Another general-interest story, but this one is reasonably on-topic here since it concerns a) a calculator and b) HP.
A team of researchers is close to announcing what they believe is the purpose of the Antikythera Device. The Device, which was found in 1902 in a Mediterranean wreck, dates from the 1st century BC, so that it easily predates Leibniz and Curta-style calculators.
Most people who have investigated the Antikythera Device believe that it performs some kind of astronomical calculations. The latest team of researchers have used a reflectance imaging technique developed by HP Labs to create a polynomical texture map of the gears in the device, thus revealing text engraved within the device for the first time. They also used high-resolution x-ray technology.
An article giving some details of all this is at http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/112706widernet.html. The team's main site is at http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/ but seems to be down due to Slashdot Effect.
Best,
--- Les
[http://www.lesbell.com.au]
Edited: 23 Nov 2006, 11:19 p.m.