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HP has demonstrated most recently (with the 35S) that they can develop an RPN calculator based on an old design and sell it to the masses. I agree that the 15C is one of the most USE-ABLE calculators HP produced. They are still producing the form factor in the 12c, so why not a 15c?
a) The code is (supposedly) gone, they'd have to re-do it.
b) Having sales success in one market (finance) does not automatically translate into renewed success in another market (non-I/O scientific programmable)
c) It would compete against the 35S (i.e. it's a non-I/O scientific programmable)
d) Are people these days really going to be happy with that meager 10 digit screen? It's satisfactory for the finance market, but very restrictive for the scientific/programmable market.
I personally think they'd do much better turning it onto a lower cost non-programmable scientific first. Test the re-newed market for that form factor, and then perhaps think about a more powerful programmable model.
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Beyond the collectors, the longevity of the 12c shows that the form factor would sell to "the masses." I'm a bit baffled why they decided to produce the 35s as they did. Was there demand for it (other than the 33s being a dismal design)?
Yes, there was massive demand, and HP knew it. The 35S was designed to capture the regulated exam market. It is uniquely positioned in that respect. Without that market I doubt the project would have happened.
Dave.
Edited: 11 Dec 2007, 7:35 p.m.