HP Posting Availability Updates on Red-hot TouchPad

Igniting more chatter of additional TouchPad tablet computer stock, Hewlett-Packard has introduced a notify me page that asks people to sign up for an e-mail alert when the next shipments go out. The company also answered various questions in its official blog regarding inventories, saying there would be more available shortly.

HP's fire sale on the TouchPad exhausted inventories for good in Canada, while the U.S. is still waiting for new stock. Nobody wants to lose out the opportunity to nab the lucrative $99 TouchPad deal for the second time. But the company asked consumers not to rush.

Don't rush, HP's Mark Budgell tweeted on Monday. No availability today.

In a blog post published Monday, Budgell also said HP will reveal more information in the next few days about whether or not more TouchPads will be available and if so, what the details will be about the situation.

He also restated how stunned HP was at the overwhelming demand for the tablet, before revealing that the company has taken down last week's notify me page because of demand.

I also want everyone to know that that we've pulled down the 'notify me' page due to an overwhelming number of requests to be notified. Those who signed up will receive an e-mail as soon as more information is available, Budgell said. In the meantime, I will continue to provide updates here and on Twitter, along with my colleague Bryna.

The fire sale marked the lowest price ever for the tablet, with 16GB versions going down to $99, and 32GB versions to $149. Major electronics retailers sold out nearly instantly; but HP confirmed that it still has more to push down the channel -- except in Canada.

According to the company, it will take a $1 billion charge to write off the hardware business of webOS and move toward higher value, higher margin growth categories.

HP's TouchPad joined Dell Streak 5 in the tablet graveyard after just seven weeks on shelves as a potential iPad contender. Despite multiple price drops and plenty of hype, the tablet suffered from tepid reviews and the lack of a software ecosystem.

Although the tablet will not be made anymore, its operating system, dubbed webOS, is likely to find other opportunities in other devices, as HP representatives have hinted at further development.

The Q&A included in the blog post addressed common questions, such as whether there will be more stock outside the United States. The company answered no.

Responding to concerns that some people were ordering multiple TouchPads to resell them online, Budgell said once additional stock becomes available, HP will limit the number each customer can purchase.