The Museum of HP Calculators

HP Forum Archive 02

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

HP announces new calculators- HP39Gand HP40G
Message #1 Posted by Iqbal on 28 Mar 2000, 9:39 p.m.

Check out the following address:

http://www.epita.fr/~avenar_j/hp/39.html

Sorry for those who were looking for a 42G.

      
HP39G, HP40G - how disappointing!
Message #2 Posted by Nenad Vulic on 29 Mar 2000, 4:01 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Iqbal

Another set of GameBoys, with algebraic entry logic. What is the difference in comparison to TI-92 or several Casio models? Where is RPN? I have to check if I have entered an equation correctly, instead of seeing each and every intermediate result.

Unfortunately, HP42s still remains No. 1 of HP calculators (at least for me).

            
Re: HP39G, HP40G - how disappointing!
Message #3 Posted by steve on 30 Mar 2000, 3:00 a.m.,
in response to message #2 by Nenad Vulic

Never used the 42S, so I cannot speak on that subject. But I am an owner of a 28S (battery door chipped almost down to just a steel plate!). I think that despite the double-keyboard layout(the hinge will die eventually), the infinite stack and implicit complex/program/binary-integer/algebraic-item functionality (plus only a five line display) makes it the last good combination of ease-to-use and power funtions. I will lament its final passing and possibly create a 28S simulation on an Cassiopeia (or equivalent microsquish CE palm device) in memoriam. The 28S definitely is certainly one of their better products (I looked at a 48G model -- too complicated and the screen takes up half of the calculator).

      
Re: HP announces new calculators- HP39Gand HP40G
Message #4 Posted by Keith Dicks on 29 Mar 2000, 6:38 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Iqbal

Sorry but the link doesn't work for me.

Let me guess: There are no manuals with the product as per the HP49G. The keyboard is a hard to press rubbery one. It's in a jazzy color. There is a shiny screen cover, and no soft case. The unit is quite power hungry and runs off AAA batteries. It's too big and heavy to be a pocket calculator.

Or am I getting too synical in my old age?

PS HP42G is not needed, if I want to see a graph I'll do it on a spread sheet.

            
Try out this address
Message #5 Posted by Iqbal on 29 Mar 2000, 10:15 a.m.,
in response to message #4 by Keith Dicks

http://members.tripod.com/ekalin/index.html

Look at latest news

Better luck with this one

It seems they have removed the article

            
Re: HP announces new calculators- HP39Gand HP40G
Message #6 Posted by Les Bell on 29 Mar 2000, 8:20 p.m.,
in response to message #4 by Keith Dicks

Hmmm. (Looks at calendar). You don't suppose those pages (which mimic the style of official HP pages) were meant to go public on April 1st, do you?

Otherwise, it looks like HP striking out even further in the wrong direction. The number of people dumping 49G's they can't use and don't want on eBay is surely a warning?

Best,

--- Les [http://www.lesbell.com.au]

            
Re: HP announces new calculators- HP39Gand HP40G
Message #7 Posted by steve on 30 Mar 2000, 2:46 a.m.,
in response to message #4 by Keith Dicks

Close. According to the link (it did work last night) you can download a new image to "upgrade" your 49G to a 39 or 40.

Also, I may be getting senile in my old age (I can remember when thew 15C was still in production), but when the screen takes up half of the case, the menu layering becomes a tad too complex for my feeble mind.

      
This makes me SOOO SAD !
Message #8 Posted by Menno on 30 Mar 2000, 3:32 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Iqbal

Hello !

I don't want a gameboy, I don't want stupid rubber keys, I don't want algebraic entry-mode (YUK!!), I don't want a AAA hungry calculator (60 mA yes I did read that manual of the HP39/40G), I don't want another TI or Casio calculator, I don't want such a "show-off" color, I don't want my shirt-pocket to tear on the weight of a calculator, I don't want such a big display, I don't want HP to go flat on their face with a "me too"-product !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello HP HELLO HELLO ! Please remove those HP49G's out of both your ears and listen up!!!!!!!

What do I want (and many others I think):

I want a HP43S or whatever the name is gonna be, WITH RPN!!, same size as 42 (NOT BIGGER), same functions as the 42, more memory, IR-port (and or serial port), 3 line display will do fine (just enough to make a small graph to get an idea; for a big graph I'll use a spreadsheet), low battery-consumption (as the 42), I want it to be modest in apperance and GREAT in capabilities

Yes! that's my wet dream (sorry now I'm exaggerating)

Have fun (and HP start to work!)

Menno

            
Re: This makes me SOOO SAD !
Message #9 Posted by Wayne Brown on 30 Mar 2000, 7:39 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Menno

I agree with everything you said, plus one more thing: BRING BACK HP-IL! The new calculator should have HP-IL built in, so we can use all these great HP-IL devices (printers, diskette drives, etc.) we have lying around.

                  
HP IL for HP "43" ??
Message #10 Posted by Andrés C. Rodríguez on 30 Mar 2000, 5:12 p.m.,
in response to message #9 by Wayne Brown

The transformers on HP IL demand large currents, and although good at its time, I think that USB will be more appropriate now. Firewire (IEEE 1394) may be a little too much, but USB seems adequate.

                        
Re: HP IL for HP "43" ??
Message #11 Posted by Wayne brown on 30 Mar 2000, 10:06 p.m.,
in response to message #10 by Andrés C. Rodríguez

Well, then HP ought to come out with an HP-IL to USB converter box -- something that would plug into the loop and let the devices on it communicate with the new calculator. The best thing about the 41 was its ability to connect to a wide range of peripherals. I'm not interested in replacing it with anything that doesn't let me make use of at least some of them.

                        
Re: HP IL for HP "43" ??
Message #12 Posted by Don Williams on 31 Mar 2000, 12:10 p.m.,
in response to message #10 by Andrés C. Rodríguez

Battery Technology is improving. Batteries are cheaper than buying new peripherals. HP-IL has enough capability for me.

            
Re: This makes me SOOO SAD !
Message #13 Posted by Nenad Vulic on 31 Mar 2000, 3:08 a.m.,
in response to message #8 by Menno

I agree with everything what Menno said, but just to add the alphabethical keys over the whole keyboard of 43S, such as in 32SII (not only at the first row as in 42S).

                  
Re: This makes me SOOO SAD !
Message #14 Posted by Richard C. Anderson on 31 Mar 2000, 3:49 a.m.,
in response to message #13 by Nenad Vulic

Actually, I wouldn't want to see alpha stuff on the keyboard of the calculator. The nice thing about the 42s is that it looks so harmless! (I've tried to convince HP that somebody who had only ever used a four function calculator might possibly buy a 42s but NEVER a 48 0r 49.) Yeah, the menus for entering long prompts are a bit clumsy but it goes pretty fast once you get to know it. Once you've got the thing to do what you want it to do, how often do you re-program it?...(except when the low battery warning doesn't work right!) Richard

            
Re: This makes me SOOO SAD !
Message #15 Posted by Bert K on 4 Apr 2000, 2:22 p.m.,
in response to message #8 by Menno

I do seriously doubt you'll be able to stuff it into a shirt pocket. Or HP has to do what Sony once did. Sony salesmen were issued custom made shirts with bigger than normal shirt pockets. Sony's goal was to demonstrate the "pocketabilty" of their transistor radio's.

Bert

            
Re: This makes me SOOO SAD !
Message #16 Posted by Bert K on 4 Apr 2000, 2:28 p.m.,
in response to message #8 by Menno

Hey HP guys if you read this, reinstate the HP 42S, listen to your customers! If we want toys for the boys we can buy Casio. We need tools of the trade! BTW this is coming for someone who recently bought and now *uses* a HP 10C. OK, I confess, I also have a 32SII.

Bert

      
HP39G and HP40G are called Enterprise ?
Message #17 Posted by Menno on 30 Mar 2000, 4:28 a.m.,
in response to message #1 by Iqbal

Downloading the emulator did go wrong, but I have the manual and the romdump. On search for something readable in ROM.39G I found:

Z:\Enterprise\src\rom\Enterprise.ob

            
Re: HP39G and HP40G are called Enterprise ?
Message #18 Posted by db on 31 Mar 2000, 8:40 p.m.,
in response to message #17 by Menno

meno - was that the enterprise as in star trek VII that crashed or the prototype space shuttle that never flew? - db

                  
Yeah, let them crash !
Message #19 Posted by Menno on 4 Apr 2000, 3:09 a.m.,
in response to message #18 by db

I don't mind which enterprise, it's sure that they will crash !


[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall