New Gadget 2011

HP has slashed prices to clear hundreds of thousands of orphaned TouchPads from store shelves, following this week�s announcement that it would no longer make devices based on WebOS.
On Friday night, it was discovered by PreCentral.net that the 16GB version had been marked down to $99 and the 32 GB version was marked down to $149, representing a deep price cut of $300 or more.
By the morning, some bargain hunters had moved quickly to pick up the tablet at rock-bottom prices, while early adopters were left licking their full priced wounds.
The quick decision by HP to liquidate the TouchPad left retailers scrambling to decide whether to follow suit and discount the hardware or to pull it from store shelves. By early afternoon, HP listed the device as sold-out;  Best Buy had pulled it from its shelves and extended its return policy; and Amazon was still listing it at regular prices.
�I�m so BLISTERINGLY pissed about this � never .. NEVER will I buy anything HP again,� according to one comment on PreCentral.net, who said he paid 500 bucks plus tax on the first day the device came out.
Another comment on Amazon echoed the same opinion: �I will never purchase another HP hardware product again. I realize that will be rather easy as HP has said they would like to divest themselves of their consumer computer lines. I now own a $600 clock/picture viewer as I have no hope of seeing any meaningful apps or updates to apps I have purchased.�
Meanwhile, bargain hunters quickly made up their minds that a picture frame/e-reader/Web browser was a deal at $99, even if no new apps were coming for the device. They flocked to stores and visited e-tailers to buy up a device, much of which is unknown about the future of its operating system. Or who knows, maybe they�ll find a way to put Android on it?
�I actually will probably pick a couple up myself� I already wanted to get a second one for work, and at that price, there�s no excuse not to. Then I�ll grab another as a backup for when one of them dies�,� wrote one enthusiastic deal hunter.
But finding one might be the problem.
BestBuy.com is now redirecting you to its return and price match policy for the TouchPad, which kindly states that it is extending its 14-day return window for a complete refund for the device and accessories for 60 days. It adds that it is no longer honoring its price match policy (meaning that if you can find listed for $99, it will not cut you a check for the difference).
On HP�s own site, the 16GB version is listed as $99, but it is sold out. It is likely the device could make a reappearance there as retailers, including Best Buy, send back its units to HP. A selection of merchants on Amazon continue to sell the devices for $400 each or more, and even current bids on eBay, are exceeding the $99 price point. Office Depot has picked a completely path altogether and has marked down the devices � but not all the way. The smaller capacity version will cost you $130, while it�s larger sibling will set you back $150. However, when you try to add it to your cart, it suddenly becomes unavailable.
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