HP35s key action problem

[MikeO]

I just got my brand new HP35s. First impression is that this is a really great calculator for the price tag. Looks great, the display contrast is good, and I love the case that comes with it!

I'm working through the manual and liking what I see so far.

However, I have one key, the '+' key, that I really have to press in order to get it to register. I don't have to stand on it, but I can definitely press it without getting a function. I have to press it just a little harder than the other keys. It wouldn't be quite so irritating if it weren't such a frequently used function.

Has anyone else noticed other keys having this trouble on the HP35s?

Thanks,
MikeO

[Brian Healy]

The 35s seems to have a high percentage of units with keyboard problems. This has been discussed/complained about at great length here.

My first one had a keyboard that randomly failed to register keystrokes. HP replaced it with another unit, and after about a month, it too is failing to register keystrokes.

I recommend complaining to HP and trying to get a replacement. The 35s would be a nice calculator, but the keyboard is unreliable.
It would seem that a reliable keyboard should be the foundation of a good calculator. If it can't reliably register keystrokes, what good is it? I doubt that I will ever buy a new HP product ever again.

HP, are you listening?

[Tom Mathes]

I too had problems with keys not registering, got HP to replace it under warranty. The replacement calc has a soft gold shift key but it registers correctly. Funny thing is an HP project manager was interviewed in a engineering magazine about the 35S and one thing he bragged about was the keyboard quality.

[Samuel Heddle]

I had trouble with several keys out of the box, but pressing them down hard, and moving them back and forth seemed to fix it for me.