T3's Discontinued at Best Buy? Replacement Imminent?

[jhoh]

I was in Best Buy on Sunday here in Northern Kentucky and saw that the T3 was listed at $339. I should have bought one then, but I didn't. I returned an hour later to find only a display unit for sale (ICK - if you know Best Buy's display tactics). I had the salesperson check availability in the area and there were NO MORE T3's available in the region (15 or so stores). I got home and found that the T3 was no longer available on their website either. Are they dumping inventory in expectation of a replacement?

[iboar]

I just bought a T2 display model at a BB in south Austin over the weekend. The clerk told me they were thinning the number of PDA models they carry. I'm not sure if that was just at his store, or perhaps company wide. BTW: They were out of T3s too.

[DoktrK]

Just before Christmas I saw that Best Buy had better prices than anybody else on both the T3 and TC. However, they were out of stock. So I drove around the corner to CircuitCity and asked them to match the price. The salesman called Best Buy several times and couldn't get thru, and their web site didn't offer the same deal. Undaunted, I went back to BestBuy, used the macro mode of my digital camera and took a picture of the BB price card, went back to CC, showed the the picture and viola, got the price matched without having to send in any of the rebates that brought the BB price so low, PLUS 10% more off (CC policy). I went ahead and bought the TC for my wife, and the T3 for me. And the best part...the cash register went ahead and printed the 100.00 manufacturer's rebate for both. Oh yeah, I'm getting a 75.00 gift card mailed to me since I bought two.

[ojleblanc]

I was in Best Buy last night and noticed that the entire wall on which they used to hang PDA accessories was virtually empty; so was the PDA display shelf. I asked what was going on and the clerk told me that so many new PDAs were about to be released that they weren't ordering any more accessories or PDAs until the new PDAs were available. I imagine this means they will be available very soon.

BTW, an MD was very annoyed by this. I had to walk away from the conversation when I heard her say "you know, we need accessories. Doctors use PDAs to save lives everyday; not to play games." I wanted to say "hey, I'm a doctor, too (the Ph.D. kind ;)) and I use my PDA for work every single day." What nerve!

[JLHoffy]

Hey, I'm a doctor also and I use my PDA every day. It makes my life easier for scheduling, ect., however I have never used it to save a life.

If she needs a PDA to save a life, maybe she should take a good look at what she is doing, or perhapse maybe her patients should.

My mind and my hands save lives, not my PDA.

Jon

[ojleblanc]

Good to know!!! I guess I have to assume this was the only thing she could think to say given how upset she was with the clerk.

[mattcube64]

Yeah, the Best Buy in Independence Missouri is completley wiped out of accessories, other than those for old clie devices. Most the PDAs were gone as well, but there was still a $399 sticker. The 3 Best Buys in my area all have the same thing going on. Circuit City, Office Max, and Staples still list the T3 as a $399 device, with several in stock. I'd say when the new Palms are released, the T2 will be discontinued, the T3 will take its place, and the T4 will be the new $399 device. Which means, the T4 will have to include 420*320 screen, dual wi-fi, and hopefully a camera.

Although, I love my T3. Its probably gonna be a second generation OS6 device that'll make me change my mind. I don't understand all the fuss. If they release a t4, or whateverer, who cares. Maybe, just maybe, OS5 will be upgradable (knocks on wood)

[smiling]

I called the Federal Way, WA Best Buy store last night at 5pm. They had an unopened, brand new T3 and their asking price was only $299.99.

I had already bought my T3 from CompUSA for $399.99. I went in last night (14 days after I bought my T3) and had them price match it to Best Buy's price. They called the store and sure enough the price was $299.99! They wouldn't have given me the price match if the store hadn't had one in stock!

So if any of you who live around Seattle, call the Best Buy in Federal Way. There may still be one last T3 available.

For the rest of you, it is well worth calling around to BB in neighboring cities to see if there are anymore on the shelves. You can't beat that price!

[Rick 098]

Originally posted by DoktrK
(snip) And the best part...the cash register went ahead and printed the 100.00 manufacturer's rebate for both. Oh yeah, I'm getting a 75.00 gift card mailed to me since I bought two.
Do all stores print ths? Does it have to be through the store (intranet)

[Galley]

Perhaps you haven't heard. Best Buy was getting too many people abusing the performance guarantee, so there are phasing out nearly every model of PDA they currently stock. Their website should still have a full selection.

[Rick 098]

all stores = best byy, circut city, compusa, exc. I am hoping to get compusa to mach bestbuys price as I have a compusa giftcard:)

[MrTeacherMan]

Hey people

I used to work at Best Buy before I decided to get paid better to be abused by people and actually use my degree ( I am a web design/animation teacher now).
I saw the same thing that everyone else is reporting seeing and when I talked to a friend in the dept. He told me that a combination of the above things is true. They are planning to carry all of the Palm line, @ 2/3 of the iPAQs, and kill about everything else. They are killing off inventory for planned spring new releases, which he said should hit the shelves in early Feb(ish). Oh, and he was taunting me with the fact that there would be a new mid-range palm, in adition to the two models that have been leaked about.

[jcmorganstein]

I wish I had seen this thread earlier. My T3 digitizer has been on the craps for about 2 months. I just got around to taking it to my local Best Buy today. They're all out and so is their website, per their report. The manager claimed that the T3 was discontinued by Palm?!?! Interesting that the Staples, Compusa and Circuit City next door all had them and also advertise them on their website! I'm most frustrated because I paid $70 for an extended warranty and am now unable to use it to replace my T3 for a legitimate reason. They offered me a Zire instead ;-)

[kalel_rojin]

Originally posted by jcmorganstein
They offered me a Zire instead ;-)

If you call the 800 number that is on your reciept (for your replacement plan) instead of goin to the local Best Buy store they will mail you a voucher for the total retail price that you paid for the T3, which you can then take into best buy and use to spend. otherwise the store will just be able to give you the best model they have. For solution to your digitizer woes (this is a known problem but has a sure fix) see this thread http://www.palmonecity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1062 and this one http://www.palmonecity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2672

[Stefan Knochenhauer]

Ok, now I am curious. It is almost April and we have not seen any new releases from Palm. Only Sony has updated their product line with the TH 55 and the SJ(?) units. What do the BB shleves look like, now? Are they still empty or did they restock all their PDAs. I must admit that I have never been happy with the selction of PDAs and assecories that BB carries... although I must admit that the last time that I went into a BB was in Sept 03 when I last visited that States. I always felt that CompUSA has the larger selection.

Cheers,

[derekweb]

The Best Buy's in Minneapolis are threadbare when it comes to any selection of handheld devices.

They have the TE (if your'e lucky), the Zire (lowend models, not the 71) and two types of IPaqs, and not even the high end on THOSE models, either. ...

I highly doubt that they are simply making room for new models by Palm. Reason: Their entire Accessories section was moved to the front, and price-slashed so low that I almost bought just because.

They are just getting OUT of the PDA business. They don't have the kahonas to compete in that arena, nor the brains to figure out a workable business plan for that arena. [/shrug] As long as CompUSA has PDAs in stock, I'm not overly worried.

[Kurto2021]

BEST BUY STORES WILL NOT BE CARRYING PDA'S.......THAT IS WHY THEY WERE CLEARANCED.

Please read prior posts referencing why Best Buy is clearing out all the PDA's from the Brick and Mortar stores.