Hi,
I have some serious questions to all experts out there. When taking a recent calculator to hand, very often one can immediately find some problems whithin the first couple of minutes.
Example 1: Having keys on a calculator with beveled edges that lie outside the feet of the calculator (HP-20b) is plain silly.
Example 2: Placing an LCD so that small annunctiators lie right under the faceplate makes them easily shadowed (HP-35s).
Now, who does designs like that? Can we really explain such things with low budgets? Is the only constraint to a design that it mechanically works (when not in use)? It would have taken just a few minutes of thought to prevent the problems mentioned in my examples.
Next question, why is there no evolution in calculator housing design? Every new calcultor appears to look completely different, so that problems cannot be corrected but new ones are likely to be introduced.
Especially with HP, calculators seem to have a chance in niche markets only. Allthough some might not be distracted by its design, the 33S was a perfect example of a design that completely ignores its target audience. Last question: Why isn't HP designing for their users? Kids don't need a business or programmable scientific calculator. A student who does will likely have a look at the specs and price rather than if it matches their cell phones.
Or am I completely wrong?