Maybe because it's now becoming a rare vintage calculator .... ;-)
More seriously what kind of prices did you see ?
I guess, that the 49G+ is only a better 49G and the developpment costs ar lower than they were on the 49G itself.
Try to buy a 49G now from HP!
:-)
Namir
I'm guessing the costs of development (and probably production) of the 49G+ are lower than those for the 49G, especially inasmuch as the latter seems to have been largely built on the former's code base.
49G prices probably haven't started to reflect the reality of introduction of the 49G+. H-P may be trying to re-establish a market presence with relatively aggressive pricing on the new high-end models. Once the new models start shipping in quantity, prices of the 49G (and competing graphical models from TI & others?) should be forced downward.
Maybe the 49G fans should correct me -- I don't sense the same level of loyalty to that model that seems evident for the 48G series (and all the more so for the earlier & classic models).
Paul, give it time. I don't think the 41C's and Spice series got this rabid following in just five or so years. It takes people time to realize how good something is after things change for a while.
I began to love my 34C much more only after I saw the LCD models introduced. I began to love my 32SII more only after I saw the RPL models introduced. And I'm still working on the 48G's... all the while peeking on the UPS website to see if my 49G+ is coming yet!