HP 30B not in blister pack

[hpnut]

Hi everyone,

today I bought the HP 30B calculator. The dealer sold me the unit and it did not come in the usual hard-to-open blister pack. Instead, it came in a fancy folding box with velcro to keep the two box sides together.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/topoguy/hp30bpackage.jpg

secondly, there is no serial number at all in the back. no stick-on label nor engraved serial number.

anyone bought their hp 30b in a similar package?

hpnut in Malaysia

[hugh steers]

i've seen that package. isn't it some sort of display version? also did you get a printed manual?

[hpnut]

yes. a Quick Start Guide came inside the box

[Bruce Bergman]

Interesting! I have not seen that version yet. This might explain the sudden absence of the the 30b in the HP store. Maybe they've been rebranding it with more "professional" packaging.

I'd be really interested in hearing if this improves sales.

thanks!

bruce

[Katie Wasserman]

Thanks for the picture of this, very interesting. What's the date on the firmware?

To check that:

1) Turn off

2) Press and hold PMT

3) Press ON

4) Press DOWN 4 times

Thanks,
Katie

[hpnut]

It's SW Version 11 19 2009 4

copyright 2,048.00

[Tim Wessman]

That is one of the introduction packages sent out to the dealers when units are being introduced. They are usually sent out 2-3 months before release and have included marketing info and so on in a USB drive. They also don't have final firmware as they are just packaged with the latest version we have that seems to be working ok. They are packaged in a special box.

You probably didn't also have an overlay to put on it either since those weren't ready then.

TW

Edited: 2 June 2010, 1:02 p.m.

[Jon S Canale]

Tim,

"...the latest version we have that seems to be working ok" is just not the right way to phrase this!

[Tim Wessman]

Why?

It hasn't necessarily gone through a complete testing cycle, isn't for production use, and is just to allow the unit to turn on and perform basic calculations so the vendor can see it powered on. It isn't supposed to go to a customer either. It is a protoype.

TW

[hpnut]

heheh...I got an eB** gem here ;-)

Edited: 2 June 2010, 6:09 p.m.

[hpnut]

Quote:

---

That is one of the introduction packages sent out to the dealers when units are being introduced. They are usually sent out 2-3 months before release and have included marketing info and so on in a USB drive. They also don't have final firmware as they are just packaged with the latest version we have that seems to be working ok. They are packaged in a special box.

You probably didn't also have an overlay to put on it either since those weren't ready then.

TW

---

Dear Tim,

whoa! thanks for the info. I am missing (1) an USB stick drive and (2) an overlay. OK, I am being greedy here ;-) may be not the USB which contains HP marketing info but surely I am entitled to the overlay for my (not yet written) custom made programs :-)

Pls tell me what are in the standard blister pack?

Do you know the keyboard steps to check the HP 30b's serial number?

Best regards,
hpnut in Malaysia

[Pal G.]

Does anyone agree HP might sell more of these Financial Tools and scientific calculators to professionals without that ghoulish, immature marketing?

I know skulls and stylish morbidity are in right now - observe kids clothing at any department store - but does the financial and scientific community appreciate HP's latest marketing look and feel?

[Martin Pinckney]

By "goulish" are you referring to the sort of gothic style of the packaging?

By "immature" are you referring to putting a product in dealer hands with unfinished firmware?

Please clarify!

[Martin Pinckney]

Quote:

---

It ... is just to allow the unit to turn on and perform basic calculations so the vendor can see it powered on. It isn't supposed to go to a customer either. It is a protoype.

---

So maybe you should take it back to the dealer and get one that will let you do more than "see it turned on".

Then again, perhaps you should put it on eB** as "rare prototype".

[:-)

Edited: 2 June 2010, 3:11 p.m.

[hpnut]

I did a check on the serial # as follows:

OFF

PMT and ON simultaneously

<UP ARROW>

I get this display:

Serial 0.000

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/topoguy/HP30bserial.jpg

so this is an unnumbered prototype?

[Katie Wasserman]

I believe that this shows the status of the serial connection used during testing -- not the serial number. I doubt that there is a serial number encoded into these calculators.

-Katie

[hpnut]

Katie, thanks for the info.