I was under the impression that the unit being discussed was only to be given a power source -- that means the microphone, speaker, and hardware/software is standalone; no need for interaction with the PC.
Adding the interface for the PC would cost lots of money in terms of manufacturing and research. And who wants to continue to support a small product like this for drivers, software updates, and firmware updates? IMO, it all comes down to money. What would people really justify payment for? Would they spend $200+ for something that may be unsupported in the next year or so? How about more money for better support? I know I couldn't justify it.