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From: rrd@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ray Depew)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: Re: Books for the HP48?
Message-ID: <7360109@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM>
Date: 30 Apr 91 22:44:37 GMT
References: <16902@chaph.usc.edu>
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Lines: 76

>I just bought my '48. Now I hear about
>the '95. Will this make my new 
>investment obsolete?
>-Eric Lee
>----------

Nope.  Different animals.  There's some overlap, but there are still things
the 48 can do that the 95 can't.  The two machines were designed with 
different uses (and users) in mind.

Now you're going to ask me what those uses are.  Well, I don't even work
in Corvallis, so I can make some guesses.  Here, then is the list of the
Ten Top Uses for the 48 and the 95.

1.  The 48 is meant to do heavy engineering calculations; the 95 is meant
    to look cool when you pull it out of your suit coat.

2.  The 95 is meant to completely replace your DayTimer; the 48 is meant to
    look cool when you pull it out of your suit coat.

3.  The 48 is meant to do number-intensive computing; the 95 is meant to
    do text-intensive computing.  Don't try to write memos on your 48.

4.  The 48 is meant to impress the eyeballs off of users of Casio, Sharp
    and other inferior products, while not even acknowledging the existence
    of TI, Canon and others.  The 95 is meant to impress the eyeballs off
    of users of Poqet, Atari and other inferior products, while not even
    acknowledging the existence of Psion, Sharp and others.  (Apologies to
    non-HP readers of c.s.h.  No offense was meant to your machines.  For
    more information, please see attached smileys.)

5.  The 48 works in an emergency as a hammer, provided you grip it tightly 
    around the keyboard and don't whack things too hard (not recommended by
    HP, really).  The 95 works in an emergency as a clamp or vise, provided 
    you only use it to clamp soft objects such as fabric or skin.

6.  The 48 was designed to require hours of practice and volumes of third-
    party books to master, so that the user felt like an idiot for the first
    100 hours of usage; the 95 was designed so that any chump\\\imp 
    familiar with the standard Lotus interface could use it without ever
    cracking open a book.

7.  The 48 spawned a new industry, and destroyed many preconceptions of 
    what a "handheld calculator" is.  The 95 jumps into a new industry 
    and leapfrogs the existing players, capitalizing on the destroyed 
    preconceptions of what a "portable computer" is.  But the 48 is still
    a HHC, and the 95 is definitely a portable PC.

8.  The 48 is used in technical classes, where "show your work" is important
    and cheating on tests is strongly discouraged.  The 95 is used in
    business classes, where "show your work" is irrelevant unless you're going
    to run for office, and cheating on tests is tolerated or encouraged as long
    as you don't get caught.  (But beware of proctors with IR-sensitive
    night-vision goggles!)

9.  The 48 is targeted at HP's loyal fans, and its software was written by
    HP engineers in response to YOUR requests.  The 95 is targeted at the
    loyal followers of money and prestige (see #1 above), and its software
    was written by 3rd-party experts who understand this market.

10. The 48 is meant to foster endless debate about splitting comp.sys.handhelds
    into comp.sys.handhelds.this.n.that; the 95 is meant to foster endless
    debate about creation of comp.sys.palmtops, comp.sys.msdos.palmtops,
    comp.sys.hp95lx, ...

NOTES:  :-)  :-)  :-)  :-)
        This was written with tongue planted firmly in cheek.  Any attempt to
        take it seriously will be totally ignored.  Digs at other machines
        were intentional, but meant in fun.  My highest regards for anyone
        involved in the design or release of either the 48 or the 95.  I 
        don't speak for HP.


Regards
Ray Depew
rrd@hpfitst1.hp.com