As an engineer in a major European, say Swedish, truck manufacturer, I must agree to that pocket calculators are almost a thing of the past... But what do you reach for when thinking in some minor calculations, using some %, +-*/, and maybe illustrating something to someone? Excel? Not me, I go for the 15, 42, 17, 19, 49 (or Jornada 720), ALL are on my desk. +My stock in the drawer and at home (48, 41, 42, 35, 28s, 28c (recently added), 48sx, printer ;) )... 50g to appear at work shortly. HPGCC made me ecstatic!
Back on some kind of line: I own 2 TI 30(?) (the equivalent of the Casio fx82b), the basic ones. Rubber keys. Small and lightweight. Why did I buy them in 1994? They were "simple and basic enough" (== slide ruler) ! to be used at the university (Chalmers) on some non-math (maths was no-calcs) and other courses (mechanics, finance, thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, etc), whereas in solid mechanics, composite mechanics, etc, one could use a *proper* calculator. So, for me, TI at alii are still the "limited capability calculators". In mechanics you need a HP48, or above. Still like the solid feel of the 48SX, and the keys. Rock solid. For my PhD studies Matlab became THE tool, and still is, when you actually present results, etc...
But RPN is a waste of time? No! EVERYTHING is not made in "as you write on paper". I frequently use my rpn marvels as an aid in thinking, or just for some plain "ballet"; letting my fingers dance on the keys while I think. Yes, I am not like the TI users - TI users bite their hair or fingernails.
Cut off age in Sweden is really 33... I am 33, and my younger colleagues (age =< 33-eps) ALL have Tex' Ass, although I am responsible enough to have enough HPs for everyone... Ask them something about that Polish guy and his strange calculators, and they all go hide.
I do sometimes use Free42decimal.exe, skin: Michaels HP, but that just makes me long for the real deal.
So, does this explain some marvels? Maybe not, but I am glad I like them. And a 2 line display 15c/s/x would be neat.
cheers
Carlos