$99 HP Touchpad Sale: 200,000 Tablets to Arrive Within Weeks

By CP News Briefs, Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Hewlett Packard will deliver 200,000 $99 HP TouchPad tablets in a late October production run to satisfy “unfulfilled demand” of the discontinued device. HP will produce 200,000 TouchPad units to help suppliers clear out inventories, including touch panels, batteries, and chassis, while maintaining good relationships with companies involved, according to a DigiTimes report.

The tablets, which sold in the summer at the extremely cheap price of $99 for the 16GB and $149 for the 32GB, are rumored to become available by the end of October.

After the surprising success of the TouchPad fire sale that ignited the tablet buying frenzy and concluded in a sellout of the device across the nation, HP said, "Despite announcing an end to manufacturing webOS hardware, we have decided to produce one last run of TouchPads to meet unfulfilled demand."

However the company added, "We can’t promise we’ll have enough for everyone."

On the company’s blog it stated: “Each retailer will manage their own policy and process regarding pricing and price matching. Please contact the local retailer of your choice to see what their current position is.”

Consumers also have the chance to snag the $99 tablets, which are being given away for free in a promotional contest for Hugh Jackman’s newest film, “Real Steel.”

HP is giving away 20 Touchpads, five of which are signed by Jackman, to randomly selected winners who “like” the “Real Steel” banner on HP’s Facebook page.

The contest’s promotional period closes Oct. 21 and all entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. PDT. Winners will be randomly selected Oct. 26.

HP’s final shipment of the TouchPad tablets is also expected to hit stores around the time of the drawing – if not earlier.