Why aren't retail stores carrying UMPCs?

Question

Or is it just my area? I see these things all over the place online, but haven't seen a single one in any retail stores.

Answer 1

The only way I know of to purchase something online is with a credit card or paypal account, and if I recall, that means they have to ship it somewhere. So they have your name, address and credit card/banking account number. Not sure why this would be necessary, though...

If you're in a more rural area, or an area that is not considered a "test area" (I know of three such places in the USA, and they are: NYC; Spokane, WA; Tuscon, AZ), then your are less likely to find these at your local store. Also, sometimes they (manufacturer's) prefer to sell it from their own big store (for example, the mall around the corner from my home has an "Apple, Inc" store) I don't believe I've seen them yet, and since they've been around for almost 2 years, I find it a bit strange that they're not in the retail stores like a simple Best Buy, Circuit City, or Fry's Electronics...

I'll be keeping an eye out for them, though.