$ vs €. there we have it again!

[phitsc]

With great excitement I read the announcement of the new portable Playstation Vita.

With great disappointment I read what it will cost in Europe compared to the US.

US:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/06/06/e3-2011-introducing-playstation-vita-starting-at-249/

Europe:
http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2011/06/07/ngp-becomes-playstation-vita-at-e3-2011/

249$ vs. 249€  (<= that currently equals to 363$).

That's more than 100$ difference!

[jgpaiva]

That's not very surprising, at least here in Portugal, you can't get an iphone 4 for less than 400€ (584USD), and that's with a carrier plan!

[phitsc]

It might not be. Nevertheless, it sucks, big time.

[jgpaiva]

Yeah, it sure does. And probably that 249€ is the price in france/germany, the smaller countries are probably be getting a higher price. (even though I've found that ipods, for example, are 10€ more expensive in the larger countries, not sure why)

[40hz]

FWIW I'm starting to see more and more European software being priced in Euros, and occasionally gritting my teeth when I see what it will cost in dollars after the conversion rate is applied.

Of course it doesn't disappoint domestic businesses that the US currently has the "weaker" currency. Unfavorable exchange rates help encourage US consumers to "shop at home."  

If it's any consolation, the US pays more for pharmaceuticals than any other country last I heard.  Maybe one reason pleasure is more affordable in the USA is because suffering is much more expensive?  

[cranioscopical]

Maybe one reason pleasure is more affordable in the USA is because suffering is much more expensive?

Cute thought   

Masochists 'R' US

[KynloStephen66515]

Here its going to be £280

280.00 GBP = 460.273 USD
280.00 GBP = 313.548 EUR

[Dormouse]

249$ vs. 249€  (<= that currently equals to 363$).

That's more than 100$ difference!

European retail prices usually include VAT. That's a 20% extra, if it is included here. Any indication whether it is or not?

[zridling]

Get accustomed to the pain. The USDollar will continue to be devalued over the next decade to ease the US foreign debt pressure. If you're in the US, it means you're working for less and less value.

[40hz]

Get accustomed to the pain. The USDollar will continue to be devalued over the next decade to ease the US foreign debt pressure. If you're in the US, it means you're working for less and less value.

Less international purchasing power actually. In the long run it will be worth it, however, if it finally gets the US off its overdependency on petroleum and other imports. Not to say it won't be painful in the short term. But that's something that will need to happen anyway so why continue to act increasingly stupid in a futile attemp to put it off indefinitely?

[jgpaiva]

I don't think so, Zaine. More and more, I'm reading that the Euro is overpriced (and my country is suffering the consequences), I suppose it will go down some day and shorten the gap to the USD.

[Shades]

To me it appears that the euro is not tightly enough regulated. When the Euro was introduced, the Netherlands were one of the few countries who could hold up to one of the rules (max of 3% overspending). Because of Germany and France could not go down to the 3% that rule was not strictly enforced. Germany could be excused though, as East and West Germany became one Germany again not that long before the introduction.

Because of that many countries were allowed into the pact if they would promise to go down to the 3% level, same as France and Germany. Nasty effect is that this has weakened the strength of the Euro.

The US Dollar gets printed almost faster than it is spent, devaluing the coin.

My point is that with proper financial regulation both the Euro and USD would not have fluctuated that much and could have benefited prices/exchange rates. Now I can only guess how this would have affected the crisis, I cannot help but think that both continents would have been out of the woods by now.

Just read that the growth of the US economy was stagnating again in May, according to FED's Ben Bernanke.

[40hz]

My point is that with proper financial regulation

End of script. 

[Renegade]

My point is that with proper financial regulation

End of script. 

Hahaha~!

Fiscal responsibility is a sure-fire way to get yourself tarred and feathered in politics.

[phitsc]

Here its going to be £280

280.00 GBP = 460.273 USD
280.00 GBP = 313.548 EUR

Ouch!