AT&T Strikes Back: Atrix Laptop Dock Not Pricey Next To Tablets

It's no secret: the Atrix laptop bundle is rather pricey at $499. And that's after a $100 rebate, so you'll be setting down $599 in-store. People complained that this was way more expensive than a netbook. AT&T responded that tablets were their real competition.

Mike Woodward, AT&T VP of mobile products, said this: "You need to look at the Atrix's price against tablets. When you do that, it's not that expensive."

Heedless of the fact that "it's not that expensive" has literally never convinced anyone to buy anything ever, Mike plunged on. "With all the integration between the phone and the dock, you can do more on an Atrix than you can on a netbook,"

Which is debatable. The Atrix does have a special laptop OS called Webtop to expand the handset's functionality. You'll be able to hook up to printers and browse in large-screen mode while still sending texts and placing calls. That doesn't quite approach the functionality of a full PC. You won't be opening up Photoshop or playing WoW on the Atrix anytime soon.

We'll see how popular the Atrix- and its controversial price, prove with customers on March 6. Pre-orders begin on February 14. Users who want to buy the smartphone alone for $199.99 will be able to purchase the dock at a later date for $499.

[Via Forbes]