As noted by another post above, take one of these products, bump the specs to something tolerable (say, 16GB instead of 4GB etc.), do some real quality assurance tests/screening, ship it halfway around the world, put a reputable name on it (so customers can trust they're getting something worth getting), add a sensible markup, set up a tech support hotline, and that $45 slate is now $200 - right about where decent tablets are now.

"brand name and nothing more" isn't nothing. It's why people pay Apple $649 for an iPhone 5 consisting of $167.50 in parts - there's more to a product than just parts, there's assuring you'll end up with more than just $167.50 in parts.

I wasn't implying that they're bad.

They're sub $200, made in China, and don't have brand names.

  > is the fact that these products are indistinguishable
  > from the same ones with a HTC, Samsung, HP or Apple

Thats very very very far from "fact". In fact, reality is just the opposite.

I wish that were true...but look at the fashion market. It seems a portion of the populous will pay for brand name goods at a premium that keeps these brands at the top. I suppose that's why Goodwill exists in accounting.