Hey, Why the new look?

[Matt Agajanian]

Hi all.

Why did HP change the look of the 35? Hence, the release of the HP-35 version 4?

Edited: 7 July 2012, 12:36 p.m.

[Lincoln R.]

Probably so they could use the same front case mold used on the 45 and 80. If you look at the newer models you'll see they all have the larger top keys with legends molded into the keycap itself.

[Walter B]

I guess they didn't want to bear the tool costs for too many dedicated double-shot keys in the very beginning of the HP-35. Numeric keys and ENTER could be used in other instruments as well, but SIN etc.? Remember it was the very first scientific pocket calculator and they were grossly underestimating its success, so some extra care seemed appropriate - use plain blue keys. At the time of v4, however, they knew scientific pocket calculators were a success story, so the tooling would pay. I'm just guessing, but the thoughts look reasonable to me at least :-)

[Gerson W. Barbosa]

I think the legends would not fit on top of the tiny keys of the first models. And the keys were that small because of minimum key spacing requirement at the time. Later they realized the keys needed not be so apart from each other and the keys could be made larger. Let's take a look at an article by Edward T. Liljenwall, industrial designer of the HP-35, in HP Journal Jun 1972, pages 12-13:

http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1972-06.pdf

[Matt Agajanian]

Good read! Although it makes no mention of the redesign resulting in v4 and the 45 and 55 looks (yes, yes because of the '72 article date). Excellent read, nonetheless.

Edited: 7 July 2012, 6:06 p.m.

[Matt Agajanian]

Hi there. After using my 45 and 55 again (for the 800th time), yeah, it hit me that perhaps this facelift transitions into the new Classic look.

**UPDATE**

I just got my latest, the HP-35 v4. Now that I see it and have it in person, I can see its resemblance to it 45 and 55 brethren much more obviously.

Edited: 7 July 2012, 5:40 p.m.