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It is funny. I just read the 1979 HP 41c Owner's Handbook. On the inside cover you can find this statement...

"The sucess and prosperity of our company will be assured only if we offer our customers superior products that fill real needs and provide lasting value, and that are supported by a wide variety of useful services, both before and after the sale."

Hmmmmm.......

Well, those were the days, my friend ... !

;-)

We thought they'd never end. . .

;-(

"HP is working on a jaw dropping pile of machines taking full advantage of all the technology advancements in hardware and software they can. I think we all have to commend them on their innovation and commitment to development. There are no less than seven new models in the works and we have the scoop."

This is a quote from a different part of their business.

They are still focused, just on today's technology and not yesterday's.....

I think it is time to commend them for staying in the calculator business and providing an opportunity to build on their history. It is a long shot they can recoup all their former glory but at least they have made some progress (better than the rehashed 48Sx/48GX/49G which had no added practical capabilities)

Hmmm. That would be fine and dandy if I could pick up one of their new calcs and feel and see the same level of quality that was present in the old HP calcs. I could care less if Kinpo makes them, as long as they are as reliable and sturdy as the old machines. This comes from a person who is too young to have used the HP calcs the first time around. Nonetheless, anyone can hold the calcs and see the difference. It comes down to one word, quality.

Joe

P.S. It would also help if HP would stop trying to make their calcs "snazzy" in appearance. The 33s is okay in appearance, but would have looked so much better (and would have been easier to use) had the just implemented standard keyboard shape).

If they are not "snazzy" to stand out, they will not sell and will be forced to stop production. (do we really want this result? At times this forum is into HP bashing)

I have yet to see TI, Casio, Sharp or other calc manufacturer in recent years provide any tactile feedback to their keyboards let alone implement RPN as an option or choice.

> If they are not "snazzy" to stand out, they will
> not sell and will be forced to stop production.

We've had so much talk about the great HP quality of yesteryear making their products irresistable. If HP is having trouble selling now, it's partly because they abandoned that quality which you can partly see and feel. As for modern styling, I see it as being like trying too hard to be funny. It doesn't come across as more humorous-- just stupid and irritating. I wouldn't mind buying something unattractive if it's that way because very little styling effort went into it. But I definitely will not buy something that looks stupid because they tried too hard in the styling and got carried away with their 3-D CAD. HP has fallen from great heights.

I agree that HP machines were of high quality at the classic age, and even later.

We must recall however that this came at a price. I for one could'nt afford these machines.

The problem is that nowadays the vast majority is not really to pay for a quality item. Who hasn't seen someone at the supermarket deciding against an item for $0.10 ?

We've all become bean counters.
This is a losing strategy. Is that sad ? I don't thing so !!

I think it's that they've gone for sales volume in numbers of units and not necessarily dollars. They got at least a couple thousand dollars out of me over a period of a few years from the 41cx and 71 and all the accessories I bought, and a similar amount from a friend of mine. You can figure nearly $5000 from just two customers! Where I was working in the mid-80's, virtually every engineer in the lab had his own HP-41. Now HP is selling cheaper units and trying to make the money by finding more customers-- even customers that are not as likely to come back to make another purchase from HP.

just make the calculators capable of sending sms - make phonecalls, nice color tft display with customizing background pic's etc. - and the price doesn't seem to high, for joung nor older people..

so, shall we integrate a handy in a calc or otherwise ;-)

A cheap PDA with reliable, usefull keys and with phone-cababilities and much more.. something like this Hydrix thing could be a step in the right direction, maybe they will grow extremly and aquire HP ;-)

And for NCEES's sake - they're fooling them self because they could make the exam in a such manner where calcs and communication abilities wouldn't
be a topic to talk about - hey, which century do we live in.. to be shure no one has manipulated ANY calc, they must prohibit all of them..

Just my opinion.
Robin

123456

The buisiness plan of old was make a dollar today and plan to make a dollar tomorrow.

The buisiness plan of today is make 1 dollar 10c today and forget about tomorrow (because by then you will have sold your stock options).

This is the main reason why HP (and every other listed company) has changed.