That is kinda ridiculous. This is 100% fair use. Excoriate A-Power, Boycott, gogo? Not that boycotts ever do anything (like petitions), but it's the principal, right? I mean...it worked for Modern Warfare 2 >.>
Anyway, A-power is silly. And 144 isn't a bad deal assuming the motherboard is cheap. I mean, it'd better be, without needing the extra chips and circuitry to run video anymore.
And the .99 isn't a "Ruse" or anything. It is a legitimate marketting technique. When you put 149.99, people don't see 150, they see 149. No one is trying to "Fool" anyone into thinking that 149.99 is 150, they're trying to make your brain process the price as if it were 149. Given it's a little back-handed, but it works hardcore. I go to the store and my girlfriend sees food for 2.99, she says "it's two bucks." and I say "And 99 cents..." and she goes "Oh right, 3 bucks..."
It's legitimate, albeit psychologically misleading, marketting.