48GX: Singapore vs Indonesia

[Joe Horn]

Not a Matter of Consequence... Just a random observation...

Remember the beautiful "x" and "y" on all the old HP calculators? A clear example of their design is found on the HP-97's SWAP key:



I've always wondered when and where HP abandoned that lovely font and replaced it with the standard, ugly font they use now. I think I found it. Compare these keys on an HP 48GX made in Singapore (SN 3448S02527) with the same keys on an HP 48GX made in Indonesia (SN ID83302623):



The "x" is the same old classic font on all three keys on the Singapore 48, but notice how they're different (except for the square root key!) on the Indonesia 48. So I suspect that's when and where the classic HP font was either unwittingly lost or intentionally abandoned. Even though the 35s was supposedly made to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the HP-35, no attempt was made to use the classic HP font on it.