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Namco Bandai denies collusion with eBay reseller amid Ni no Kuni Wizard's Edition shortage
After some orders for the Wizard's Edition of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch started being mysteriously cancelled, Namco Bandai stepped forward to clarify that the special edition had been oversold, that the issue was caused by an error in its e-commerce provider's software and that said provider would be in touch to work things out.Shortly thereafter, Wizard's Editions were found on PlayCanada's eBay store, marked up to an astronomical $400 each. The Internet, being the Internet, quickly jumped to the conclusion that Namco Bandai and/or Digital River had entered into a clandestine agreement with PlayCanada, removing inventory from its official site in order to maximize profits through an eBay scalper."NAMCO BANDAI Games America is not, nor has it ever, worked with or in conjunction with the EBay seller known as 'PlayCanada' to sell units of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard's Edition at a price premium on EBay," Namco Bandai has told us."According to our records, this individual or group of individuals purchased Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard's Edition during the NinoStarter promotion period (August 2012); at which time, no limits were placed on how many units an individual could order. PlayCanada's claims that they officially worked with NAMCO BANDAI Games America to obtain their stock is entirely false."Namco Bandai is still attempting to make it up to fans who pre-ordered the Wizard's Edition and aren't going to receive one; every affected person will receive a 400-page hardbound strategy guide that includes a code for an in-game "Gold Hurly Familiar," as well as a $20 clubNamco voucher.
Amazon Kindle Touch goes out of stock, sparks conspiracy theories
We hope your heart wasn't set on snagging a Kindle Touch before heading off to school this fall. Both the WiFi and 3G versions of the reader are no longer available as new devices from Amazon's US pages -- if you want one at all in the country, you'll have to swing past a retail store or scour the virtual bargain bins for used models. Suffice it to say that the timing of this vanishing act is extremely convenient in light of Amazon's special event next week, although just what it means is very much an unknown. Is there a light-up sequel on its way? A winnowing of the e-reader line to fewer models? Or just a quick inventory check? We'll have a better answer on September 6th, but the out-of-stock notice is a not-so-friendly reminder that patience is a virtue.
VIA Technologies APC 8750 mobo / CPU combo will go on sale today for $60
Did you get giddy at the thought of playing around with VIA Technologies APC 8750 Android-based board, but failed to get in on the pre-order action? Good news for you, as folks wanting to dig into its custom Gingerbread OS, 800Mhz ARMv6 CPU and 3D graphics engine can head on over to Newegg and get one for $59.99. Unfortunately, it's currently out of stock, but our gadget senses tell us that more APC's will be available soon, and you can head on over to the source link below and sign up to be notified when it happens. If patience isn't your thing, feel free to hit up the source and give your F5 key a workout instead. [Thanks, Anonymous]
T-Mobile G2x sheds 'out of stock' badge, immediately goes on sale
All of your G2x-toting friends are gleefully downloading the long-awaited Gingerbread update, while you sulk in the corner because they've been out of stock for over two months. Time to don that party hat, Sir Frowny, because it's now your turn to share in the joy and have the last laugh. T-Mobile's online store not only has the G2x in stock, they're free -- at least until Thursday, that is. The price tag seems to be a generous olive branch extended by the carrier for those who've been immeasurably patient in buying the fanciful device. Sure, you may be a tad late to the celebration, but think of it instead as making a grand entrance.
MacBook in short supply, stirs rumors of imminent refresh, rebirth of white plastic?
We've already seen the MacBook Pro sporting new specs, and heard rumblings of a MacBook Air refresh coming soon, and now reports of dwindling supplies of Apple's great white hope have the internets abuzz over a possible MacBook upgrade. AppleInsider did a little digging earlier today, and found that major online retailers, including Amazon, and at least one brick and mortar store were either running low or completely out of the last of the MacBooks. A similar fate has befallen stock of the Mac mini, inviting speculation that both machines will likely pop up post-Lion. We suppose there's also a possibility that Apple's ready to send the old workhorse to the glue factory, but we'd prefer a happy ending.
ASUS to ship 300,000 Eee Pad Transformers in June, surpass all non-iPad tablet sales
ASUS has had a hard time meeting demand for its Eee Pad Transformer since the device's launch earlier this year, but we clearly don't have component shortages to blame. Jerry Shen, the Taiwanese company's CEO, says that he expects to sell 300,000 of the tablets this month, following shipments totaling 400,000 in April and May. That figure puts the device in the number two spot for worldwide tablet shipments, just behind the prevailing iPad 2. At that rate, ASUS's latest hybrid will bring in NT $2.5-3 billion (approximately $86.6-104 million), accounting for 10 percent of the company's total revenue for June -- a figure which could increase after sales pick up in Europe and mainland China in Q3. As for North America, it looks like e-tailers are finally able to maintain inventory of the $399 (16GB) flavor -- it's listed as in stock with major sites, including Amazon and Best Buy.
ASUS ramping up Eee Pad Transformer production, says they'll be easier to find in the 'coming weeks'
We couldn't help but notice that a lot of you want to buy the Eee Pad Transformer; it's just that your quest for one is turning up dry. We asked ASUS for an update on the shortage and the company said it's cranking 'em out at a furious pace to meet strong demand. Here's what a PR rep had to say: We are ramping production every week to address the supply concerns, including almost daily air shipments into North America. We expect the supply line to improve significantly over the coming weeks. So there you have it: if you live on the North American continent, at least, you'll soon be able to find an elusive Transformer -- and just in time for a much-appreciated Android 3.1 update.
HP Envy 14 Beats Edition no longer available with Dr. Dre endorsed headphones, results in price drop
The differences between the HP Envy 14 Beats Edition and the plain ol' Envy 14 have been primarily aesthetic -- it's got a black Beats branded lid and red backlit keyboard -- but HP's also included that set of Monster Beats Solo headphones you see up there. Sadly, that last differentiator is no longer. We'd heard from a few readers that their Envy 14 Beats Edition laptops arrived sans headphones, and HP has confirmed for us that due to "supply constraints" the Dr. Dre Solo from Monster headphones are no longer included with the snazzy black and red laptop. Hopefully those customers that paid full price for the laptop and didn't receive the Solos will get a refund, but we're told by HP that the price has been lowered by $100 since the cans went out of stock -- the starting price was originally $1,249.99 and is now $1,149.99. We're not entirely sure why you'd pay $150 more for the Beats version now, considering you get the same audio experience with the standard $999.99 Envy, but what do we know? There may be tons of diehard Beats Audio fans living amongst us. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Pre Plus out of stock online at Verizon and AT&T -- so what does it mean?
We can all agree that some fresh product is desperately overdue out of Sunnyvale, so the eternal optimists in us want to believe that the departure of the Pre Plus from Verizon's and AT&T's warehouses right now means that we can expect new goodies soon. Of course, it's entirely possible that the two carriers just happened to run out of phones at the same time and that fresh batches are on their way, so it's too early to say these phones are out for the count; then again, when you consider that Sprint somehow still sells the Centro, anything's possible. For what it's worth, both carriers' stores are still stocking the phones, so if you absolutely must have a Pre Plus right now, you're in luck -- you're just going to have to put on something besides your underwear and leave the house to get it. Sorry!
Amazon Kindle listed as 'temporarily out of stock,' Nook and Sony Reader smile coyly
Amazon's Kindle may have the price advantage when it comes to its e-reading competitors, but right now it's sorely lacking in the availability department. Looks like the device is out of commission and has been for at least 24 hours as of this writing. In the past, CEO Jeff Bezos and company have written us apology notes and / or provided a timeframe for its return. This time, however, we're left with nothing but a bold red "Temporarily out of stock" notice and nary a word on when that sales restriction might lift. Not to worry, though: if you're really jonesing, the Graphite Kindle DX is still available and shipping immediately. We've pinged Amazon and will let you know what we hear.
AT&T and O2 have few iPhone 3Gs
The iPhone 3G is a hot commodity, as you may have noticed by reading every other post here at TUAW. These things are selling like hot cakes, which I assume sell very well, and are hard to keep in stock. AT&T has posted a note letting people know that they are plum out of iPhones at their retail stores. You can snag one from AT&T by using their 'direct fulfilment' option which means you order the iPhone and AT&T will ship it to the store when it is ready (and then you can just stroll in to pay for it). If you go that route be prepared to wait 14 days or so, depending on the model, to get your iPhone. At least you don't have to stand in line!O2 has all been moving iPhones like nobody's business. The iPhone is in short supply in the O2 shops, though this website will be updated with stores that have them in stock. If you like to shop online, you're out of luck as the O2 online store is out of iPhones. O2 expects a shipment of iPhones on Friday, so if you're in the UK you just have to hold out a little longer.[via Engadget]
Pre-WWDC iPhone rumor roundup: AT&T out of stock, subsidized pricing, last minute size changes
As we inch towards the towering precipice of WWDC 2008, rumors swirling around Apple's next iteration of the iPhone are being deposited onto the interblogs at an alarming rate. The latest set comes in three distinct flavors, the first of which recalls an earlier story that telcos would be offering subsidies for long-term contract signers. According to separate sources, Spain's Telefonica and the UK's O2 would offer the 3G iPhone at discounted rates (as low as €100) for those willing to put pen to paper, while some are claiming that O2 might also offer a "free" upgrade to the new phone for existing users. In other pot-stirring news, iDealsChina is reporting that the phone will suddenly be 2.0mm shorter and 0.5mm thinner than previously spec'd by Griffin in its new casing molds, thus causing all kinds of trouble for the accessory-maker... and people with big hands. Finally, we can safely report that AT&T has run out of stock of the device online (finally joining Apple). The site claims it's a "temporary" situation -- one which we suspect will be rectified by the appearance of a new model. Time to get in that line?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - Telefonica to be sole distributor of 3G iPhone in Spain for 100 euroRead - Rumour: O2 plans free iPhone 3G upgrade and pay-as-you-goRead - iPhone 3G last minute size change!Read - AT&T iPhone page
Is FlipStart closing up shop?
Look, we're not saying that FlipStart is on the way out, but when you only sell one product, put it on fire sale, and then your "store" page tells people that the stock of your device has been "sold out" and then directs them to a third-party retailer for accessories, well, things might not be looking so good.[Thanks, Marke]
Where in the world is the Xbox 360 Elite?
According to tipsters, a little bird, and our crack team of cybernetically-enhanced super-searchers, the Xbox 360 Elite is suddenly very hard to come by. From what we can tell, the console configuration is missing from the stockrooms of a number of shops, both online and off, making it rather difficult for new buyers to begin wasting their life playing Bioshock with the top of the line 360. We're making some calls and trying to get to the bottom of the situation, but let us know if you're seeing units on your local store shelves -- or not.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
British retailers going bundle crazy
Over at the always entertaining UK: Resistance, resident jaded cynic Cmdr_Zorg has a few strong words to say about certain UK retailers, specifically those who refuse to play fair when it comes to the increasingly rare Wii.The source of Zorg's chagrin? That said merchants are now using the insane popularity of the Wii and crippling shortages to flog desperate consumers bundles which are, to put it charitably, a load of old bumwash. Electronics chain Dixons is one of the culprits in this growing trend, with its cheapest Wii bundle clocking in at £350 ($725). All have sold out, presumably to people who would normally have lol'd heartily at the idea of buying Smarty Pants.Admittedly, some of the bundles being offered by Dixons contain titles that every one of us should own, but that's not the point: let us make those decisions!
Brits can't find Wii for love nor money
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Brits_can_t_find_Wii_for_love_nor_money'; Nintendo might well be cracking the whip on the Wii production line, but pretty much everybody still seems to be feeling the pinch of shortages. UK shoppers, for example, are becoming increasingly desperate for the console, with online retailers now getting in the region of 100,000 requests a day from panicky, possibly hyperventilating Brits. Meanwhile, Amazon's UK arm recently sold 1,000 machines in under 10 minutes, while the console on its own is typically going for around £300 ($615) on eBay. In other words, Wii fever is hitting some quite ridiculous heights on this side of the pond, and if Reggie is to be believed, things ain't going to get any better in the immediate future. [Via Go Nintendo]
iPhones still selling like hotcakes?
Despite the notable backlash at some of Apple's questionably-nefarious corporate agendas recently, Blackfriars' Marketing blog notes that iPhones are still selling rather well - and that stock is low in a dozen or so stores. GigaOM is also reporting people are causing noticeable queues at silly hours of the day at the twenty-four hour Fifth Avenue store, just to buy handsets.Of course, the mass-buying could be purely down to people buying plenty of handsets to hack, brick, and re-lock to try and score a feature on Joy of Tech, but the reasons from Blackfriars seem to be slightly more business-orientated. Demand for the iPhone elsewhere in the world - particularly Europe, despite the fact there's now a launch date and pricing for at least some European territories - is clearly a tempting proposition for people looking to make a tidy profit from sending iPhones abroad, and plenty seem to be doing so.Thanks, Mike.
