In the video the itead service is compared with pcbzone, also in terms of cost.
I did a cost comparison between the two for a standard 10x10cm board, 2 layers, green soldermask and 1.6mm thickness, 1oz copper.
For itead there is a standard product, you get
10x PCBs of the above for the total price of USD 28.00 (ignore the February sale). A cost of USD 2.8 per board, plus shipping.
http://iteadstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19_20&products_id=175I then used the members' calculator in pcbzone. For the same board to get 10x PCBs from pcbzone, I get a quote of NZD 712.50 (USD 592). A cost of USB 59 per board, plus shipping and handling.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg209/scaled.php?server=209&filename=64420792.jpg&res=mediumAnd even though it is no longer a direct commparison, I decided to also try ordering 5x as suggested in the guidelines of the pcbzone service. The cost now came to NZD 337.5 (USD 280) i.e. USD 56 per board.
http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg252/scaled.php?server=252&filename=96448079.jpg&res=medium The quote from pcbzone is not different from any traditional professional house, e.g. Eurocircuits - if anything they are more expensive.
And another point is about a limitation pcbzone applies, which is to only have silk on top. I am not sure what itead states on this, but the boards I have in front of me from itead have silk on both sides.
Am I entering the wrong information or otherwise missing something here? Because quite frankly, what is the excitement about?