I Found A Planet

“I can get a Bang Bang robot for less than $20,000; it really is an ethical price!”

“It’s not expensive at all! It’s totally affordable.”

“A company with a conscience, it’s really ethical.”

“But why the large difference in price between the friendly and deluxe edition? It’s a big difference of $30,000. Is it because $30,000 is peanuts for the rich?”

Many viewers found the price difference to be problematic. It was true that the friendly edition had a reasonable and ethical price, but why was the deluxe edition so much more expensive? In order to answer the doubts of the audience, the host of the product launch, Ling Jundong, began to explain in detail the differences between the two editions.

…

In the living room, Chen Gang asked the same question too. He felt that the difference in the prices set for the two editions was really too great. It was kind of unreasonable.

Hence, Chen Jin explained, “If you judge the two editions based simply on their appearance, there does not seem to be a big difference. But, there are great internal differences between the two. Firstly, they are not made with the same materials. We’ve maximized cost-savings in the materials used in the friendly edition. The casing is made of plastic and the motor generates less power. The battery holds a lesser charge. Overall, the various hardware configurations are average. Total hardware costs are less than $4,000. Production costs can be lowered to about $3,000 on a mass production scale. In contrast, the deluxe edition uses sturdier materials such as a high-tensile alloy frame and a carbon fiber casing. The motor generates as much as 30% more power and the battery capacity is up to 50% more. The various hardware configurations are much better. In terms of quality, it is obviously one level up as compared to the friendly edition. Its working lifespan is about five years longer.”

Chen Jin continued, “In addition, the medical devices installed in the robot are different in the two editions. The biggest selling point of the Bang Bang robot is the ‘Family Doctor’ function. But the strength of this function depends on the medical devices found inside the robot. Only a thermometer, an external blood pressure gauge, a heart sensor, and a few other measuring devices are installed in the friendly edition. The robot will diagnose the type of disease only after a round of inquiries and observation. Its diagnosis is less accurate and it can only provide a more accurate one when the user submits a health check-up report. In contrast, not only is the deluxe edition equipped with all the devices that are installed in the friendly edition, but it also has additional devices like an ECG sensor, brain wave sensor, blood glucose meter, blood lipid meter, as well as other various measuring devices. They may be small in size and cannot be compared to the proper facilities in the hospitals, but they are equally accurate in their measurements, so they are more expensive.”

Chen Jin knew that there were many differences between the two. “In addition, an electron microscope with a magnification capability of up to 2,000 times is installed in the chest of the deluxe Bang Bang robot. This device can study and print out reports on one’s blood, saliva, and other body fluids. This microscope costs as much as $2,000. As a greater number of medical sensors have been integrated into the deluxe edition, the robot can provide a more accurate diagnosis. With the added submission of a health check-up report, its diagnosis can be as accurate as 90% and above. With its greater ability to collect and analyze more physical data, families that purchase the deluxe edition may even reduce the frequency of their health check-ups; that is, if they really trust the Bang Bang robot. They could go for a check-up once every two to three years or maybe even once in every four or five years. They would save on health check-up costs. We still advise the users who purchased the friendly edition to go for their annual health check-up to establish a more comprehensive health profile. This would be slightly more troublesome as compared to users of the deluxe edition.”

The difference in the production costs of the two editions were as such:

Bang Bang Robot Friendly edition; $4,000 (total hardware costs) + $3,000 (fee for using data from Baidu) = $6,000 to $7,000 per unit.

Bang Bang Robot Deluxe Edition; $10,000 (total hardware costs) + $3,000 (fee for using data from Baidu) = $11,000 to $13,000 per unit.

Therefore, the final price of the two editions was simply decided by multiplying the respective basic production costs by three. The final prices were very decent. Folding his arms, Chen Jin hooked a leg over his knee. He leaned back against the sofa and said, “If it were me, I would choose the deluxe edition of the Bang Bang robot.”

The deluxe edition of the Bang bang robot had a lifespan fives years longer than the friendly edition! Its tests results were more accurate and could give daily reminders that were highly specified to the user. As such, it could reduce the frequency that one had to go for a check-up at the hospital. It was more suitable for affluent families to choose the deluxe edition.

Chen Gang nodded in agreement. “I would also choose the deluxe edition.”

He Li’s eyes brightened. “A check-up once every four to five years is awesome. Who in their right mind would be willing to go for a check-up every year? It’s a torment and it’s expensive! I want the deluxe edition too.”

…

Back at the launch event, after Ling Jundong compared the differences between the two editions, the live audience and the vast number of netizens watching the event did some mental calculations and started to feel conflicted.

“The friendly edition has a lifespan of about 10 years and the deluxe edition 15 years. The deluxe edition is 50% more expensive.”

“The problem is that one must also account for the costs of going for a health check-up at the hospital. If one is using the friendly edition, he would still have to go for a check-up every year. A check-up ranges from a few hundred all the way to thousands of dollars. A full body check-up cost $2,000 to $3,000! Let’s assume that a typical check-up costs $1,000 on average. A family of four means that they have to spend $4,000 per year and $40,000 in ten years. If the deluxe edition can help to cut down on the frequency of the check-ups by half, that would mean that the family can save at least $20,000 in ten years! If they only go for a check-up once every four to five years, the deluxe edition would help them save even more.”

“Yeah, based on these calculations, the deluxe edition can help us save more money.”

“It’s more worth it to get the deluxe edition if there is a greater number of people in a household. Even if there are only three people in a family, it’s still more value for money to get the deluxe edition after factoring in the 15-year lifespan.”

“Who’s willing to go to the hospital for a check-up year after year? What if your report is seized by an unethical doctor and he claims that you are suffering from an illness or whatnot, forcing you to spend a few thousand dollars before letting you off? I choose the deluxe edition!”

“The friendly edition is too weak. I would still need to go for annual check-ups. Even when I have no health issues, some unscrupulous scammers would insist that I have an illness. Isn’t going for a check-up the same as looking for trouble? I want to buy the deluxe edition too. It’s better to go for a check-up once every four to five years.”

“Including the elderly and the children, there are eight in my family. After buying the friendly edition, we would still need to fork out millions for our annual health check-ups. We can’t afford that! Forget it. Even though our family is poor, we’ll still grit our teeth and buy the deluxe edition. The annual check-ups costs are too much.”

“I’m crying so hard right now. I was still rejoicing when I heard the price for the friendly edition. But after some calculation, I realize how poor I am. No matter how hard I look, I can’t come up with $50,000. I can only afford the less value for money friendly edition.”

“I was crying too. I’d suddenly realized that I can’t even fork out $50,000 even though I have an annual salary of $200,000. I can only buy the friendly edition.”

“I really feel that Xing Hai Technologies is too mean. This is not a ‘Bang Bang robot,’ it’s a machine that separates the bourgeoisie from the working class. Those who can afford the deluxe edition are the real bourgeoisie. The ones who can’t afford $50,000 and could only get the friendly edition belongs to the class of poor peasants; the bottommost in social class! It’s unfortunate that I belong in this bottom layer.”

The idea of the robot as a class separator spread like wildfire. Who was bourgeoisie and who was a poor peasant? That would depend on whether your family bought the friendly or deluxe Bang Bang robot. From the type of Bang Bang robot that your family used, your social class could be clearly seen with a glance.

Even so! The scalpers who had been readying themselves did not think so. For example, Zhao Tiezhu, who had been released early for good behavior after sitting in jail for six months, currently had a pair of bloodshot eyes as he planned for his next round of illegal activity with his buddies. He would corner the market this time around with his blood, sweat, and tears to make up for the shame in the failure of his last round of unlawful activity with the Little Star learning machine!

Without taking his eyes off the computer screen, he quickly lowered his head to glance at the time on his phone in anticipation of the minute when the product would be made available. Zhao Tiezhu laughed coldly. “Haha, there are only 500,000 units of the friendly edition and 100,000 units of the deluxe edition. Xing Hai Technologies, you think that you can stop us scalpers by having such a small amount of ready stock? You’re underestimating us! This time around, we’ll corner everything! No matter if it’s the friendly or deluxe edition, we make the consumers forget about any considerations regarding its value for money. They’ll only ask where can they get the robot. This time, I must make you pay the price. Xing Hai Technologies, you will have a taste of our prowess!” Zhao Tiezhu clenched his fists as a reddish gleam seemed to radiate from his eyes.

However, these scalpers would never realize that a terrifying trap was laid ahead for them.