Re: I had a HP35 in 1969 Message #8 Posted by warren on 15 May 2002, 1:26 p.m., in response to message #1 by Steve Goldman
I'll let "The Traveller's" fanciful response pass without comment. While it may be possible, as Luiz suggests, that a prototype was available in 1969, it does not seem that would have been a likely gift for a graduating high school student. As Ron suggest, it appears that the only explanation for the apparent contradiction is that you are mistaken. The date of introduction of the HP-35 is well established as 1972, by all sources including HP itself: http://www.hpl.hp.com/features/calculator_anniversary.html Also, the introductory price has always been stated as $395, which while quite expensive for that time is not really that close to $500. I would not presume that you do not recall when you graduated from high school, but it sure seems that you mis-remember when you got the 35, or mis-remember what calculator you received in 1969. The problem is that it does not appear that any hand-held calculators were available in 1969. According to the book "The Complete Collector’s Guide to Pocket Calculators" by Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, the earliest portable (not necessarily hand-held or pocket-size) calculators were introduced in the US chronologically as follows: Sharp QT-8B, July 1970 Dictaphone 1680, October, 1970 Sharp EL-8, February 1971 Sanyo ICC-0081, March, 1971 Canon Pocketronic, April 1971 These were all four function calculators. The first scientific with transcendental functions was by all accounts the HP-35, in February 1972. So, is it possible that you received that HP-35 as a birthday present in 1972 and were still the first with such device at Georgia Tech? I hope you won't take any of the above personally, it just appears from all evidence that you are mistaken.
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