In the over-saturated, ever-popular, fast-moving world of tablets, the last thing you want to do (if you hope to sell a few) is launch your product with ridiculous pricing - especially if said pricing is based on a two-year contract. Well, friends, that’s exactly what AT&T did.

Word got out this morning that AT&T was gearing to launch their first ever LTE-supported Android 3.1 powered tablet, the HTC Jetstream, which comes chalk full of the following features: a gorgeous 10.1-inch display, a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor, support for HSPA+ mobile broadband networks as well as future LTE networks, a new version of HTC Sense software, and an 8-MP camera to round out the mix. This all seems great, right? Well here is the catch: AT&T wants $699 for this on a 2-year termed agreement or $849 off contract - I’m dead serious. As for the plan? A meager 3GB for $35/M.

I for one am shocked at this one. I doubt anyone will justify a price tag that high, just for LTE-capable browsing, especially when AT&T is known for congestion in larger metropolitan areas. Either way, the announcement has been made and there is no turning back (figuratively speaking - they CAN adjust pricing, but will look rather foolish so soon after the initial shocker); only time will tell if the tablet lives up to the hype AT&T is expecting/hoping.

[via Gigaom]