FireSale
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Walmart is now selling the iPhone 5C for less than a dollar
While Apple hasn't formally announced the iPhone 6 yet, there's few surer signs of an impending new model than a fire-sale to clear out existing stock. How's $0.97 sound for an iPhone 5c in that case? For the next 90 days then, Walmart has your ticket and is discounting the colorful 16GB handset by just over $28. Cupertino's same-size current flagship is dipping in price for the next three months too, but the end result doesn't sound anywhere near as dramatic. The iPhone 5s is now $20 less expensive, going from $99 to $79. All of these prices are with a two year contract through AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular and Verizon. If you'd rather hold out for something new and likely much more expensive, well, September 9th is only a few weeks away.
RIM puts BlackBerry Playbook on massive sale; Android Market shoehorned onto rooted units
Research in Motion may not have found itself in a coveted spot as 2011 ended, but if it's learned anything from HP, there's a surefire way to rid itself of remaining BlackBerry PlayBook inventory: sell 'em for a loss. After the unloved slate went on sale in its native land, Americans can now save up to $400 on a PlayBook through February 4th. RIM's official webstore is offering the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB model for $299, leaving us to wonder who would ever choose the smaller two if all three remain in stock. In related news, those who take the company up on the offer can now gain access to the Android Market with a few choice moves. The fine folks over at CrackBerry have detailed the process, which requires a rooted PlayBook, WinSCP, the latest version of Cyanogen Google apps and a fair amount of patience. Naturally, not all Android apps will actually work on the device, but it's a lovely hack for a sure-to-be-sluggish week in your workshop. Hit the links below to learn more.
HP TouchPad returns in TigerDirect bundle, if only for a moment
"We've got TouchPads!" That's the slogan, but even TigerDirect admits that it's expecting its latest batch of TouchPad slates to evaporate in a matter of minutes. Strangely enough, we've seen the zombie-like webOS tablet on sale in a variety of locations during the past few months, and if you're quick, you'll be able to buy yet another from yet another vendor at 2:30PM ET today. The company's not saying how many are in stock, but we're told to expect the entire batch to be claimed "by 2:32PM ET." The deal? $249.99 nets you a 32GB TouchPad, a 10.1-inch Belkin tablet case and Creative Labs' D80 Bluetooth speakers, while a $299.99 bundle replaces the speaker with a Photosmart printer. Oh, and don't even bother trying to order over the phone -- this one's online only, and it's one bundle per customer. We're telling you now so you've got time to memorize your credit card number. Feel free to talk about nerves, shaking limbs and tales of luck in comments below.[Thanks, Andrew]
HP to launch another Touchpad fire sale this weekend, because it's cold outside (updated)
And really, it's no surprise. Considering the wild success it enjoyed with its first Touchpad fire sale, why wouldn't HP try to recreate that magic in time for the holiday shopping rush? According to a release the company sent out to employees this week, the redux will kick off on December 11th at 7 PM, on HP's eBay Store. There, consumers will be able to get their hands on a refurbished 16GB or 32GB model for $99 and $149, respectively. They'll also have the chance to get a case, charging dock and wireless keyboard as part of a $79 bundle, though the sale isn't entirely lawless, with each buyer limited to a maximum of two Touchpads. Interested parties should get their clicking fingers on the ready -- before the British invade. December 11, 2011 7:00 PM EST Update: The slates in question have curiously appeared on HP's eBay Store with their original $499 and $599 pricing. Still, there's roughly an hour to go before HP's self-imposed deadline. Update 2: And it's live! Did you make it all the way through? Let us know in comments. Update 3: Looks like they're gone. We're getting "Invalid item" errors on all four listings.
webOS brick-and-mortar stores close forever, may they rest in peace
It's with broken heart that we announce that the doors have officially shut for good on all remaining webOS retail stores. The news likely won't come as a shock to many, given HP's intent to scrap the operating system from its future plans. This isn't the first physical manifestation of the company's announcement, when factoring in the plethora of layoffs taking place; nonetheless, anyone affected or touched by a Palm device over the last 19 years may likely mourn the loss. That said, at least the stores went out with a bang: Veers were cleared out for $50 each, the Pixi was sold for $25 ($15 if you purchased four or more) and the Touchstone could be had for a cool $2.50. The retail outlets may now be a thing of the past, but the memories of the products sold in them will hopefully live on forever. Never forget.
IRL: Nexus One, Sansa Clip Zip, DeLorme PN-60 and the HP TouchPad
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Welcome back to IRL, a new column where we dissect, defend and gripe about the gadgets we're using in real life. This week, Dante gets a firesale TouchPad, Dana ditches her Shuffle for a Sansa Clip Zip, Tim's on a boat with the DeLorme PN-60 and Darren explains why, exactly, he's still clinging to his Nexus One.
HP: TouchPad will receive OTA update for added 'functionality'
HP may have abandoned the TouchPad, but that apparently won't stop the company from issuing a post-mortem OTA update for its webOS tablet. Yesterday, an HP spokesperson confirmed to CNET that "HP TouchPad owners can look forward to an over-the-air update that will enhance the platform and add functionality and a growing applications catalog." The rep didn't offer any specifics, but reaffirmed that HP remains "fully committed to the ongoing support and service of customers who purchased webOS devices." The news comes on the heels of a Quickoffice HD update that dropped yesterday, and at a time when TouchPads are selling like hotcakes -- which probably explains HP's decision to issue a tweak. Indeed, the company went on to say that it's seen "huge spikes in activations and between 3-5X downloads of apps," since the TouchPad fire sale first launched.
HP TouchPad tops Amazon US sales, rumored for UK price drop
Well, it's official, the TouchPad is currently the hottest piece of consumer electronics around, and all it took was HP's complete abandonment of its current line of webOS devices. The once maligned slate is currently atop Amazon's electronics sales list. The 16GB and 32GB models have snagged the top two spots, beating out the Kindle, the iPod touch, and everyone else. And there may be some good news for UK customers who have been watching the excitement from afar -- reports are rolling in that the tablet will available for £89 ($146) and £115 ($189) for the 16GB and 32GB versions. We'll let you know when we get official confirmation on the matter. Update: Looks like the above pricing has been confirmed for UK retailer, Dixons.
Confirmed: Best Buy US begins selling TouchPads after all, good luck finding one
Those reports we heard about Best Buys in the US selling off remaining inventory of the HP TouchPad? Turns out they're true, and the "fire sale" is taking place nationwide online and in stores. The FAQ page in the retailer's forums has been updated to announce that it's reversed the decision to ship everything back to HP, and we've also received leaked screenshots confirming the news as well. Best Buy's online store currently shows the TouchPad as sold out and unavailable in stores, and company reps are hesitant to give official word on exactly how much inventory is left at this point. If the online status doesn't change between now and sunrise, we have a strong feeling you should expect a Black Friday-style line waiting for you at the brick-and-mortars. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Space shuttle fire sale! Free after $28.8m in S&H and some Congressional lobbying
Hey, you! Yeah, you! Come here and listen. Have you ever wanted to own your very own space shuttle? Of course you have, and now NASA is giving away one orbiters apiece to three lucky winners free of charge. All you need to do is follow these three steps: Be a qualified institution. Currently there's just 21 in the running, including the Kennedy Space Center and the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. Possess the proper indoor facility to house the veteran astro-car in a climate-controlled environment. It should also have a big door since at no time can it be dismantled. Pay for shipping and handling. According to the Wall Street Journal, that entails having a runway in your backyard, strapping the shuttle to the back of a specialized 747 jet, and covering post-flight repairs. Estimated cost is $28.8 million. Should you meet the above requirements and manage to add yourself to the list of suitors, that gives you a 13.64 percent unweighted probability to nab one! Just because NASA picks you, though, doesn't mean you actually win -- and if that logic seems fuzzy, allow us to clarify with a quote from aerospace engineer and shuttle historian Dennis Jenkins: "Congress will immediately go into an uproar and un-decide for them." Tricky fine print, best of luck!
Iris suspends development, users can upgrade to Acorn for free
I never actually used Iris (my image editor of choice is still Pixelmator), but the one-window image editor released a few years ago certainly had its share of fans. Unfortunately, those fans may be disappointed to hear that Iris' developer, Nolobe, has suspended development on the app. Nolobe's principal Matthew Drayton says that back in 2007, when Iris started development, there were no cheap yet quality image editors, and nowadays, the app has simply become a "me too" app. He doesn't want to do that, so he's out. Fortunately, however, Iris owners aren't completely left in the lurch -- Drayton highly recommends Acorn, and anyone who currently owns Iris will be able to get a free upgrade to that app. Sad to see that a quality image editor is calling it quits, but the reasons seem legit and the transition should go smoothly. If you own Iris, watch your email for directions on how to upgrade, or contact Nolobe yourself. It's not all glum news from Nolobe: the company has a great deal going now for its flagship FTP client, Interarchy. Commemorating the two-year anniversary of an office-gutting fire (well, maybe it is kinda glum, now that we think about it), the Interarchy Fire Sale offers a steep discount on the app for the next week, along with discount codes for several other leading indie apps (including Acorn). The $19.95 Interarchy 9 licenses are valid for free upgrades to version 10 (now in beta), which adds up to a savings of almost $70. [via DF]
Discovery Channel offers rock bottom prices on HD DVDs
Not like this comes as any surprise whatsoever, but the latest to jump on the HD DVD fire sale wagon is Discovery Channel. As of now, the firm is offering up its famed Planet Earth, Sunrise Earth and Discovery Atlas titles with massive discounts attached (some flicks are as low as $9.99), but alas, all sales are inevitably final. Still, $29.99 for the Planet Earth HD DVD set could be reason enough to keep that unsupported player around.[Via John B.]
FlipStart retail price nosedives, we're a little worried
It's one thing to have a price reduction, it's another thing to go from $1500 to $700 -- more than half off -- in a single day. Then again, if you want to move units, there's nothing like a fire sale. Perhaps the FlipStart 2.0 is just around the corner. Or perhaps these things simply weren't moving as fast as Paul Allen might have hoped.
