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Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Printable Version

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Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Brad Davis - 09-08-2007

Well, mine showed up two days ago and I've put it through a pretty good workout or two since then. I am very pleased with every aspect of it so far.

Keyboard feel seems absolutely perfect to me. I had bought a 50g and hated its keys--way too stiff with too much travel. After 2 months, I still hadn't gotten used to it and made many times the calculation mistakes that I did with my 48G. The 35s seems perfect to me. I have a big nasty benchmark equation that I use to judge my speed. The very first time through it, I was faster with my 35s than I ever got to with the 50g and 1 sec. slower than with my 48G that I used for about 10 years.

I like the little case they send with it. One question: what do you guys use the net for? Seems like a pencil would apply pressure to the keys, so an eraser guide, small triangle, or paper would seem to me to be about all I'd put in there.

I've read about the screen glare and it's definitely there. Hasn't caused any problems yet, though.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - gteague - 09-08-2007

yeah, i wish they could re-package the 50g to make it look & feel like the 35s even if they probably couldn't squeeze it down to that small a package.

i sure wish they had put a mini or micro-sd slot or a mini-usb jack. i'm spoiled and don't enjoy keying in programs like i used to!

my verdict is still out on the case. it's great for storage and protection and well designed, but sort of bulky and unwieldy and slow to open. as to the net side, those folks who put out the overpriced laminated quick-reference 8x11 pages used to put out mini, credit card-sized versions with formulas and constants and other reference material. i have a handful of those that fit perfectly in that side along with some grid-lined notepaper.

/guy


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Stefan Vorkoetter - 09-08-2007

Quote:
as to the net side, those folks who put out the overpriced laminated quick-reference 8x11 pages used to put out mini, credit card-sized versions with formulas and constants and other reference material. i have a handful of those that fit perfectly in that side along with some grid-lined notepaper.

I was thinking I'd put together a quick reference for the 35s itself, much like one used to get with HP calculators.

Stefan


Did i miss something? - Doctor Bubu - 09-09-2007

What Quick-Referenz?

I have some for my older HP (25 f.e.) but i d not have one for the 35s.

Greetings Juergen


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Thomas Radtke - 09-09-2007

Would you mind sharing it? :-)


Re: Did i miss something? - Stefan Vorkoetter - 09-09-2007

That's my point, there currently isn't one for the 35s. That's why I want to make one.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Stefan Vorkoetter - 09-09-2007

Of course! If/when I ever get around to putting one together. There's always a question of how much to put in it. For people like myself and those in this forum for instance, it's probably safe to leave out the stuff that describes how the stack works.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Brad Davis - 09-09-2007

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

The calculator is so intuitive that I can't really think of anything I'd need written down. I cracked the book for about 2 min. to get the idea of how the equation list works. Other than that, I've figured out how to use everything I've needed just by looking at the key labels.

I think I'll buy a tiny 60, 30 triangle and store that in the net.

I used the calculator all day yesterday and still can't really find anything to dislike. Also, after using graphing models for years, it's an extremely elegant little package.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Don Shepherd - 09-09-2007

Quote:
I've figured out how to use everything I've needed just by looking at the key labels

heh heh. I bet you don't have a need to convert hex values to another base. : )


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Thomas Radtke - 09-09-2007

A list of constants and flags, especially the ones affecting the fraction mode would be nice. And who remembers the meaning of the /c Arguments 0 and 1? What about the variable names for two- and threedimensional linsolve?

I think there's a lot to put in such a reference booklet.

Edited: 9 Sept 2007, 12:58 p.m.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Walter B - 09-09-2007

Oh, now you start talking about a booklet ;) I still hope it will remain a QR CARD, maybe folded once or twice, like with the Woodstocks. However, I second your request for a list of flags as well as predefined variables and -- less important -- constants.

Just my 20 Milli-Euros


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Brad Davis - 09-09-2007

Fortunately for me, I think I only use the easier parts.

Hexa-what? LOL.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - DLF - 09-09-2007

Now you're talking! Those are exactly the kinds of things it's impossible to remember right at the instant you need to key them in.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - DLF - 09-09-2007

Oh, and how about a brief, clear version of the polar/rectangular conversion instructions (35s manual page 4-11)?

Or is this too basic for this crowd? ;)


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Brad Davis - 09-09-2007

Quote:
Oh, and how about a brief, clear version of the polar/rectangular conversion instructions (35s manual page 4-11)?

Or is this too basic for this crowd? ;)


I didn't read that. I figured I'd input X and Y as a complex number, then hit abs and arg to get the magnitude and angle. That's pretty fast and intuitive for me. Now I'll have to crack the book and see if this other way is faster, LOL.


Re: Yet another HP35s first impressions thread - Jeff O. - 09-10-2007

Based on the amount of previous discussion, I'd say your question is definitely not too basic for this crowd.

I'm not sure if you are looking for an explanation, or just suggesting that one be included on a quick reference card. If the former, read on. If the latter, my apologies for telling you what you already know.

The so-called polar/rectangular conversions presented on pages 4-10, 4-11 and 4-12 of the manual are more entry/display options for complex numbers rather than true conversions. Simply put, the 35s can hold a complex number in one stack level, and display those complex numbers in either rectangular or polar form. You may enter complex numbers in either rectangular or polar form, (regardless of the display mode) by utilizing the unshifted “i” to separated the imaginary from the real part if entering a rectangular form number, or the shifted “theta” to separate the angle from the magnitude if entering a polar form number. If you enter a number in a different form than the current display mode, upon pressing Enter the calculator will convert the displayed number to the current display mode. So if you have a polar form number and you want to see the rectangular form, you put the calculator in rectangular display mode, type in the magnitude, "theta", then the angle and press Enter. The calculator will calculate the rectangular components and display them as a complex number in "re i im" format (without any spaces between the numbers and the i). If you happen to want to split that complex number into two real numbers, e.g., imaginary in stack level y and real in stack level x, there is no built in function to do so. There are also no functions to let you do rectangular to polar and polar to rectangular conversions with complex numbers represented by real numbers in two stack levels, i.e., the “old-fashioned” way.