HP TouchPad Sale to Continue This Week, How to Score a $99 Tablet

Don't feel bad if you've missed the first boat to acquire a $99 tablet computer, the HP TouchPad sale is expected to continue this week according to the company's social media manager who says a second wave of the firesale will begin early in the week.

HP getting more stock of TouchPad early in the week, Bryna Corcoran tweeted on Monday.

While no more TouchPads will be manufactured, HP is set to release more TouchPads as a part of their clearance sale. Consumers will be able to purchase the tablet at a discounted price of $99 for 16GB and $149 for 32GB.

HP has pulled the plug on its tablet computer which had disappointing sales since its release in early July. In a bid to clear out inventory, the price for a 16GB TouchPad fell from $500, to $400, and now to $99. The price of the 32GB TouchPad fell from $600, to $149.

HP said Thursday that it would stop making all webOS-powered devices, including the TouchPad and its smartphone, the Pre 3, in an effort to place more attention on development of OS rather than manufacturing hardware.

We will focus on the future of webOS as a software platform but we will no longer be producing webOS devices, said HP's senior vice president of Global Developer Relations, Richard Kerris, in a blog post. While this was a difficult decision, it's one that will strengthen our ability to focus on further innovating with webOS as we forge our path forward.

According to TGDaily, the TouchPad sale is part of an effort to clear out stockpiled inventory, rather than to undermine any other competing tablet device, though HP hasn't mentioned this as part of their reasoning for the TouchPad sale.

HP sent out a memo to retailers to begin the TouchPad sale at the lowest price ever at $99 for 16GB and $149 for 32GB.

Major electronics retailer Best Buy, who almost instantly sold out of the TouchPads, said on its Web site that the retailer will no longer sell the discounted TouchPads as they have sent back the rest of the inventory to HP.

We are sold out of the HP TouchPad both in store and online and will not be receiving more inventory, Best Buy said.

The HP Web site also listed the TouchPad as out of stock: Due to the significant price reduction, we experienced overwhelming demand for the product and are out of inventory.

While the sale has erupted in utter chaos around the country, some are wary of buying the heavily discounted tablet computer, fearing that its webOS will no longer exist in the near future. However, HP's Kerris said the company has future plans for webOS, which they just acquired the rights for last year in a $1.8 billion deal.

We will continue to support, innovate and develop the webOS App Catalog, Kerris said. Our intent is to enhance our merchandising and presentation of your great products and to continue to build our webOS app ecosystem.

Despite the lack of available routes to acquire what Amazon now lists as No.1 on its bestselling electronics list, the TouchPad sale is set to continue this week.

According to Corcoran, the best way to try and get a TouchPad is to sign up for an alert to be notified when more are in stock.

Must Read: UPDATE: TouchPad Sales Delayed a 'Few Weeks,' HP Offers 25% Off All Merchandise