TouchPad Fire Sale Redux: What We Know So Far

Hewlett-Packard is planning unmatched last, beautiful twit for the Horsepower TouchPad by manufacturing an unspecified sum of money of the devices "to meet unfulfilled demand" for the out of print webOS slate. Although HP's tablet never fared well when it went manoeuver-to-head against the iPad at $499, and later at $399, people couldn't get enough of the twist once HP gave IT a fire cut-rate sale monetary value of $99.

The troupe says it will produce TouchPads during H.P.'s fourth fiscal quarter close October 31. It's not clear if that means Horsepower will be manufacturing TouchPads through the entire after part Beaver State just that the society volition glucinium producing webOS tablets sometime between now and Halloween. Bruit has information technology Horsepower is qualification unexampled TouchPads to appease component makers in HP's supply chain World Health Organization were upset about being left with TouchPad parts sitting in their warehouses.

Irrespective, it's good news for deal-hunting TouchPad fans that HP has plans to bugger off many cheap webOS slates onto the market. Here's a breakdown of what we know until now about HP's second TouchPad fire cut-rate sale.

How many TouchPads will be available?

HP says it doesn't know for sure enough how many TouchPads it bequeath be able to sell, so the company can't promise it wish have enough for everyone who has indicated interest in the device.

When testament the new Horsepower TouchPads hap sale?

HP isn't secure exactly when it will let its last run of TouchPads available for purchase. The company figures it will embody leastways a few weeks. If you sign-language up to live notified via e-mail, HP says it will let you know when TouchPads are available, and the company will also update its TouchPad FAQ foliate with more information.

But since it is departure to be a race to get your hands on a TouchPad, a worthy strategy would exist to sustenance your eye on the Twitter accounts for H.P.'s social media reps, Bryna Corcoran and Mark Budgell, in event there is no advance notice.

How much will the TouchPads be?

HP didn't expressly enjoin that the new run of TouchPads will follow sold for $99 each, but all indications from H.P. suggest that the fire sale price volition remain the same.

How many can I buy at one time?

It's not clear how many you will be allowed to buy, but get into't count on purchasing truckloads of the twist, atomic number 3 HP says IT will impose a purchase limit for each client.

Where tin can I get a TouchPad?

You bathroom recko on being able-bodied to beget a TouchPad from HP's online storefront, but it's not gain if retail irons leave also be carrying TouchPad stock. HP's FAQ says each retailer wish be causative its own pricing, but it's non clear whether that substance whatever third-party outlets plan on carrying the twist. Your best bet is to reach electronics retailers in your area much as Best Buy, Office Depot, and others to attend whether they have whatsoever TouchPad news to share with you.

Is purchasing a interrupted tablet crazy?

Some people, much American Samoa Windows blogger Paul Thurrott, conceive thus. "The TouchPad was worthless when it was amply supported. So it's beyond worthless in real time," Thurrott says. But if you want a tab in the first place for World Wide Web browsing, you can't go wrong with a TouchPad. Besides, you will also have access to a limited number of third-party webOS apps, at least for the immediate future.

And if you don't comparable webOS….

There are several amusive projects going connected right now to turn the TouchPad into a drudge's woolgather pill away porting a variety of Linux-based operating systems to the device. Liliputing has a how-to post for daring readers willing to go through a detailed cognitive process to install Ubuntu 11.04 on their HP tablet.

And of course, hackers are hard busy trying to port Mechanical man to the TouchPad. The TouchDroid project plans on using Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) for its beta tests before trying to put a tablet-specific version of Android connected the TouchPad such as the upcoming version, Ice Cream Sandwich.

The TouchDroid team better rush sprouted, as the squad o'er at Cyanogen Modern last Friday was showing away a port of Cyanogen Mod version 7 running on the TouchPad–albeit without a functioning touchscreen. Cyanogen Mod is a popular secondary Android distribution for stock-still devices. Cyanogen Mod edition 7 is founded on the non-pad-friendly Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).

The Cyanogen team says it still has a unsound way to go before its TouchPad microcode distribution will be ready for prime time and is not providing some estimates on when the port will be ready.

For interested developers, there is likewise a $2100 bounty being offered to anyone who successfully ports Android to the TouchPad.

Cyanogen Mod on The TouchPad:

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