Observations on my new 12C

[Chris Woodhouse]

I don't consider myself a collector, but since the 12C can be had for around $30 on ebay I thought I would get one. It is a 12C not a platinum. It came with the manual and case and is in very good condition so I am glad I got it. I mostly wanted it so I could lend it to people I was trying to teach how to use RPN. It is an recent model made in China.

The thing I was most disappointed by was the lack of a back space key like the 15C has. I also noticed the battery change. Why did they do that? The SR44 batteries the other 10C series calculators use are still easy to get, there are lots of new electronic gadgets being made today that still use them, and the battery life of the old style is well documented so I was just wondering what the motivation for that change might be. I remember reading someone didn't like the fact that some new 10C series they just got had keys that rattled. I have never seen that before on a 10C series but this 12C has keys that rattle too. It doesn't seem to effect the usability. The play in the keys is mostly up and down. However, when it is sitting on my desk the keys appear to be in the same position as any other 10C series I have used, the play is in the vertical direction. I can lift the keys up from the back quite a bit from their resting position. I am 99.9% sure it came this way from the factory, there are NO signs of it ever being opened. As I said it doesn't effect usability. I would have rather had one made in the USA, but all and all I am glad I bought it. It should come in handy next time I go to buy a new vehicle and the dealer is trying to rip me off with some payment plan.

Chris W

[Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)]

Hi, Chris;

just to add that the HP12C Platinum keyboard is molded in one piece with the upper halfcase, exception made to both [f] and [g] keys that kept their "stand alone" and rattling status. And the case is dark blue, darker than the HP48G series, instead of black.

Cheers.

Luiz (Brazil)

Edited: 29 June 2004, 12:43 a.m.

[JDH]

I suspect they went to a single 3V battery over three seperate 1.5V batteries due to cost savings. I purchased a new Chinese HP 12c and I wish to confirm the keys rattled from day one. I would have to agree a secondhand USA or even Singapore made 12c in as new condition is better value than a new 12c made in China.