HP Handheld SIG News for September, 2000

HP30S and HP39G Now in Stores

The low-priced HP30S intermediate scientific and the HP39G high-school graphing machine is now available over the counter as well as at HP's web site. Both are algebraic units with prices where the HP6S and 38G, respectively, were at introduction (around $17 and $80). The HP39G is in the 49G case with a different color scheme. It's European "cousin", the HP40G, is also now available over there. The 39G provides two-way infrared comms (in addition to the ten-pin serial port) and the 40G includes the computer algebra system ("CAS") of the HP49G. (Apparently, there is a physical conflict between the IR and the CAS accessibility internally; otherwise the U.S. 39G might have included both the CAS and infrared.)

HP "Xpander" Announced in HPc Magazine

With the release of the August issue of HPc, the educational calculator magazine, Hewlett-Packard featured Xpander on the cover. This HP49-sized unit contains a numeric keypad below an oversized monochrome touchscreen LCD. A stylus is supposedly provided to draw on the display surface. Initially this unit will provide educational math software, but allegedly is expandable to include other packages. There has been no definite word on the hardware particulars, however it is rumored to use a commercial off-the-shelf 133-megahertz CPU and will contain a compact-flash expansion slot. No word on actual price or availability. Perhaps we will see a unit in the flesh at the upcoming HHC2000 event in Los Angeles.

HHC2000: The HP Handheld Users' Conference Approaches

The HP conference will be held on September 9th and 10th at the Ramada Plaza hotel adjacent to the Los Angeles International Airport. As of this writing, over thirty people have signed up to attend, and it is likely that this number will exceed 40. A hefty set of conference proceedings is in the process of being compiled, along with at least one CD of material for each attendee. We are planning to provide to each person a copy (with permission) of Eric Rechlin's HP Calculator Archive CD, containing around 200 meg of material on all HP calc models from the HP28C up to the present. One education professional will be presenting a new book which teaches various mathematical concepts using the HP49G. At least one session of the conference will revolve around HP's recent new negative attitude towards third-party sellers and support people. Whether any HP people will actually be there is unknown at this time. At our September meeting at PACS, there will have much to talk about.

Latest HP49G Beta O.S. Version and Documentation Available

The latest beta version of the HP49 operating system is now version 1.19-3. Check this out at HP's web site at http://www.hp.com/calculators/graphing/rom/index.html. In addition, the latest HP49 documentation, consisting of the Users Guide and Advanced Users Guide may be downloaded at http://www.hp.com/calculators/techsupport/graphing/49g_useguide/ on the web.