$99 HP TouchPad: Tablet Successful From Being Unsuccessful
HP’s recently discontinued TouchPad tablet computer is one of the few devices that has been successful for being unsuccessful.
The webOS powered tablet was discontinued back in the early summer and immediately prices were slashed on the device making it one of the most reasonably priced and desirable products.
The 16GB version began to sell for only $99 dropping down from its original $500 price tag.
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Following the intense demand for the TouchPad, and the fact that it became virtually impossible to find after the price cuts, HP promised to send out one last shipment of the tablet to “satisfy unfulfilled demand.”
Those units are expected to be shipped by the end of this month.
Unfortunately those fire sale prices which customers were able to take advantage of over the summer may not be available since HP is allowing individual retailers to determine the amount they will charge for the TouchPad.
HP embarked into a tablet market that was dominated by Apple’s iPad 2.
The late tech innovator, Steve Jobs took the tablet idea and transformed it into an extremely successful product.
To take advantage of this newly revamped tablet market, electronics companies such as, Hewlett-Packard, RIM and Samsung began to promote their own iPad-like devices.
Both RIM’s and HP’s attempts at releasing tablets were unsuccessful.
Retail outlets were complaining to HP that they were sitting on large amounts of extra stock of the TouchPad.
Immediately the company decided to discontinue the TouchPad due to poor sales and that is when the device became successful from being unsuccessful.
HP plans to ship around 200,000 TouchPad units by the end of this month.
Optimal prices for the device will be $99 for the 16GB version and $149 for the $32 GB version.
Those prices all depend on what retailers decide to charge.
Other outlets have had the TouchPad available for purchase such as Amazon who is offering the 16GB version for around $250.
HP is also running a sweepstakes promoting ‘Real Steal,’ a new film starring Hugh Jackman, in which it will give away up to 20 TouchPads for free that will be signed by the Hollywood star.
Despite its initial failure, the HP TouchPad has been one of the most sought after products for the last three months.
It has even gained enough popularity to promote a Hollywood film.
Is there a possibility that HP will launch another cheap tablet to capitalize off the TouchPad’s success?
Anything is possible, but the company has stated recently that it plans to focus its future more on the development and sale of software.
