true?
The marketing of new converged devices often targets young professionals who seek to display their status with new technological devices.
The functions of a $400 converged device could be replicated with a $50 media player, a $100 camera-phone, and a $20 pocket calendar.
The appearance of the true converged device required breakthroughs in telecommunications infrastructure that were only recently possible.
For many people purchasing a converged device, the cost of the device is a fraction of the monthly fees associated with its use.
User surveys indicate that users of converged devices often travel a great deal and find that a single device that replaces several devices is easier to pack and less likely to be lost.
The argument above would be most dramatically weakened if which of the following were true?
The marketing of new converged devices often targets young professionals who seek to display their status with new technological devices.
The functions of a $400 converged device could be replicated with a $50 media player, a $100 camera-phone, and a $20 pocket calendar.
The appearance of the true converged device required breakthroughs in telecommunications infrastructure that were only recently possible.
For many people purchasing a converged device, the cost of the device is a fraction of the monthly fees associated with its use.
User surveys indicate that users of converged devices often travel a great deal and find that a single device that replaces several devices is easier to pack and less likely to be lost.
