In Pictures: Best Tech Products PCW Missed

Montalvo says: "Personally, I'm impressed by staying power. How about an electronic product that continues to dominate its niche and is virtually unchanged 26 years after being introduced? What is it? Take a guess... It's the HP 12C business calculator. I bought my first one two years after getting an MBA in finance and have used one ever since. OK, so maybe some of its appeal is based on its bizarre-sounding 'Reverse Polish Notation' computation system. But users know that RPN is not just zany window dressing; it's something that really adds significant functionality and efficiency. A product that can survive, let alone prosper, in the highly changeable hi-tech market for more than a quarter-century really deserves some recognition. It's a marketing tour-de-force, something that's more than a bit ironic in that HP has long been known for its technology, not its marketing. Congratulations, HP! You built a damn fine calculator!"