HP Tablet "dead on arrival" thanks to Ipad2!

[HighestOfHigh]

Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ - News) Co.'s decision to drop the price to as low as $99 for its TouchPad tablets touched off a weekend buying rush that the company called "overwhelming."

The sudden interest came after H-P said it was discontinuing its tablet and smartphone efforts, after disappointing sales and unfavorable comparisons to Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL - News) Inc.'s iPad and iPhone. H-P cut the price of its least-expensive TouchPad to $99.99 from $499.99. The price on a greater-capacity version was reduced to $149.99 from $599.99.

The Palo Alto, Calif., company said it is still exploring alternatives for webOS, the well-regarded software that powered the TouchPad.

H-P's decision to jettison remaining inventory at rock-bottom prices instantly became the talk of the technology press. Blog posts were quickly published with rolling updates containing lists of stores and online sites where the device was still available. Demand was so heavy that by Sunday, the website slickdeals.com was filled with "sold out" notices in red next to such popular retailers as Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), B&H Photo, Fry's Electronics, Target (NYSE: TGT - News) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT - News).

A saleswoman at a Best Buy (NYSE: BBY - News) Co. store in San Francisco said all the TouchPads in the Bay Area were sold out by Saturday night.

Eager customers scouring retailers turned their attention to stores that hadn't yet dropped the TouchPad's price, and reported multiple calls with sales representatives and methods for getting the price reduced. "If you buy at full price, they will price match in 10 days to their own store if price drops," a person wrote about Barnes & Noble Inc. The retailer still was charging $407.95 for the TouchPad, of which slickdeals estimated there were 14,000 in stock.

Others consumers debated whether the device was a good value even at the lower price. "They are utterly worthless now," a person commented on a cnet.com article about the sale. "Amen," responded another.

Others disagreed, starting a Twitter campaign called "#saveWebOS" with pleas to keep the platform going and tweets from customers who had been awaiting H-P's next generation smartphones and tablets. "My dreams are dashed," said a Twitter user who called herself Cheryl. "Thanks (for nothing) @HP."

- cheap-hp-tablets-touchpad-wsj: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

 

[Monster]

I missed out on this, they were all gone within an hour, all 6000 of them from one of the biggest retail stores in Sydney.

 

[K-A]

Damn, you can't go wrong with that price!

Regardless, APPLE FTW, kill 'em all Apple!!

 

[ateekt]

I tried to get two but could only get one. Barnes&noble.com ftw!!

 

[adeel2010]

I bought the last one at my walmart! and ordered online from walmart, barnesandnoble, and hp all cancelled my order...

It was a steal for $150 for the 32gb..but still can't get over how bad the AppStore on it is..and how complicated it makes things like Skype

 

[Centurion]

My brother has three in to pick up today and I might nab myself a palm 3 for a a bargain.

HP will exist the dwindling PC market and effectively do an IBM. IBM predicted that it would become a commodity and margins would be in the toilet.

The cellphone Market, android especially is heading for the same direction. I foresee either SE or LG exiting the European smartphone Market in the next 12-18 months. Apple is the only manufacturer earning big profits from consumer grade computers.

 

[klier]

^ in fact, Apple makes more money off the Smartcovers then all other makers do in selling Tablets. No joke.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

At least some of you got one. I wish I caught that sale.

 

[Michael]

At least some of you got one. I wish I caught that sale.

Same here. I have been trying with no luck.

 

[jack]

this should have been their tactics right from the beginning
too bad for them that you don't need Cyan Magenta Yellow and Black cartridges to run this tablet

 

[HighestOfHigh]

HP: More discounted TouchPads coming

As Hewlett-Packard manages a tectonic shift in its business, thrifty consumers can expect to shake down more deals on gadgets.

HP is set to replenish the supply of TouchPad tablets this week, spokeswoman Bryna Corcoran said in a statement on Sunday. The company began selling TouchPads for $99 and $149 last week in order to quickly shed inventory.

HP will also drop the price on the Pre3 smartphone to $75, which will not be sold in U.S. stores, a second spokeswoman wrote in an e-mail.

While the electronics giant has ceased production on the products, the "next batch" of TouchPads is being retrieved from a warehouse, Corcoran wrote. HP is seeing high demand for the bargain-priced tablets, which first retailed for $500 last month, and has struggled to keep its inventory alert system online.

Corcoran described the sudden demand for the TouchPad as "kind of bittersweet." In a statement, HP offered the following explanation for discontinuing the products: "WebOS devices have not gained enough traction with consumers."

While HP intends to stop making devices that run the company's downtrodden mobile operating system, Richard Kerris, an HP vice president, wrote in a message to developers on Friday saying his team plans to continue developing the software. HP CEO Leo Apotheker has said the company has explored licensing deals for webOS with other electronics manufacturers.

Bargain hunters are scheming on blogs and social media websites to share tips on how to score discounted TouchPads. The two TouchPad models have shot to the top spots on Amazon.com's list of best-selling electronics.

The fire sale has spread to Europe. The Pre3, which debuted in the UK and France less than a week ago, is now priced at $75, €59 or £49, the spokeswoman wrote in e-mails. It previously cost about $500 in Europe. The device will be unlocked, allowing people in the United States to connect to AT&T's or T-Mobile's networks.

HP will not allow customers to return the device, the spokeswoman wrote. The news was reported earlier by PCMag.com.

The Pre3 smartphone, with its slide-out keyboard, is the flagship in Palm's handset product line that HP acquired last year, and runs webOS, the same software used in the TouchPad.

- HP: More discounted TouchPads coming, $75 smartphones in Europe - CNN.com

 

[Sunny]

Why would anyone pay even $100 for something that would be piece of thrash in few months is beyond me...

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Why would anyone pay even $100 for something that would be piece of thrash in few months is beyond me...

???

 

[Top Secret]

Why would anyone pay even $100 for something that would be piece of thrash in few months is beyond me...

$100 for a years worth of casual tablet use sounds good to me, especially when current iPad 2's and Honeycomb Android tablets which cost $500-$600 will be similarly outdated in a years time.

 

[bum-man]

People are working on Honeycomb ports for it. If it works out then it is more than worth it.