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Shock, horror: RIM doesn't want Kickstart to cannibalise market for high-cost models!

Reports of a $50 (minus a penny) price for the latest Blackberry seem to have puzzled Americans. Why would RIM steal market from its top-of-range models by selling one at $49, you might ask...

According to Kevin Michaluk at Crackberry.com the price is astonishing: 

You may want to take this news with a grain of salt. I know the first time I heard this information I was skeptical. Then I heard it again, and again and again. And now that I've heard the same bit of news from multiple sources / informants / ninjas / tipsters / little birdies I can't help but believe it to be true. So to the best of my knowledge... the BlackBerry KickStart will sell on T-Mobile for $49.99!

General response there and on other sites suggests that the price is about right.

For a start, you have to sign a two-year contract (penalty clauses not available, but bound to be fierce!) and for another thing, the device isn't aimed at the "executive corridor" either; it's seen as chunky.

Most amusingly, several posters have complained that "there goes the neighbourhood..." suggesting that this introduces trailer-trash buyers to the previously country club Blackberry district.

Kevin Murph was nonetheless astonished by the fact that the new KickStart doesn't look like it's worth more than 100 bux: which leaves us with the observation: if it was worth more, surely RIM would have charged more, duh...

No news about European availability yet.