HP Wants To Sell You a Carrier-Subsidized Netbook For Cheap With 3G Data [NetBooks]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/00kZDSgHRng/hp-wants-to-sell-you-a-carrier+subsidized-netbook-for-cheap-with-3g-data

We've seen netbooks bundled with a cellular data service contract popping up in other parts of the world, but a report today by the WSJ finds HP considering the same tactic here in the US, where it hasn't been done effectively yet. This would let you buy a Mini 1000 or any other HP netbook at a steep (hopefully), smartphone-esque discount on carriers that may include AT&T and Verizon.

HP is mum on exactly which carriers they're talking to, but those two were mentioned as possible candidates. HP hopes to quadruple their netbook sales to 40 million by 2012 with this plan, so hopefully the subsidy will knock enough off the price to make it worthwhile. Netbooks are mass-market now, but the overlap with people who already pay for a 3G data plan on their phone and want to just tether it will be one issue to surmount. [WSJ]