The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story

The HP-35 Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story Sometime in late 1971, Peter Nelson, from Hewlett-Packard’s Corporate Relations Department in Palo Alto, enlisted Karen Cambria, from the Automatic Measurement Division (conveniently, in the same building), to pose with their new electronic device, a scientific calculator they named the HP-35. Norton Pearl took several photos of Karen with the calculator and it was this photo that ended up in the press kit. HP didn’t typically employ beautiful models—even if they were employees—to sell their products. For their typical customers—corporations, hospitals, educational institutions and government agencies—technical ads in trade journals or displays at trade shows were always more than sufficient, but for their new calculator it was clear they were going to have to try something different. The economic downturn of the early 1970s meant that their normal customers weren’t buying new electronic equipment and, to make matters worse, a market r ... Read full article.