Get an Asus Eee Pad Transformer 10-inch tablet for $299.99
It may not be a $99 TouchPad, but it's not a $499 iPad, either. This powerful Android 3.0 slate is priced smack dab in the middle--but only for today!
This is an update of a deal I posted last month.
The early bird gets not only the worm, but also the tablet deals. in other words, if you waited for the Cheapskate newsletter to arrive in your inbox, you might have missed out on this mighty sweet worm--er, deal. Check the site in the a.m., peeps!
Today only, and while supplies last, Target has the Asus Eee Pad Transformer 10.1-inch tablet for $299.99, plus sales tax in most states. Shipping is free! (And shipping you will choose, as this deal is not available in stores.)
Update: Aaargh! Sold out already. Check back later to see if Target frees up any more stock. In the meantime, here's an interesting alternative: the 10-inch ViewSonic gTablet, which TigerDirect has for $269.97 (plus $7.50 for shipping). Here's how to root it to run Android 3.0.
That's the lowest price I've seen yet for a tablet powered by Android 3.0 (aka Honeycomb). Heck, it's among the lowest prices I've seen for a 10-inch tablet, period. (That $99 HP TouchPad was a blip, an anomaly we're not likely to see repeated anytime soon.)
The Eee Pad features an LED-backlit, 10.1-inch multitouch screen, a 1GHz dual-core processor, front- and back-facing cameras, GPS, and 16GB of onboard storage (plus a microSD slot for expansion, natch).
What puts the "transform" into the Transformer? Asus sells a keyboard/docking-station accessory that brings the tablet closer to Netbook territory than just about any other. It includes a multitouch touch pad, two USB ports, and an SD card reader. Alas, it sells for $150, though TechOnWeb has it for $109.95.
Be sure to check out CNET's review of the Eee Pad Transformer, along with the user reviews on Target's product page. Both are quite positive overall. (If you own one of these yourself, hit the comments and share your review.)
If I was weighing this against a 16GB iPad 2 at $499.99, it would be a fairly easy decision: the Eee Pad matches or exceeds it at just about every turn, but for $200 less.
Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: Looking for an inexpensive, space-saving desktop? Here's a ridiculously good deal: HP has the Pavilion Slimline s5-1010 desktop for $249.99 shipped when you apply coupon code SAVE30HP at checkout. It's a 3.2GHz dual-core system with 3GB of RAM, a 750GB hard drive, and all the rest--all packed into a cute little case.