The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 17

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Sensory perception of calculators
Message #1 Posted by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut on 8 Sept 2007, 10:45 a.m.

We got into a little side joking around about eating an HP-10C in the Edsel discussion below.

Ok, I am not going to ask if anyone has ever tasted or ate one of their calculators.

But I will ask, has anyone ever noticed a smell difference between the various Hewlett Packard models? Or do they even smell different than Texas Instruments products?

Edited: 8 Sept 2007, 10:46 a.m.

      
Re: Sensory perception of calculators
Message #2 Posted by Jandro Kirkish on 8 Sept 2007, 12:11 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut

There is definitely a distinctive "HP calculator smell". I always loved the smell of my 28s--alas after 20yrs it has faded somewhat. All the new HPs I have gotten since (49g, 49g+ 50g, 13c and 33s), have shared this smell, except for the 35s. This one smells a little different to me--not as strong, but still recognizably HP. TIs and Casios have a more pedestrian plastic smell that fades quickly. But the HP smell is strong and long lasting. I confess that the smell of a calculator is important to me--and in that respect (as in so many others) nothing beats HP calcs.

            
Re: Sensory perception of calculators
Message #3 Posted by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut on 8 Sept 2007, 12:49 p.m.,
in response to message #2 by Jandro Kirkish

Thanks! I have a bad sense of smell, and I could never tell.

      
Re: Sensory perception of calculators
Message #4 Posted by DaveJ on 8 Sept 2007, 6:26 p.m.,
in response to message #1 by Mad Dog ebaycalcnut

My 48SX smells awful with cigarette smoke, and the case is so unusable I can't even keep it near anything else. I guess that's the chance you take when you get it 2nd hand.

Being a non-smoker, I can detect a single smoke molecule 10 meters up wind.

Anyone know how to get rid of the cigarette smell from the plastic? Alcohol wipes worked fairly well to get rid of a lot of the initial smell, but a fair amount remains.

Dave.


[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall