They are trinkets but the current demand for them is pretty high if you check the group buy threads
As a shareholder you care about sales not that they are overpriced as it goes into your dividend every Wednesday
Yes, that's the short view.
The long view is that each of these devices poisons ASICminer's customers. They burn every customer in more ways than one.
You can only fool your sheep customers a few times before the herd learns to not come back and graze. Friedcat's already said we won't have new chips before October (I'm not sure of the language barrier but the phrasing leads me to believe that he's leaving the door wide open for well after October as a definite possibility--which means they're playing catchup).
If ASICminer comes up with new chips and prices them competitively then it's probably fine, but they will be much, much tighter margins than we're used to as stockholders going forward. If ASICminer thinks that their track record alone commands a premium, they better not stumble or swerve at all.
Not true
Friedcat only offer units for a short duration, then does not release anything for several weeks so as not to irritate buyers who might speculate and keep waiting for price decreases.
This was shown when he sold out all the previous batch and paused selling them for several weeks.
Investors will learn if you want a good unit from ASICminer you need to be quick to acquire it
By doing so he is starting a precedent, so that buyers will recognize the opportunity time is short and will come back and buy more units when a new batch comes out.
Smart tactics, regarding the margins on units while they may be decreasing, the quantity of units sold by all means seems to be increasing as a near monopoly they will be still have a huge demand in the short term. In the midterm as you mentioned which is around October newer units will arrive and keep the demand on ASICminer. The amount of demand will be proportional to the market control they have and their production capabilities vs competitors. As long as they keep a profitable margin their will always be value in their share prices.
And the dividend will complement unit sales and the network they are able to maintain.
Their track record does command a premium as no other reliable high production vendor exists on the market at this time, that premium will remain until such a time a competitor appears that meets the same requirements.
Goodwill does have a value and that is seen in any financial statement.