HP Xpander

[Gianmaria (Italy)]

Just a short note after a recent addition of the HP Xpander to my collection.



It's sad to note that this new device is miles far from the HP way... made in China (argh!), cheap appearence, no keys feedback (not the old good audible click) and strange double springs for batteries, both the "+" and "-" poles have springs to hold the battery (why?) so it's really a nightmare to insert them into the compartment!



I placed the Xpander in my glass near the HP-35 "Red Dot", to simbolize the first and the last, the remote past and the future, the baby and his grandfather :-) but looking them my preference is still for the "Classic" look!



Greetings.

[Frank]

Finally opened a HP39G the other day, and CHINA as well. Not that there is anything wrong with China, nice place to visit. Just now what one would expect from the old HP. Speaking for myself, I'd rather pay 6x as much and get a quality design/mfg.

[J.Manrique]

How hard is to get one?..

Thanks,
J.Manrique

[ColinC]

Only 2000 Prototype Xpanders were built in August 2000. Approx 1800 were distributed to schools in the US for field trials. Most of these were returned to Hp and destroyed when the project was cancelled about 50 were unaccounted for. The other approx 200 were at ACO in their original packaging. About 60 were handed out to staff the rest were smashed in the car park with a hammer. So about 60 exist Mint (most of which are in Melbourne Australia, some have been sold) about 50 Used (in the US from the school trials).
Regards
Colin

PS: Check out ad posted here around 9/5/02

[Spice_Man]

The figure that I received was that there were 3000 to 5000 prototypes built (from an implementor in the pilot program), and that he himself received about 30 of them... is 2000 a "definite" figure?

[ColinC]

There was only 2000 Made of these Xpander Prototypes used in the pilot program. I had to redesign the keyboard, get 2000 made and up to the factory in China in the first 2 weeks of starting at ACO as the Hardware Team Leader at the end of July 2000. So I am quite sure on the number made. Then the project was cancelled in Oct 2000. There were no others made.
Colin

[Vieira, Luiz C. (Brazil)]

Hi;

after all that sa(i)d, one question: what sort of SW exist for the Xpander? What does it do?

I am not a collector at all, I use my calculators for personal/professional purposes, because I believe that's what calculators are for: to be used (that reminds me Toy Story-2). If they are broken, let's pack them and show everybody their look. I have 12 calculators (I recently bought an HP12C, cause I was invited to teach classes about its use), and ALL of them are used somehow. I bring both the HP41CV (halfnut) and the HP12C with me everywhere, just in case.

I have a fully working HP25 with original batt pack, manuals, QRG, dust cover (I use an Spice's charger because I don't have the original) and I think seriously about offering it for trading (41's IL components). I just did not post it yet. Why? Because I do not use it at all, and this condition teases me! A collector would find a better place for "her", but it still works fine. What to do?

That's why I'm asking what can one (that is NOT a collector)do with an Xpander that is not only exposing it as a trophy. Did ACO find the time to develop/port SW for the Xpander? I would like to know. For the records.

Best regards.

[J.Manrique]

Well, you seems be looking for this:
http://www.saltire.com/xpander.html

It is the SW that cames with the Xpander..

Have fun,
J.Manrique

[Andrés C. Rodríguez (Argentina)]

Luiz:

If you decide to let her go, please let me know (the current exchange rate is really hard for us here, but I would like just to think about it). We may be able to keep it within the Mercosur!

Cheers

Andrés