Hi, Alain; allow me some comments?
Quote:
(...)640x480 tactile screen if not more
These might be good for low-res graphics, though. I myself feel comfortable with alphanumeric capacity, 12-digit mantissa, 3-digit exponent of ten, as many digits as possible and necessary for internal numbers, graphics welcome, too. About tactile screen: I prefer keys. Yeap, there is the key bouncing issue and related production costs, but tactile screen depends on keyboard emulation software as well.
Quote:
(...)the future of calculators and calculator emulators?
This is the sort of subject that we can discuss for too long, or simply wait to see. I have my own perspectives, based on historic events. Once math became a tool and this tool found itself inserted on many other sciences, allowing it to be efficient and precise would consequently allow all 'related' sciences to be efficient and precise as well. Trigs and log tables were written, slide rules were created and some mechanical devices that could perform basic calculations were designed and built. Large electromechanical and electronic computers were designed and built as well, so were desktop, powerful calculators. Pocket size versions became a reality after the memorable HP35.
What comes after?
As we can see, existing tools were replaced by newer ones, more efficient, resourceful and reliable. I see no new replacement after the calculator, only different versions of the same concept. What about a neural interactive device that returns suitably coded resulting values once a number-based question is captured in the neural cortex? That would, indeed, be a replacement: no keys to bounce, no screen to be read in bad light conditions, no batteries to replace, only organic-based nanocells that would harmless be implanted in the base of the backbone.
Wow! With such a NIC (Neural-Interfaced Calculator), who needs a standard, keyboard driven calculator?
O.K., let the flames and blames come!
Sorry, folks, but I actually see no current replacement for a calculator, just some guys showing it in a different package and look and claiming that the calculator has its glorious days in the count. I do not see this coming so soon.
My opinion, again.
Cheers.
Luiz (Brazil)
Edited: 3 Mar 2006, 6:56 a.m.