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HP Forum Archive 17

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HP 35s Case Alternatives?
Message #1 Posted by Dave on 24 July 2007, 2:31 p.m.

I love the factory case, but there are occasions I'd like to travel lighter. For those of you 35s owners who may also have an older slip case from a 32s, 42s, 20s, etc., how does the 35s fit? According to the specs, it sticks out a bit more than a third of an inch. Does this still provide adequate protection? Apparently old 32s cases can still be had from some online vendors.

      
Re: HP 35s Case Alternatives?
Message #2 Posted by Alex on 26 July 2007, 5:05 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Dave

I had the same thoughts as you about slimness, so I did try the 35s in my 20s' case. It's an ever-so-slightly snugger fit, and it sticks out the top almost .5".

Overall I didn't really care for it... I'm on the lookout for some better alternatives.

I do love the stock case, especially for when there might be some knockin' around going on!

- Alex H.

      
Re: HP 35s Case Alternatives?
Message #3 Posted by Paul Brogger on 26 July 2007, 5:45 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Dave

The 33s case is a not-very-snug fit (the 35s wants to slide right out), but otherwise is perfect.

Maybe the inclusion of the quick reference card . . . (oh, rats!)

Maybe including something else will help it stay inside. But then, you won't be traveling any more lightly, as overall they're almost the same size.

            
Re: HP 35s Case Alternatives?
Message #4 Posted by Dave on 27 July 2007, 10:41 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by Paul Brogger

Thanks, guys. So the 20s and 33s cases aren't the best solutions. If I ever run across anything, I'll let you know.

            
Re: HP 35s Case Alternatives?
Message #5 Posted by Vincze on 27 July 2007, 10:49 a.m.,
in response to message #3 by Paul Brogger

Good morning.

How come I no have a quick reference card? I hope I no throw it away, or was in book maybe?

                  
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #6 Posted by Paul Brogger on 27 July 2007, 11:11 a.m.,
in response to message #5 by Vincze

Sorry -- I was trying to be funny.

(I keep forgetting to add the smiley.) :-(

                        
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #7 Posted by Vincze on 27 July 2007, 11:55 a.m.,
in response to message #6 by Paul Brogger

I understand now. I am stupid Hungarian, so I not get joke sometimes. It would be nice if quick reference card with calculator though. Maybe I make one and lamimate it.

                              
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #8 Posted by Ed Look on 27 July 2007, 12:28 p.m.,
in response to message #7 by Vincze

No, don't feel too bad; the joke is an OLD TIMER'S joke. HP calculators from a long time ago came in a box, had lots of literature in it including the manual, like a laminated quick reference card, extra application booklets, basic functions booklet in addition to full manual, etc.

I still have somewhere this stuff, except for the box, for my old 34C.

                                    
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #9 Posted by Vincze on 27 July 2007, 1:36 p.m.,
in response to message #8 by Ed Look

I see.

I really wish books that come with units now were spiral bound. Am I only one who think that spiral bound book much easier to lay flat and use than the type of binding they use now? I wonder why they switch?

I hope PDF come out soon for 35s as I want to print it and bind it in spiral bound so I can use it easier.

Since english is not my native language, sometimes words confusing and I have to look up in Magyar <-> English dictionary to find out what they meen. With spiral bound book, that is much simpler since book will stay flat. I would think this would be common desire for all users, and would think HP would realize this, or do they not think at sometimes?

                                          
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #10 Posted by Gene Wright on 27 July 2007, 2:26 p.m.,
in response to message #9 by Vincze

Spiral bound manuals are much more expensive than flat bound. Particularly when you add the incremental cost up by hundreds of thousands of copies.

That's why we don't get them any more.

                                                
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #11 Posted by Vincze on 27 July 2007, 3:08 p.m.,
in response to message #10 by Gene Wright

you sound as if you work for HP and have been said to say that. Yes, more expensive, be we all know that the cost passes onto the buyer, so why would HP care. That would be like saying, lets use junk for calculator and make it less good. Same thing with plastic container that calculator come in. It make it cheap, but box make it look more like quality. Cost is eventually passed to buyer, so why would HP care.

                                                      
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #12 Posted by Kevin Kitts on 27 July 2007, 3:46 p.m.,
in response to message #11 by Vincze

Because HP needs to sell a certain volume to be profitable. If they make the price too high then they won't sell enough to make a profit and cover the costs of R&D and manufacturing.

They've likely calculated (no pun intended) the number of units they'll be likely to sell at a given price point and number of months that it will take them to reach the break-even point and start making a profit.

It may seem cruel and cold - but if they don't make a profit there is little incentive to make the next iteration of products.

                                                      
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #13 Posted by bill platt on 27 July 2007, 4:01 p.m.,
in response to message #11 by Vincze

The Pioneers were the last machines to come with spiral bound manuals. Later in their production runs, they were bound like a book. For instance the 27s, 32s, 42s had spiral, but the 32sii had book-bound. The 12c of course started out spiral, and switched to book-bound. But don't forget that many of the 41c publications and manuals were not spiral bound.

The cost of making a manual (even spiral-bound) used to be a much smaller percentage of the cost of the calculator. In real terms, there was much more room for price in the old days. Today, the margins are slim, and the buyers are price-conscious to a fault. The current buyer doesn't look at the price and compare it to days of old in real terms: rather he compares it to other offerings on the shelf. There is only so much "premium" he is apt to be willing to pay for the HP quality.

Remember, while we are the "early adopters" and promoters, it is in much larger, more brand-neutral buyers that the market is won or lost.

                                                            
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #14 Posted by Vincze on 27 July 2007, 4:45 p.m.,
in response to message #13 by bill platt

Good afternoon Bill. You bring up good points, as I forgot to include price elasticity of buyers. I only consider like minded people of here as buyers but you right that there are many other people out there that may be less elastic in price sensitivity. I still wonder though how much more price would be with spiral bound book. We will never know I guess.

But with quality they can't go less with. I remember days when ceramic chips used in computers and many were considered military spec. I remember using old AT&T 3B2 computer back in Hungary, and it was built like tank. I just think that HP should use high quality parts so unit last long time like my HP45. I hope HP did that with 35s. I guess time will tell.

Please excuse my poor english.

                                                                  
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (I was joking.)
Message #15 Posted by Paul Brogger on 27 July 2007, 5:22 p.m.,
in response to message #14 by Vincze

I'll gladly excuse your (actually not-at-all) "poor" English, if you'll please excuse my non-existent Magyar.

                                                      
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (It was a joke)
Message #16 Posted by Gene Wright on 27 July 2007, 5:21 p.m.,
in response to message #11 by Vincze

Actually, I'm an author who has had his own work printed and bound with a spiral binding. My costs were $1 more per book to use it.

Economics would say a higher price will lose sales.

                                          
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (I was joking)
Message #17 Posted by Paul Brogger on 27 July 2007, 2:55 p.m.,
in response to message #9 by Vincze

. . . and I believe you would find that most of the contributors at this site agree with you: the old-style spiral-bound manuals are better.

Edited: 27 July 2007, 2:56 p.m.

                                                
Re: There is no HP-35s Quick Reference Card (I was joking)
Message #18 Posted by Dallas Osborne on 29 July 2007, 4:53 p.m.,
in response to message #17 by Paul Brogger

Is there enough room to lop off the spine, punch and spiral bind it? If there is more than 1 cm after using bulk paper shear (.1-.2 cm) to cut the spine, the late-night crew at a Kinko's may be talked into punching and running a spiral through the manual.

Just a thought; I have yet to get mine and scratch my head over how I am going to get this thing to lay flat. This isn't crucial but it is certainly nice.


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