@Erth
5 years ago I would have disagreed with you. 5 Years ago, Suburban Mom's didn't give a Rat's Behind, about price. They would have bought the 3DS with no thought.
I will tell you this, I am around a Ton of Mom's and when you Mention iPod anything around them regarding their kids, the first thing out of their mouths is my kid is too young to have a phone. I said no that their is an iPod Touch without a phone. They then ask, where do you buy the games? Do you go into Walmart, or Target...I then explain nope you get it online or on the iPod Touch, just buy what you like...
They then HATE the idea of having a credit card on file and letting their kid just buy whatever. They tell me at least the DS or PSP, they know what their kid is getting and how much money is being spent. Even if I tell them there are iPod Gift Cards... they hate that idea, too much trouble.
You see, though the iPod Touch may be cheaper in the long run, for Suburban moms its all about Convenience and Quickness.
For a Mom, it is easier for her just to buy the game that the kid just threw into the shopping basket, then worrying about storing a credit card, buying gift cards. And, Moms sure don't like the fact that Junior or Little Misses may be in the bedroom downloading with out them seeing that. They do know what they are playing in their DS or PSP, because they just bought the game.
I have a 16 year old family member who uses her phone to facebook, twitter and basically socialize, then She DSi's at home.
Her 12 year old brother is not allowed to have a phone or an iPod, because he is irresponsible, but can take his PSP with him everywhere.
My 3 year old cousin has a DSi, and there is no way her mom is going to give her an iPod Touch!
Mom's see the iPod as a phone, know matter what, even if it is just an iPod Touch. Apple needs to address this. I will tell you this though, NO parent I know is going to post a Credit Card to an account and give that iPod Touch to their kid...they would go wild with it.
With the Economy still going down, and if Apple tweaked their advertising to dumb it down for Suburban Moms then things would get interesting