UK Only: Get an HP TouchPad FREE with new Pre 2 - Wait, what? 27
The HP TouchPad isn't even 24 hours old, and in the UK there is one company giving it away for free when you purchase a new Pre 2 with a carrier contract. BuyMobilePhones.net is running a very unique and strange offer for their customers that sign up with a new contract using a Pre 2. You can get either the 32GB or 16GB TouchPad model for free (or a number of other gifts), each with a different initial cost of the Pre 2 and associated data plan (and contract). To switch between the models, simply use the drop-down box on the top right corner and make a selection, then when you're ready to check out you head to your shopping cart and the Free Gift (HP TouchPad) will be listed there with your new Pre 2.
If you have been waiting for some incentive to get a Pre 2, or were waiting on a price drop for the TouchPad (and don't mind the wait to get it shipped), there is almost no reason at all to pass this offer up (while it lasts). We are still in a bit of disbelief ourselves at this offer, and would love to know if anyone is able to successfully order the devices through that website (there have been some customers saying that the free gifts take a long time to ship). Let us know in the comments below, and we'll return the favor with more details as we get them.
Update: We should mention that BuyMobilePhones.net has nearly every major device listed as a free gift, so it's not specific to the TouchPad. Still, it's something to look into if you're interested.
Source: BuyMobilePhones.net; Thanks, Martin!
27 Comments
Damn.... Suck to be an American. Even worse to be a Canadian. WE DON"T EVEN HAVE THE TOUCHPAD YET!!!
The Touchpad must SUCK BALLS if it's already being combined in bundles as free, wow not even one day it lasted!!! Way to go HP.
YES! This is why I did not pre-order the Touchpad (other than no incentives). I knew they were coming out priced too high and if I keep waiting they will drop in price or eventually be free with the purchase of a pre3 or vice versa.
Either way... right now it's a rip off, but there are people on pre central that are blinded because it runs webos and would gladly buy a touchpad running webos even if it costs $900.
You, sir, don't have a clue to how carrier subsidies etc work and/or how intermediaries function in Europe.
We have plenty of non carrier specific stores selling all sorts of subscriptions. Per sale they get a commission. Giving away a TouchPad just cuts into that commission, but if it guarantees you a sale you otherwise wouldn't have you're still going to come out positive.
But why choose the touchpad, it just came out? They must not have that much faith that it will sell like crazy. They didn't do that with the first or second ipad did they? Because they knew it was something that was going to really sell and not cut into their commission. But this thing was DOA so they have to find a way to get rid of them.
Well I looked at that site and they are giving away the Ipad2, Blackberry playbook, sony vaio laptops, games consoles and TV's etc. I think they get all the latest gadgets and use them as gifts!
You didn't understand what Nefiorim just explained.
That shop is not a regular retailer. They are in the business of selling subscriptions (to get the commission).
There is no point in using unpopular devices for that - quite the contrary. They want people to really want the "gift" so they get the subscription sold.
It's not an actual gift - the customer pays via the subscription. It won't be the lowest possible subscription either. That business model is used in various European countries. As long as the commission is higher than the cost of the device the shop comes out ahead.
This is actually good for HP - this are large volume deals. This way they get lots of devices into users hand without hurting the brand by lowering the list price.
Getting many TPs out quickly is important so devs will target the platform. And we all agree that more apps are needed.
Plus every TP user is a potential multiplier when friends see the device and like it.
Holy **** ..this is un-fricken believable ... Wish I was moving to London sooner than late August. Not to mention the 32GB TP in the UK released in mid-July lists for 579... POUNDS NOT DOLLARS!
Um, but isn't 579 pounds bad? That's like $900 US, yeah?
I think that's why he's saying he wishes he was moving to the UK earlier, so that he could take advantage of this free offer since the TP is so expensive over there. That's the way I understood his reply, anyway.
Sounds too good to be true....
It's not a great deal
24 months @ £47 = £1128 plus £379 for the Pre 2
not quite that good a deal, Would cost me £12 per month ish on top of my pre contract and £200 up front. Still not bad but would mean me spending £500 over two years. Not exactly free. Interested to see if anyone goes for it
If understand your post, this "deal" would increase your monthly cost enough that you would wind up paying the cost of the TP over a two year contract? I guess it could be a deal if someone wanted to spread the cost of the TP over the life of a new contract instead of paying it all up front (plus the cost of the Pre2). **** I'd probably go for that if I lived in the UK.
pretty much yes, but then tied in to pre2 for two years with pre3 presumably round the corner. (in the coming months lol). Guess it would spread the cost over two years but not attractive to me.
hmm.. no wonder we dont hear much talk about the pre3 , its always touchpad touchpad touchpad! they wana get rid of their pre 2s :P
If that is the case then they should drop the unlocked price on their website.
interesting but i think i'll pass ,from experience i'll never buy again from intermediary (carphone or phone4u),better go straight to the carrier it's cheaper
I'd probs go for it if it was for the pre 3 and the plans matched my current one with o2!!
I know something by fact. Apple set the bar high using aluminum in the ipad and in almost all their computers.
HP was forced to changed to aluminum in most of their notebooks (mid and high range). I do not understand why they did not learn from their mistakes.
I sell hp products to wholesalers and distributors in the United States and South America. I eat, sleep hp notebooks. I tried to tell hp to used anything but plastic on the TP...but hp is not Apple. The true is the true, Steve Jobs runs Apple like a start up company. He even reads people's emails. They need to do the following:
1-Include a Touchstone charger with every TP and keep the same price structure.
2- Introduce a TouchPad Envy, Full Aluminum body with a high-density display, and one of those new Nickel Cobalt Manganese battery
Now that's what I call "Making Things Right!". Wish they had a deal like that in the U.S.
Just checked their webiste and it's not as good a deal as it sounds. Cheapest pirce fro the Pre2 with a 'free' 16gb Touchpad is £32 pm on a 24 month contract and the price of the handset is £250 :(
"Wait, what? "
lol
As said already, not a particularly great deal when you add up all the costs, nothing new for these kind of deals really.
But with zero carrier support on the Pre 2 and soon the Pre 3, at least there are options out there to get a monthly deal, rather than stumping up all the money up front for the devices.
You can do the same deal on the free Touchpad with other phones as well, Pre Plus is more expensive than the Pre 2
This deal is a complete rip off if you do the maths. Just remember in the UK you can get the Pre2 for free at £25 per month. The additional monthly premiums and the upfront cost of a Pre2 you pay here add up to much more than the price of an equivalent TouchPad.
- also these 'deals' are data capped.
Most of us in the UK who got Pre minuses, got them with uncapped (unlimited data) contracts.
So for us its got to be better to wait and pay for the Pre3 sim-free and transfer the sim-card over, then 'Tether' the Touchpad to it for unlimited internet access...
......when they are available!