NEW: HP 15C Collectors Edition

[Earle Grey]

(12-18-2023 09:04 PM)ametts Wrote:  So I ordered my HP 15C CE from hpofficesupply.com (Royal Consumer Information Products), and I'm not particularly impressed with this vendor....<snip>

The good news is that the 15C actually arrived today after only two business days. The bad news is that the bezel is blemished, and there's a protective film over the window in the presentation box that's all mangled....<snip>

Greetings all, from the Chicago-USA area! ametts' post caused me to finally join this forum after a bit of lurking. Well, their post AND the arrival yesterday of my new 15c CE. Yay!

A little backstory: Bought my second hp11c in 1983 (after my first was stolen) and have used it continuously since—heavily for the first 15 yr. It met all my scientific needs and, like many of you, I was dismayed to see the line discontinued at the dawning of the '90s. Knowing that nothing lasts forever, every so often I would check out pawn shops in collegiate areas, but never found another. When the internet came along and ebay launched, I occasionally would marvel at the premium asking prices for the few listed, and relished using my trusty ol' 11c.

In the early teens I became aware of the 11c emulator by RLM, and that was the SOLE motivation for my acquisition of an iphone, giving up my Palm Pre (an early webOS-based smartphone). Finally I had a functional 11c replacement! Well, apps change with time and I continued to favor that original 11c, despite the dings, scratches and wear. (Although, through some miracle, all four rubber feet survive to this day!) Bringing me to last month when my deteriorating vision, combined with fading of the gold faceplate print and dissatisfaction with recent emulators, caused me to sniff around for a real replacement.

Just in time to read about the 15c CE. As far as I could see, it was a more advanced member of the Voyager line, and a near perfect replacement for my forty-one year old 11c. Could it still be found? My heart quickened as it seemed they were! I perspired when seeing an unbelievably low price—albeit in Euro, which meant shipping and customs fees. No matter, hp had licensed some domestic hpofficesupply vendor to sell them. Free shipping! USD129 — cheap! as they used to write in Mad Magazine!

Immediately I ordered: site crashed. Tried making a user account and ordered again: site crashed again. Tried other browsers: site kept crashing. It was late and so I went to bed, to give them time to get the site working again. Next day: site still crashing. It was still during their business hours, so I called the number listed on the site: answered at a noisey call center by someone speaking Southeast-asian English as a second language, who confirmed: the number did not belong to hpofficesupply. I searched the interwebz to see if there had been reports of their closing without success. hp's website still redirected me to the dead site. I sent an email to (the dead site's) support edress, inquiring, and waited a week: no reply. I read up about Swiss Micro, and decided against it because I preferred the look and feel of the hp product. Of course, my 11c still works and, in fact, has outlived 4 automobiles, 3 pets, 9 apartments, many lovers, and both my parents. It may outlive me. But I want a new calc.

Finally I bit the proverbial • (not sure if the word is allowed here) and ordered a 15c CE on ebay from a vendor seeming to have many for sale, at nearly the same price as the dead site, claiming them to be new, etc. And it arrived yesterday! Yes, it seems new. The slipcover fits awkwardly, but many of you probably know that by now.

SO, BACK TO THE REASON FOR MY POST HERE....
(1) It appears that hpofficesupply has gone out of business. I am unable to identify an officially licensed vendor in the USA for the 15c CE.
(2) I see no blemishes, scratches, markings, or even dust anywhere on the bezel, the faceplate, the sides or the back.
(3) I was amused to find the protective film was on the outside of the box, sloppily stuck across the plastic window, with wrinkles. I didn't care until reading here that it may indicate an old production run, or a returned item. But the factory seal was intact on the box flaps.
(4) If someone here will tell me where to find the production run number, I will share.
(5) I see that the ebay seller has in raised the price and shipping a bit, so maybe they have also had trouble getting more of the 15c CE from their supplier, but this is mere speculation.

Thanks to everyone here for your informative posts, to the moderators for enduring patience, and to the site owner for hosting us!

—Earle
(Yes my email address is a trek reference, and yes I made up the edress 29 years ago on AOL, and still use it.)