Price Elitism Segregation

     I know, I know, really weird title, but I think if you understand it you'll understand what I'm talking about.  And that is the fact that this amazingly technology driven world is moving into the realm of class distinction.  I keep hearing about all these must have tech devices, and these 'oh-so-common' gadgets that everyone supposedly has, and I have to wonder if it isn't just a lot of hot air.
     Take the iPhone and Android phones.  I keep hearing on the net how everyone is supposed to have one, and how everyone uses them, but here in Aberdeen, I just don't see them.  Admittedly, we are an economically depressed area, but maybe even that supports my point.  These device that are supposed to be carving out the new digital age seem to be beyond the reach of the common man, and set with prices that don't reflect the cost of production or the supply and demand, but the carnal greed of the company that make the device.  A cell phone that has has one fourth of the computing capabilities of bottom of the pile computer you can buy at Wal-Mart costs more!  You can't tell me that the physical cost of the components in an iPod touch are more than the cost of components for an HP desktop computer.  Nor can you tell me that the price of shipping is greater.  For the same weight as on desktop, you could ship almost a hundred iPods, yet their price remains almost equal.
     Also, things like the kindle, which could really revolutionize the way colleges work, cutting costs and providing people with a more efficient and healthy way to access research and teaching resources(more healthy because of the reduced amount of stress on the back.  Kindles are way lighter than a book-bag full of books), are being kept from people how could really use them because they aren't subsidized like college text books(which are also horribly overpriced, but that is a discussion for later).
    All of this amounts to a the fact that with the lower living wages of the general populace, we seem to be returning to the days of the late seventies and early eighties, where computers were a luxury that assisted those who already had money, and didn't help out those who could benefit most from their use.  So, is any of this really going to change?  Only the consumers can decide.