IBM ThinkPads being massively discounted

But the T30, which uses a Pentium 4M, typically comes with 256MB of memory, has a 30GB hard drive and a heap of bells and whistles is nowhere near the end of its shelf life and isn't being Centrinoed out of existence.

In fact, Tech Data, one of the biggest distributors, has models of the T30 listed at around $1700 or so, but there's hundreds of dollars being knocked off the price and you can buy them in retail for $1300 or so.

The lowest price right now seems to be about $1280 through e-tailers, while most of this type of site lists them for between $1300 and $1800.

And Tech Data has got shedloads of these models in stock - over 2,000 at the last count - all selling at the $1700 price tag.

Said one dealer to the INQUIRER: "These are not going out of style any time soon, they're not apparently scheduled for the proverbial gulag, and are being blown out at a substantial loss all over the place".

Seems like it's time to shop around but the mystery of the big discount continues - unless one of our readers can give us the answer to this particular conundrum. µ