RIP, HP TouchPad. A long time ago–well, about three months ago–HP claimed that their WebOS-based tablet would be the greatest on the market. Now, our tipline is buzzing with customers clamoring to get their hands on a TouchPad tablet: not because it’s a hot tech toy, but because the product’s being discontinued, and retailers dumping them for $100 or $150 depending on storage capacity.

Brian wrote in about his experience buying one from Barnes & Noble:

Barnes and Noble put up the HP Touchpads that are being liquidated on their website last night. I ordered one at around 3:00 AM EST, and around 6:00 AM EST I was told I had to contact Sales Auditing.

Since then, i’ve attempted to call them 8 times. I’ve been hung up on without explanation twice, told the volume of calls was too high twice, and told that I was not calling during business hours four times. The problem? Their business hours, as listed on their phone service, are 8:30 AM EST -> 11 PM EST.

The first time I called was 8:00 AM EST, so I’d expect the call to be out of their business hours, but when I call at 8:45 , 9:00, 9:30 before giving up and then call at 4:45, I would expect them to be in operating business hours at least one of those times.

I’ve heard from other people making similar orders that their cards were charged and then their orders were cancelled, which is worrying me greatly – I don’t have the money at the moment to place a second order somewhere else (if I can even find one) while fighting B&N to get my money back.

Were any other tablet-seekers out there in Consumeristland victorious? What do you plan to do with your device, other than put it in a glass case next to your Apple Newton?

Buying a $99 HP TouchPad: One Person’s Quest [PC World]
HP TouchPad to Android Port: $1500 Prize [Hack N Mod]

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