Thanks for the pictures, Luiz. I hope that that was an already dead
calculator.
Does it seem as if the paint (or plastic or whatever) goes below the
surface of the keytop as if filling in molded-in depressed characters?
Or does it seem as if it was simply applied over the top of a smooth
keytop?
I have two 48GXes from Singapore, serials 3545S... and 3623S..., and one
from Indonesia, serial ID952....
I know, I don't *need* three 48GXes, but I'm just a bit paranoid that
they might not be so easily available in the future, and that a suitable
replacement may never be marketed.
For what it's worth, with the fingernail test over the ENTER key on each
of these calculators, I can feel some slight stepping, but I can't tell
whether the letters are raised or depressed. In general, on the
Indonesian model, the lettering is placed lower on the keys, the
numerals on the number keys are obviously smaller, and the lettering on
most other keys seems slightly smaller but the stokes are wider. Looking
at them under a 10X magnifier I can't tell that any of the legends are
raised or depressed, but the edges are definitely more irregular on the
Indonesian. Perhaps the most obvious difference under magnification is
that the Indonesian has all corners on the lettering simply rounded, but
the Singaporean characters have a rounded "undercut" at each corner.
If I didn't have the Singaporean models to compare it with, I probably
would never've noticed that there's any problem with the Indosesian
model, so I suppose that it's acceptable, except that I worry that
painted-on legends may eventually wear off.
By the way, all three have the same type of display as far as I can
tell.
Just when did they change the serial number scheme? I know, sometime
between week 23 of 1996 and week 52 of 1999. But has it been nailed down
any closer than that?
Regards,
James