Lastest HP TouchPad Deal a Stinker

The heavily discounted Hewlett-Packard (HP) TouchPad has returned to store shelves and is currently available for a still very reasonable $149.

Unfortunately, there's a rather steep requirement to the deal: those interested in the TouchPad will have to purchase a select computer in order to get the HP tablet at the reduced price. And even then, the HP Touchpad is still considered obsolete.

TouchPad Price Reduction Leads to Buyer Frenzy

The TouchPad buying 'bonanza' started this past summer when HP announced it would discontinue the unit only 2 months after its initial launch in July, slashing prices by up to 75% off. Before its release, it was rumored that the TouchPad would rival the iPad. Some even dubbed it the 'iPad Killer'.

Things just didn't work out that way, however, though the product's termination and fire sale did prove somewhat lucrative for consumers.

In August, HP drastically reduced the price of the TouchPad to just $99, setting off a consumer frenzy that included long line-ups at major electronics retailers like Best Buy.

When the number of TouchPads started to dwindle late in the month, HP announced -- to everyone's surprise -- that it would build more TouchPads.

New TouchPad Deal Has Steep Requirement

The 32GB version of the TouchPad is on Best Buy shelves now and can be had for $149.

Unfortunately, the retailer announced that in order to get this price, consumers will have to bundle it with any HP or Compaq computer. For those who want a TouchPad but not a PC, the cost of the device skyrockets all the way up to $599.99, which hardly seems like a bargain at all. (Source: tgdaily.com)

Looking elsewhere for a TouchPad (other than Best Buy) will likely be difficult. HP has announced that its current stock of TouchPads is already low, and that means Best Buy is the only retailer selling it right now -- at least, for $149.

Despite the catch, it appears HP is still losing money on the device. Critics suggest that even at $149, Hewlett-Packard is losing about $178 on every unit sold. (Source: techzone360.com)

It's not clear at this time how many TouchPads Best Buy has in stock, meaning we have no idea how long this deal will last. Some sources indicate that between 1.5 and 2 million TouchPads were produced by HP for this holiday sale, and if that's true it's likely the retailer will have enough in stock to last until Christmas.