Annnnd a month later, he answers! (Sorry for the long delay. Combination of temporary boonies assignment and burglared apartment.)

Anyway, you are correct. The lowend price I mentioned was for refurbished and overstock that a local dealer here in Kansas has occasionally. Still, to me that means if you keep you eyes open and can find them in this technological wasteland the same must be available in areas of REAL civilization. However, this is an assumption on my part and the word "assumption" is based from the word "assume" so.....

(Though I was also trusting that one of the models I saw was a convertible since a friend of mine says that it was the same as his model. Turns out he meant BEFORE he modded it into a tablet with some machine work and an Airmouse. Should have known. This is the same friend who modded his Newton into a tricorder replica. To many of my engineering associates are cheap. Brilliant but cheap.)