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HP to bring 6,000 more TouchPads to UK - for staff only

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HP is shipping a final batch of 6,000 HP Touchpads to the UK but only employees will be able to nab them, The Register can confirm.

It was revealed this morning that HP is offering consumer and biz customers the ability to claim back the delta between the initial buy price and the heavily discounted prices it offered in the weeks after killing off its fondleslab in August.

Staffers are not liable for the cash-back scheme but HP has moved to share the love among its 16,500 strong workforce in the UK by dishing out 5,700 units of the 32GB model and 300 of the 16GB version on a first come first served basis.

Talking to El Reg, PSG UK and Ireland boss Paul Hunter confirmed HP was "looking to secure some Touchpads for employees. We have got other partners that will want units as well but we need to prioritise HP employees".

Cynics may say that resellers will still be able to get their hands on the HP Touchpads but via eBay at vastly inflated prices.

Hunter was not surprised demand for the discounted devices had "gone sky high" as they represent "great value for money" but he dismissed any hopes of another Elvis-style comeback despite demand from some resellers.

"No, there are no more Touchpads coming for the channel, there may be small pockets in one distributor but no additional stock is coming for the channel," he said.

Indeed, previously HP maintained that any remaining fondleslab inventory was being set aside for US shoppers, but that was before it uncovered this latest load.

One HP partner that asked to remain anonymous questioned how over subscribed HP's Touchpad fire sale will be but didn't hold out much hope. "I'd imagine they'd all fly out the door", he said. ®

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