The Apple Core

Jason D. O'Grady & David Morgenstern

TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

By Jason D. O'Grady | November 3, 2011, 7:43pm PDT

Summary: I can think of two better ways to spend $280 on a tablet: 1) buy a used iPad 1 on eBay, or 2) put it towards a new iPad 2 — heck you’re more than halfway there.

Jack Rowland notes on his Gadget Guy blog that TigerDirect just sent out an email its TouchPad stock alert list, saying that they’ll be selling 32GB TouchPads at 2:30 PM ET tomorrow, November 4, via this link.

But before you set an alarm, note that it’s not the $149 32GB TouchPad (or the $99 16GB TouchPad) that HP put on fire sale this summer. Tomorrow’s TouchPad deal is only available as part of a $280 bundle that includes a load of shovelware that you probably don’t want, including a case, stand, Bluetooth speakers and a 16GB flash drive.

Whoop-de-doo.

Rowland estimates that the bundled accessories add up to around $119 retail (but don’t expect to resell them for that) which means that they’re pricing the TouchPad at around $160.

I can think of two better ways to spend $280 on a tablet: 1) put it toward a used 16GB iPad 1 on eBay (currently about $360), or 2) put it towards a new iPad 2 — heck you’re more than halfway there. I’m just saying…

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Hewlett-Packard Co., Blog, Blogging, Internet, Jason D. O'Grady

Jason O'Grady is a journalist and author specializing in mobile technology. He has published six books on Apple and mobile gadgets and his PowerPage blog has been publishing for over 15 years.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

mprangel3@... 8th Nov

This basically is just your opinion. There are other products out there that work well with what people need. smell the coffee and wake up.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Peter Perry 3rd Nov

I bet this is HP's way of seeing if these things would sell for more money.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

terry flores Updated - 4th Nov

@Peter Perry - I doubt that HP had anything to do with it. There are actually a number of different "deals" out there for the Touchpad, from Amazon to eBay to fly-by-night webfronts. While $99-$149 was a good deal even if you just used the thing as a book/mp3/movie player, these "bundle" deals are all far too overpriced.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Masari.Jones 4th Nov

For $99 it's an interesting and experimental toy... for $280 is an outdated unsupported piece of crap... No Thanks.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Peter Perry 4th Nov

@Masari.Jones That is my point exactly, if these things sell out for $280 then there could possibly be a market if you establish it.

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No, it's just a way to try to get rid of inventory

otaddy 7th Nov

@Peter Perry nt

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

jlmvc 3rd Nov

Why is that every time another tablet is mentioned, some self important blogger has to change the topic to the Ipad. Really it's enough. Stop pushing your ideas on people and just report the news. Thank you!

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Contributr

RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Jason D. O'Grady Updated - 4th Nov

@jlmvc

The name of the blog is "The Apple Core." We look at tech through Apple-colored glasses And let's be honest... the TouchPad is yesterday's news, everyone knows that the iPad kicks its ass -- even at double the price!

- Jason

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Fletchguy 4th Nov

@Jason D. O'Grady
But we aso know that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 kills the ipad 2 in every possible way and can be bought for around $3.86 new right now. Hell even the Transformer is better then the ipad and those can be bought new for $250 now too.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

mprangel3@... 4th Nov

@jlmvc I agree. Just because some people see through apple-colored glasses does not mean all people have to wear those apple-covered glasses.
There are other choices for tablets out there that are great to have and they meet peoples needs. And guess what.. they are not i-pads. I know a few people that have galaxy tablets and they love them and there is nothing wrong with that.

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Im not an apple fan but when it comes to tablets

otaddy 7th Nov

@mprangel3@... Apple is the only choice--for now.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Gadget Girl 7th Nov

@jlmvc
I agree with your comment. I think they do that because after paying for such an overpriced device, they have to compensate by saying it's the best thing since sliced bread. I think this gives them justification for having shelled out over $500 bucks when they could have spent much less on something else that does the same thing. And depending on which model they've purchased, that price could have been as high as $800. Yikes! So, they push it as being "the best tablet ever..." so that others can be stupid enough to buy into Apples hype. Misery loves company. I'd be miserable too if spent that much.

In addition, Apple users are always trying to act as if there is a secret thing going on with using the iPad2 or one of those overpriced computers (Mac whatever), but the truth is there is no secret! They even get viruses like the rest of us. It's all just a bunch of hype and if you don't do your homework, you won't find that out until after you have spent a fortune on what will turn out to be a mediocre product. At the end of the day, it's all about the sale. Forget Apple, HP, and whoever else - it's your money, so get what you want and make yourself happy. My two cents.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Alan Smithie 4th Nov

Ipad2 ? I've got one and they are the most overpriced and underspecced tablets you can buy. Fortunately I didn't have to pay for mine but if I was then my money would be going on an Eee Pad Transformer where you get lots more for your money.

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Contributr

RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Jason D. O'Grady Updated - 4th Nov

@Alan Smithie

But wait, isn't the Transformer Prime coming out in five days?
http://eee.asus.com/en/eeepad/transformer-prime/features

Wait, what week is it?

What about the Transformer Decepticon that's coming in December? ...or the Transformer Autobot in January -- it'll have even better specs!

Tablets aren't always about the specs, they're about being productive, usually with apps. And the Market can't hold a candle to the App Store in the apps department.

Also, will the Transformer run Ice Cream Sandwich? What about the version of Android after that? (Jellybean?)

- Jason

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Fletchguy 4th Nov

@Jason D. O'Grady
It is about productivity which is why apple falls short. Low productivity from it, way overpriced, closed environment, ugly just to look at plus you get that dorky rich kid who doesnt know the value of a dollar stigma that apple carries with it.Apple is the uncool tech products. i feel bad for the iphone users who always look at my android phones and ask how to do that and I have to tell them Iphones cant do that or ipads cant display flash or give hdmi out.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Champ_Kind 4th Nov

@Jason D. O'Grady - Man, I even thought you knew that you don't feed trolls. grin

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

sigalert 4th Nov

@Alan Smithie
You got me for a second. I couldn't understand why anyone would not "love" the iPad. However since you didn't spend the equivalent of what some families spend in a month for food | rent | car | etc, you don't have to convince (delude) yourself you made a great purchase.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

ruger95 4th Nov

Tiger and others will do the same thing, they're out to make a profit. Not off my dime but they'll probably sell out. BB is bundling their with HP computer purchase.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

ConstableOdo 4th Nov

The cheapskates will be out in force, ready to toss away their cash on a dead-end product. H???P is really getting a lot of mileage from a lousy-selling product that will likely end up as landfill in a short while. I wonder if Ford did the same thing with the Edsel. Sell it through fire sales and bundles. Do consumers get support and updates from H???P on this remaining pile of TouchPads? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't WebOS development being discontinued?

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Support is my main concern

jscott418 4th Nov

So HP has really said very little about how long they plan to support it. I have heard a few say it is possible to hack Android into it. Which I guess if you could do that at least you could extend its end of life. I agree with the author. At $280 I might as well buy a refurb iPad.

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RE: TigerDirect selling HP TouchPads tomorrow; but only in $280 bundles

Weekends 4th Nov

This is the same argument everyone used to have concerning Windows or Linux or any other operating system. Some prefer no tinkering with it, some prefer open source.....and SOME prefer neither and use both of them while they ***** about them both. It's all in what makes a person happy as long as the hardware developers just keep giving us more POWER! LMAO!