Holy Personal Computers, Batman!

[maxximilian]

Interesting article here about what the fire sale does to Apple and Android sales. Perhaps method to HP's madness? Cripple sales of the others for a little while...just as a parting shot?

http://betanews.com/2011/08/20/what-...-tablet-sales/

Also raises questions about pad pricing in general.

[jdc2000]

Shareholders are not pleased.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44221142...s-us_business/

[Sal_gal]

Shareholders are not pleased.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44221142...s-us_business/

Well certainly, if your company is doing well -- as HP has done, then to totally dismantle the company, sell off hardware, put the PCs up for sale, you wouldn't be happy either.
What happens when as many as a half million tablets suddenly sell for low price — and they’re good ones, too. That can’t be a good weekend for low-volume Android tablets, like Galaxy Tab and XOOM, or even iPad.
Yep, it might slow down the sales of the other Tablets. And it does look suspicious that a $400-600 product can be sold for $99; I don't want to be left to buy ONLY Apple products. Come back HP!
Another thing: HP makes a pretty good "all in one" desktop product, but it never promotes that PC. All the ads I see are for "laptops" and tablets. I think they need to change presidents of company instead of dismantling their product line.

[jdc2000]

They have changed top management several times over the last few years. They don't seem to be able to find anyone who has a clue how to manage for long term viability and profitability. Everyone is only interested in quick short term gains. Maybe if they tied the top executive's compensation bonuses to 10, 15, and 20 year gains they might find some better personnel. At least one top manager was booted for criminal activity.

[maxximilian]

From what I am reading, the HP thinking goes something like this:

'The desktop is a dinosaur and mobiles are the future. We can't compete well enough in the mobiles, so our thin profits in the consumer area will soon become losses. Therefore we need to get out now and concentrate on big business.'

Not saying I agree....just their thinking. Now IF desktops are soon to be dinosaurs as they say, then perhaps this move makes a little bit of business sense because breaking into mobiles is fraught with hazard...and not just stiff competition, but also the patent wars. It is impossible to produce a product these days without someone running to court claiming patent violation.

I think desktops are waning, but certainly not dinosaurs anytime soon.

[Sal_gal]

From what I am reading, the HP thinking goes something like this:

'The desktop is a dinosaur and mobiles are the future. We can't compete well enough in the mobiles, so our thin profits in the consumer area will soon become losses. Therefore we need to get out now and concentrate on big business.'

Not saying I agree....just their thinking. Now IF desktops are soon to be dinosaurs as they say, then perhaps this move makes a little bit of business sense because breaking into mobiles is fraught with hazard...and not just stiff competition, but also the patent wars. It is impossible to produce a product these days without someone running to court claiming patent violation.

I think desktops are waning, but certainly not dinosaurs anytime soon.

I guess I'd better keep my desktop forever and ever....never sell it...which I was going to do next year and get the all-in-one.
Personally, I don't like laptops and netbooks (which I own) because I have big hands and typing is awkward. Desktops are still used as servers at work...maybe they mean "PCs" for personal use.

[fink]

Been on hold waiting for HP sales now for over an hour. Not going to wait much longer... the music is destroying my soul LOL.

[fink]

I give up. The phone lines are now down and their servers are getting slammed hard as well.

[maxximilian]

I was going to try for a second one after I got to the bank and deposited more money....but it was such a headache last week, I changed my mind. Besides, they have already changed the status of the one I already ordered. Instead of shipping today and here by Friday, they are now saying shipping on the 27th and here by the 30th. Won't be surprised if that changes again. Until it is in my hands, I won't be sure I got one.

[maxximilian]

PC world has been keeping up pretty good. The latest from them:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/23857...this_week.html

[jdc2000]

Despite what many pundits and HP are saying, desktop and laptop computers are not going away any time soon. Tablets and mobile devices are the latest gadgets people want now, but the novelty will soon fade as it has for lots of new devices. The have limited functionality and usefulness, and they cost more than many laptops. If HP thinks big businesses are going to look to them for products and services with their track record, they can think again. They are unlikely to become another IBM.

[maxximilian]

Another good article about what the HP fire sale might mean for the market:

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...t_success.html

But, what the HP TouchPad fire sale demonstrated is that a tablet vendor can create a stampede by offering the device at $99. Samsung, HTC, Motorola, RIM, and other tablet vendors should be paying close attention to the whole TouchPad debacle, and see the opportunity it represents.

iPad 2 competitors don't have to cut prices permanently, but an initial push at $99 would work to get a tablet off the shelf and into the hands of hundreds of thousands of users. The vendor can take a short-term loss on the first couple hundred thousand units just to build a base and make a dent, then return to more normal pricing.

[maxximilian]

Amazon UK are still listing the 16GB version at £350

ZDnet.UK is announcing the fire sale has reached the UK

http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/mixed-s...s-uk-10024174/

[Train]

Lot of us can not read what is on those small screens. A laptop is bad enough and a 19 inch monitor or larger is just fine. Guess what will not disappear.

[maxximilian]

I have a laptop and a netbook and (hopefully) a tablet on the way....and I still do 99% of my puting on desktops. Long live the desktop!