Calculator blog

We have found a stack of English language HP12c - the one with gold color, RPN only, and much faster than the platinum, with a ARM processor! (what was called at the time HP12c+) Nicer screen too.

We will offer it with and without leather case - for 89.90€ and 77.00€ respectively. (all units come with the standard fake-leather PE case anyway). Order before units disappear !!

If you remember our previous post, we were talking about the different keyboards in HP12c's of late. Seems that it is due to products from different factories - the big % sign coming from the Invertec factory and the small % coming from Kinpo.

Here you see the codes on the back of the unit: IN04 and KN05.

Now, all the new 12cs I am receiving belong to the "big %" type...except the new HP12c Anniversary (due in Europe from next week on!)

(By the way, the HP15c Limited Edition comes as well from the same factory, and you should expect the same quality - I can attest it!)

Today I have received a USB to com adaptor. Since most of our computers are laptops and quite new, we did not have serial adapters. I have then proceeded to update a 12c+ with the latest available software. In this particular case, it did not increase speed (it was already 150 times faster, so I am not deceived), but it corrected a number of issues compared with the original firmware.

We have decided to offer firmware flashing as a service for our purchases of a calculator. It will have a 10 € charge. The rules:

• Calculators elegible for firmware flashing are HP10bII+, HP20b, HP30b, HP12c (ARM version)
• The customer supplies the firmware through email.
• The calculator to be flashed will be a new, out-of-the-box (or plastic package!). The serial number and proof of purchase bits of the packaging will be included in the shipping to the customer. (It is the customer decision to register the calculator in HP's website). Sorry, we will not flash calculators not brand new!

One of the most exciting projects is the repurposing of the hp20b and hp30b financial calculators with ultra-slick scientific firmware. The project is called wp34s and is run by Marcus von Cube, Walter Bonin and Paul Dale (in no specific order!).

You can find it on http://wp34s.sourceforge.net/

There have been a number of releases (build number was 800 at the time of writing), and you can check whether you like the software by running the included .exe file and testing the features. The .exe file has the advantage of having the right labels on the keys!

I have not yet tested the flasher cable and software on a HP30b but I plan to do it shortly. I will then report on the results!