HP 15C LE selling at $349

[hpnut]

I was right when I wrote earlier that 10,000 units was not enough to meet demand!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B005EIG3MW/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

[Howard Owen]

They are being sold by a brand new seller - "Lafontaine." I can tell at a glance that is not a rebus for "Coburlin," but perhaps there's some other transform that could be applied to establish the relationship. :)

[Tom Mathes]

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They are being sold by a brand new seller - "Lafontaine." I can tell at a glance that is not a rebus for "Coburlin," but perhaps there's some other transform that could be applied to establish the relationship. :)

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With all of 1 item for sale. I love it.

Since the production line is operational and HP proved there is a market for this calc, I'd fully expect a non 'limited edition' calc to show up in the next 6-9 months.

I wonder if a non-LE model will fix the bugs reported so far and what happens to those of us who bought the LE model. I for one don't have the special cable to attempt the fix (if firmware were ever released to do so) and am not sure I'd even try. In the past HP offered a swap for calcs/plug-ins with bugs (my 32SII was handled that way as was the Math I Pack for my dearly departed 41C).

I wonder how (or even if) HP will handle it today. My guess is it was predicted by The Beatles many moons ago: "Let It Be'....

[Dave Britten]

Have all 10,000 actually sold that fast?

Maybe there's hope yet for a 16c LE. I'd drop another hundred bucks for one!

[hpnut]

AFAIK, HP is out of stock ;-)

http://www.shopping.hp.com/store/product/product_detail/NW250AA%2523ABA/

[Howard Owen]

If a production 15C comes out with bugs fixed, I'll buy one as a beater and shelve both my 15C LEs complete with bugged firmware. Something less than 10,000 units in initial circulation, reduced by normal attrition, would guarantee the collectable status of these machines.

If they don't follow on with a production 15C, but release fixed firmware, I'll patch my workaday unit and leave the shelved unit untouched.

I really do wonder how many they have sold so far. I'm sure Tim will be grilled over this next week. :)

[Howard Owen]

Quote:

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Have all 10,000 actually sold that fast?

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The sudden unavailability could be due to something else. Let's say a bunch of retailers noticed that someone with the right coupon code could get an HP15C LE for 85 bucks. Perhaps that's not too far above the wholesale price those retailers pay. Maybe they got HP to listen when they complained.

The business site still has the 15C LE for $129, in stock.

[DigiGal]

$129 is sure better than $349, however, when they first appeared on HP's Home site before stock even became available they were originally listed as $79.

Perhaps the unavailability has something to do with the initial reports of flaws in some of the units that people have already received.

Edited: 19 Sept 2011, 7:15 p.m.

[Michael de Estrada]

Actually, back in June when some retailers started taking orders before they stopped, the MSRP basis was shown as $129. I placed one of my orders with CostCentral and that's how they took my order and then applied a discount to bring the price down to a little over $80. I'd be willing to bet we're going to see more show up for under $100 before this whole circus is over.

[Howard Owen]

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Perhaps the unavailability has something to do with the initial reports of flaws in some of the units that people have already received.

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But HP continues to sell it. "You can't buy a bugged calculator from us for $99.00, but we'll sell you one for $129.00" :)

I just had a BFO that the reason the 15C shows up at $129 on the business site is because companies negotiate discounts off MSRP with their sales critters.

[DigiGal]

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But HP continues to sell it. "You can't buy a bugged calculator from us for $99.00, but we'll sell you one for $129.00" :)

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I was thinking maybe the flawed units were narrowed down to a range of S/N's and pulled from the HP Home site for re-work while the good ones are still made available at HP's Business site only but at a higher price.

[Martin Pinckney]

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Have all 10,000 actually sold that fast?

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Has anyone ever verified that this number floating around has any validity? I for one have not seen any "official" statement attributed to HP in any way, including Tim.

AFAIK this number came from a speculative online magazine article at the beginning of this summer's 15c madness.

The LE numbers are 5-digit, which allows 100,000 units total, if they used all available numbers.

I'm not saying I think they are making that many, I'm only saying that if the LE numbers were 4-digit, then we'd be pretty sure it was only 10,000. Therefore, it could be more.

[Namir]

Howard,

My blind guess is that the Amazon "Lafontaine" seller is TAS's fontainebleu123, since both are in VA and share common parts of their names. He sells calculators and accessories in very good shape. Buyer have to pay for that. It's a supply and demand thing.

Namir

[Michael de Estrada]

Apples and oranges. The original vintage calcs that he / she sells are very clean and always in good working condition. This is very important with certain models like Woodstocks, which are hard to find in decent condition. There is no excuse to charge 3X as much for the new HP 15C LE, since they are all in the same NIB condition.

[CAD_Jockey]

Well, I've been having some email conversations with HP, regarding my 12c in 15c LE clothing. If I were to send my 15c to them for exchange, it would take 8-12 weeks. Reason I was told, is that some units were shipped by air to the US to vendors, and the rest are coming by cargo ship.

[bill platt]

Hey, we take what we can get in this world....:-)

He obviously doesn't have any pressing need to sell them, but if someone would really like one, now, then he can provide.

Seems reasonable enough to me.

Edited: 19 Sept 2011, 9:41 p.m.

[Michael de Estrada]

Except that you can find them considerably cheaper from several other vendors.

[M. Joury]

Seems to me that HP should just be able to flash it for you. Assuming that is all that is wrong with it--no bad keys, etc.

Cheers,

-Marwan

[Michael de Estrada]

Slow boat from China. lol.

[Paul Gaster]

You have a good point about the number of digits.
I did find this:

link

Buy a 30th Anniversary Edition 12c Financial Calculator
and receive a download code by email for a
FREE Virtual 12c
(valued at $19.99) for your PC.(1)

(1) Offer valid to first 10,000 orders. Expires 10/31/11.

Maybe the limit is for the 12C LE only, or at least we will all hope.

[CAD_Jockey]

Quote:

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Seems to me that HP should just be able to flash it for you. Assuming that is all that is wrong with it--no bad keys, etc.

Cheers,

-Marwan

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That's the plan, after HHC.

[DaveJ]

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Except that you can find them considerably cheaper from several other vendors.

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Not his problem.

I don't see any issue at all, apart from the amazement at people who are willing to pay those prices.

Dave.

[DaveJ]

Quote:

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You have a good point about the number of digits.
I did find this:

link

Buy a 30th Anniversary Edition 12c Financial Calculator
and receive a download code by email for a
FREE Virtual 12c
(valued at $19.99) for your PC.(1)

(1) Offer valid to first 10,000 orders. Expires 10/31/11.

Maybe the limit is for the 12C LE only, or at least we will all hope.

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"Limited Edition" is limited to how many they can sell :->

Dave.

[M. Joury]

Would that be a sheep in wolf's clothing?

[hpnut]

what if I bought my 12C LE from non-HP sources? can't I get the virtual 12C?

[hpnut]

actually I filled up the form but i don't know if they will honor my request .... they never asked my 12C LE serial no.

http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/sbso/campaigns/smb_form.cgi?promoID=272