Idea for high-end scientific (but not graphing) HP
#1

This calculator would slot in above the 35s, and would target the "I want a 48gII or 50g because I want the stack of an RPL calculator, and some of the nice features, but I don't care about most of the other features" demographic.

Go for styling like the SmartCalc 300s. Solar might even be doable, but it'll add to the vertical height of the device.

It seems that on RPN calcs, HP is going back towards their heritage. No reason to fight that at all. Use a 48-like layout, although a row or two of keys could probably be removed, due to the removal of graphing features and probably CAS features. Either that, or use the modern layout, but you could probably remove a row of keys there, too - the 35s, actually, looks like a winner, layout-wise, just add a row on top for the function keys.

To prevent it from cannibalizing sales of the 48gII and 50g, no PC connectivity, no expansion, and only a 4-line LCD - think 28-like.

Give it an ARM7 instead of the ARM9 - longer battery life, cheaper, and slower (helps prevent cannibalization of sales.) Some ARM7 microcontrollers may even have enough RAM and flash to avoid having to have anything outside of the MCU.

Now, price it where the 35s is right now, and either drop the 35s to near where the 33s is now (probably either replacing the 33s, or dropping its price,) or just replace the 35s.

Emphasis how flexible it is at handling unit conversions, varying datatypes, and such.

I think it might just sell.

Thoughts? Sorry, no image, lack of photoshopping skills, but I think it might just be possible to make a $60 RPL calc.

(Yes, I'm someone that owns a 50g because I wanted an RPL calc, and heard bad things about the 48gII, but I often end up using as not much more than an RPL 4-banger. I wouldn't even use all of the features of a 33s.)

#2

Any calculator today should have the ability to externally store programs or data. PC connectivity or an SD card slot, for me, would be a huge selling point.

CHUCK

#3

An RPL calculator without the graphics (which most people do on computers anyway) would definitely have my support. I would want PC connectivity though, but a USB port would be enough. I use the SD on the 50G merely for convienience to transfer programs but I also have the non-SD fx-9860GII and find transferring data is simple enough and apart from the 64K RAM, it has 1.5MB Flash storage memory which I find adequate (but it would be easy and cheap enough to put more on a non-graphics RPL).

#4

You would still need a dot matrix display to handle different fonts and show complex data types like lists, or complex numbers. So some simple graphing capabilities (comparable to the 28S) would still be possible. It shouldn't be advertised as such but the feature wouldn't hurt.

#5

And it'd probably be more work to REMOVE the graphing capabilities, and it would cripple it, compatibility wise. And, USB probably isn't a bad idea, although serial and IR probably won't be needed.

Then again, giving it graphing would have the problem that it would cannibalize 48gII sales. Of course, that's what the ARM7 and 4-line display are for...

By 4-line, BTW, I mean a 32 pixel tall LCD, like the 4-line display used on the 28 series.

#6

Not bad... I hope HP keeps coming out with new models. However, for me, I would be greatly satisfied with a non-programmble, small, RPN calculator along the size of the HP 6S or Casio fx-260... and preferably with an excellent keyboard. I think 5 storage registers would be sufficient.

#7

Quote:
Not bad... I hope HP keeps coming out with new models. However, for me, I would be greatly satisfied with a non-programmble, small, RPN calculator along the size of the HP 6S or Casio fx-260...

I hope they come out with one the size a credit card, just like this:

Dave.

#8

OK, that thing looks awesome. More info?

#9

It's my latest calc project called the uCalc, and has been much discussed many months back.

Credit card size, full graphic display, 3-axis tilt sensor, Micro SD card, 16 bit processor, touch panel keypad, standard CR coin batteries, and piezo buzzer.

That's the first prototype I built, but sadly I have not had time to work on it since then.

Dave.

#10

Ah, I hadn't been on here for a while, so I missed it. Sounds awesome!

#11

Quote:
That's the first prototype I built, but sadly I have not had time to work on it since then.

Sigh :-(
I was about to ask how it was progressing too.

- Pauli

#12

Quote:
And it'd probably be more work to REMOVE the graphing capabilities

You are probably right as HP is into emulating the existing software on new platforms and the calculator division is too small to have resources for significantly altering code.

You mentioned the 28s and 300s, I had been thinking exactly that HP could put a 28s functionality in the 300s body, with an extra shift button (instead of the extra fold-open keyboard) - the keyboard I/O gets processed in the encapsulating software anyway I think.

So, just putting the 28s software on a 300s platform would not cannibalize the 48/50 sales much as it:

-has no ALG or CAS input

-No equation writer

-No clock/date/alarms

-only 2D graphs

-No financial applications

to name a few


Of course with enough memory, some of these could be programmed in, but as such it does not have them "out the box".


So, they can re-use old software currently "gathering dust" and use a case that is already in production (300s).
#13

My hope is that their goal is to move to native ARM code. After converting the development tools and porting the RPL engine, they could look at past calculators that provided decent functionality and were written in mostly RPL. Use that as the basis for a new, very fast calculator. Then use sales from that to fund further development/porting of the rest of the calculator line.

I suspect that the 30bII is the first in just such a line of calculators.

By dropping the dot matrix display and going to a multi-line segmented display, I wonder if they could improve display contrast to be comparable to the 41C? I think that might be worthwhile.

I definitely agree with others that any calculator with more than 1K of memory should have an external PC connection of some sort these days. This lack of I/O is the major reason why I haven't bought a 35s.

#14

While on the subject of an intermediate step between 33/35 series and 50G series, how about an RPL "repackage" in a desktop size similar to OfficeCalc series.

Display could be dot-matrix or "41-style" segmented. A row or two of keys (unless clever use of "gold" or shift key) would have to be added to OfficeCalc form factor.

Still a nice unit for those of us who miss the 91/97 desktop series of yore.

My 0.02 anyway.

John Stark

#15

I'd say that algebraic input is a must-have, if only to go after those that don't want RPN.

Keep in mind that, I'd think they'd want to stay as close to the codebase of their other calcs as possible, which means a cut-down version of the current firmware, MAYBE with some old 28S code mixed in.

Everything else, however, makes sense.

#16

Quote:
While on the subject of an intermediate step between 33/35 series and 50G series, how about an RPL "repackage" in a desktop size similar to OfficeCalc series.

John,

I've always dismissed the desktop calculators as obsolete because we have PCs, but maybe I'm being too hasty. What advantage do you see to a desktop calculator over a PC or laptop?

#17

I've seen people use desktop calculators for totalling stuff, even with a computer in front of them.

Sometimes the whole screen is taken up with whatever task they're doing, and they don't want to resize things.

So, there is a market, but from what I've seen, it's pretty much mostly 4-bangers. Then again, an RPN financialish 4-banger probably WOULD do well as a desktop calculator.

#18

I must say that I often have a calculator next to me when working on a computer as I've always found it easier to quickly tap on a physical calculator than to bring up an on-screen one and clicking the "buttons" with a mouse (anything more than basic four function is not available on the keyboard/numeric keypad).

#19

Quote:
...but sadly I have not had time to work on it since then.

Hopefully you'll get some time soon to finish it. Can't wait.
#20

Now there's an idea. Something 30-ish in a desktop format.

I would find desktop format with larger keys and display convenient even when using a computer for side calculations. Currently use either 35S or 45 (!) in this role.

Desktop keyboard and display easier on the eyes and fingers , too.

#21

LOL-- I'll bet that if you ask most people, they wouldn't realize that you can use a computer as a calculator!

#22

Quote:
What advantage do you see to a desktop calculator over a PC or laptop?
Readiness. Even more ready than a handheld. The bigger, the better.

Seriously, my 32SII is always the same. Same interface, same functions. No need to reinstall anything. Since '91 I had a lot of different computers, each with new software. There's not much to get used to that lasts as long as a calculator.

If I had the space, I'd use my 59 much more because it rests on its printer and can't be removed easily.

#23

Another idea for the HP.30DT++. (30 DeskTop Plus Plus)

Printer version at $ 20.00 or so more.

Have a fine holiday (both Passover and Easter). Thanks for your feedback.

John Stark.

#24

I always have a real calculator on my desktop because it's always there, faster to operate. I was imagining my dream non-graphing calc and looks like this:

- Must have dedicated function keys (one row, with shifts) that can be assigned to programs (without affecting functions of other keys)
- Keystroke programmable for fast automation of simple tasks
- RPL, with multi-level stack display (yes, RPL and key-stroke programming)
- SD card
- USB
- Write programs on PC in key stroke, RPL or C
- Compact and tilted for desk use (Classics are perfect...)

Dave's uCalc misses a couple of these points but is probably the closest thing to likely come along any time soon?... I know a 48/49/50 match pretty well, but I find myself reaching for a Classic over my 48 most of the time for daily use....



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