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john gustaf stebbins · 10-19-2021, 01:20 AM

I noticed that the HP Prime app on Android is now published by Royal Consumer Info Products. They seem to be the same company that has made typewriters, calculators, and other office products. Their website does not give confidence in their programming skills and they are not listed as having any other apps other than the HP calculator apps.

Has a similar change happened on the iOS side?

With issues HP had finding time to keep the apps up-to-date per Google policy, perhaps this is a group that will keep them refreshed. My first thought was that there had been a merger or corporate take over of some sort, but I don't see anything to back that up.

chromos · 10-19-2021, 03:08 AM

After all, it is in HP's tradition to have products at the top of the line and then transfer them to another company. :-)

Peet · (This post was last modified: 10-19-2021 08:06 AM by Peet.)

(10-19-2021 01:20 AM)john gustaf stebbins Wrote: I noticed that the HP Prime app on Android is now published by Royal Consumer Info Products.

Not only the Prime, also the other Calculator Apps from HP (12cp, 15c). They call themself "The Official Licensee of the Hewlett Packard Calculator smartphone apps"

bhtooefr · 10-20-2021, 01:43 PM

...and I just found this: https://hpofficesupply.com/

It doesn't actually have any calculators listed - instead it's all shredders, laminators, and binders - but the category image on mobile is the 10s, an actual current HP calculator model (even if it's just a Casio-clone Kinpo).

The domain looks like it was registered last July, so it looks like HP might actually be in the process of selling the calculators to Royal?

Peet · (This post was last modified: 10-20-2021 02:46 PM by Peet.)

(10-20-2021 01:43 PM)bhtooefr Wrote: The domain looks like it was registered last July, so it looks like HP might actually be in the process of selling the calculators to Royal?

All Calculator-Sites on this domain are linked to http://www.hpcalcs.com (c) MORAVIA Europe spol. s r.o.

bhtooefr · 10-20-2021, 03:28 PM

Wonder if there's geolocation going on, then - the calculator link for me gives https://hpofficesupply.com/product-categ...lculators/, which is an empty category, in the US.

**rprosperi** · (This post was last modified: 10-20-2021 07:13 PM by rprosperi.)

It's not empty for me, I can see these:

Prime - $249.99 (wtf??)
17Bii+ - $69.99
12CP - $49.99
12C - $49.99
10bii+ - $39.99
10s+ - $24.99

But none are in-stock; for each you are asked to "subscribe" and then be notified when they become available (although this is of course unbelievable, it is still better than what HP's site has done for years...)

There is also a phone number on the Calc page, but when calling it you get product support for shredders and laminators. It's some off-shore support company that supports "both HP and Royal devices", but they know nothing about calculators....

Sad... Huh

Dougggg · 10-20-2021, 08:39 PM

Maybe they are adding HP Prime shredder function on the next update?

StephenG1CMZ · (This post was last modified: 10-21-2021 07:38 AM by StephenG1CMZ.)

In the uk, i'm seeing the HP Prime described (it seems its not programmable*, so could it be the Lite version, or perhaps that functionality is concealed?), followed by "Download" and a list of datasheets/user guide.

Tapping "Download" doesn't download the calculator or app, and I see no mention of buying it.

*There's mention of a CPA program, but that's not on-device.

As for shredders, the artist Banksy has shown self-shredding artwork can be worth millions.

bhtooefr · 10-21-2021, 12:43 PM

(10-20-2021 07:12 PM)rprosperi Wrote: It's not empty for me, I can see these:

Interestingly, that wasn't the case yesterday.

Eddie W. Shore · 10-21-2021, 02:15 PM

$249.99 for an HP Prime? That's twice the price for retail. I could see a classic favorite like the HP 48S, 15C (not Limited but the 1980s original), or 67 going for $249.99 or higher, but not the Prime.

Thomas_Sch · (This post was last modified: 10-21-2021 03:35 PM by Thomas_Sch.)

My guess: a highly dubious construction of websites.

e.g. on their "product site" about the prime (http://www.hpcalcs.com/en/category/9-gra...alculators) there is a link to http://www.hp-prime.com/, again linking to http://www.hp-prime.de/en. This site is fairly outdated. Forum is not available, and so on.
imprint (german: Impressum): MORAVIA EDUCATION, Olomoucká 1213/83, 627 00 BRNO (CZ)
Again: highly dubious, best ignored.

Nigel (UK) · 10-21-2021, 04:10 PM

The site www.hp-prime.de/en for me (in the UK) links to two sites from which the Prime can be purchased - Amazon, and Oxford Educational Supplies. Both are reputable suppliers, so for me at least there's no problem. I agree that the site is out of date - the latest firmware for download dates from 2018, but perhaps it's a work in progress...?

Nigel (UK)

bhtooefr · 10-21-2021, 04:31 PM

(10-21-2021 03:34 PM)Thomas_Sch Wrote: My guess: a highly dubious construction of websites.

e.g. on their "product site" about the prime (http://www.hpcalcs.com/en/category/9-gra...alculators) there is a link to http://www.hp-prime.com/, again linking to http://www.hp-prime.de/en. This site is fairly outdated. Forum is not available, and so on.
imprint (german: Impressum): MORAVIA EDUCATION, Olomoucká 1213/83, 627 00 BRNO (CZ)
Again: highly dubious, best ignored.

That is not the same site, though.

https://hpofficesupply.com/product/hp-pr...alculator/ is the product page for the Prime on HP Office Supply (which is Royal), not HPCalcs (which is Moravia).

Thomas_Sch · 10-21-2021, 05:25 PM

(10-21-2021 04:31 PM)bhtooefr Wrote:
(10-21-2021 03:34 PM)Thomas_Sch Wrote: My guess: a highly dubious construction of websites.

e.g. on their "product site" about the prime (http://www.hpcalcs.com/en/category/9-gra...alculators) there is a link to http://www.hp-prime.com/, again linking to http://www.hp-prime.de/en. This site is fairly outdated. Forum is not available, and so on.
imprint (german: Impressum): MORAVIA EDUCATION, Olomoucká 1213/83, 627 00 BRNO (CZ)
Again: highly dubious, best ignored.

That is not the same site, though.

https://hpofficesupply.com/product/hp-pr...alculator/ is the product page for the Prime on HP Office Supply (which is Royal), not HPCalcs (which is Moravia).

please have a look at https://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-17...#pid153403

**Dave Hicks** · 10-22-2021, 05:59 PM

HP is partnering with Royal in the US and Moravia in Europe to develop, sell and support calculators. This is being done under HP management and the Calculators will still be "HP Calculators" (Though "Hewlett Packard" labeling will be phased out since HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard have been different companies for a while.)

I am told to expect continued development of the Prime as well as the likely (re)introduction of scientific calculators.

**Dave Hicks** · 10-22-2021, 06:22 PM

(10-19-2021 01:20 AM)john gustaf stebbins Wrote: Their website does not give confidence in their programming skills and they are not listed as having any other apps other than the HP calculator apps.

Since I do my daily browsing with Firefox with noscript, I found that my initial visit to royal wasn't impressive. However, I have similar complaints about many company websites and I'm sure a lot of web developers wish people like me would just run Chrome with default settings.

The technical lead is at Moravia and I'm told he owns every HP calculator made, so at the very least, we know he is a man of excellent taste!

**rprosperi** · 10-22-2021, 06:30 PM

(10-22-2021 05:59 PM)Dave Hicks Wrote: HP is partnering with Royal in the US and Moravia in Europe to develop, sell and support calculators. This is being done under HP management and the Calculators will still be "HP Calculators" (Though "Hewlett Packard" labeling will be phased out since HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard have been different companies for a while.)

I am told to expect continued development of the Prime as well as the likely (re)introduction of scientific calculators.

Thanks for the confirmation Dave.

Does this mean new models, or the same (10S+, 300S+, etc.) kind of low-end Casio-clone junk HP has been trying to pass-off as Scientific Calculators for the past 8-10 years? According to sources that is...

**Dave Hicks** · (This post was last modified: 10-22-2021 07:41 PM by Dave Hicks.)

Everything was discussed as possibilities so I know nothing specific. HP has traditionally not pre-announced calculators, so if I knew anything specific, I would probably be under an NDA.

Other things discussed as possibilities included desktop models, limited editions, more business models...

We even chatted about card readers and aging rubber wheels. I don't mean to imply that they are going to reintroduce the HP-65, but I was really happy to be talking to a long-term HP employee who knew of such things, was really interested in HP calculators, and sees this as an exciting new direction. He mentioned that Moravia and Royal are more calculator-focused and more local than the current-day HP. I think this has been an issue for HP - calculators can just kind of get lost in the modern HP.

So I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

Eddie W. Shore · 10-23-2021, 12:19 AM

(10-22-2021 06:30 PM)rprosperi Wrote:
(10-22-2021 05:59 PM)Dave Hicks Wrote: HP is partnering with Royal in the US and Moravia in Europe to develop, sell and support calculators. This is being done under HP management and the Calculators will still be "HP Calculators" (Though "Hewlett Packard" labeling will be phased out since HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard have been different companies for a while.)

I am told to expect continued development of the Prime as well as the likely (re)introduction of scientific calculators.

Thanks for the confirmation Dave.

Does this mean new models, or the same (10S+, 300S+, etc.) kind of low-end Casio-clone junk HP has been trying to pass-off as Scientific Calculators for the past 8-10 years? According to sources that is...

I hope not. HP is known for high quality calculators and it would be a shame for them to reduce themselves to become cheap knockoffs.