HP Forum Archive 11

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HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #1 Posted by J.Manrique López on 24 Mar 2003, 12:55 p.m. Hp uses young children to design new calcs: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2003/030324a.html Nice, users are important :-) Have fun, J.Manrique #1077 HPCC Member

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #2 Posted by Michael F. Coyle on 24 Mar 2003, 2:00 p.m., in response to message #1 by J.Manrique López HP says... Throughout 2003, HP has plans to introduce six additional new calculators for students as well as for doctors and professionals in the banking, financial and engineering fields. I'm not sure why doctors were singled out here. At least they're coming out with something for engineers. Cross your fingers and hope for the best. - Michael

...and a new HP Calculator Web Site Message #3 Posted by Michael F. Coyle on 24 Mar 2003, 2:26 p.m., in response to message #1 by J.Manrique López So far, it's just promotion for the contest but they promise more soon, including information on new products. We shall see. You can also get on their mailing list. http://www.hp-calculators.com/

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #4 Posted by Ben Salinas on 24 Mar 2003, 6:31 p.m., in response to message #1 by J.Manrique López Well, I am a K-12 student. I think I will enter. Looks like a chance to have an impact on what HP thinks the calculator world is going to. Of course I will include RPN (possibly including a switch from algebraic and RPN, but that might cost too much... what do you think? Have any other calculators used both) I need to decide whether to use Graphing, or scientific. Personally, I have always been a fan of scientific calculators, for the increased speed. The only HP calculator that I regularly use is the 32sii (I only got one from my school last year), although I have seen a 49g, and briefly used a 39g. Well, what do you think we need in one? (and yes, i will go read the other 5000 posts about a "new HP calculator") -Ben Salinas McAllen, Texas

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #5 Posted by Chris Randle (UK) on 24 Mar 2003, 6:45 p.m., in response to message #4 by Ben Salinas <<Have any other calculators used both>> The 19-BII has a (software) switchable RPN/Algebraic. There may have been others. IMHO it was a very good idea. My wife refuses to use an RPN calc because it's so alien to her calculator upbringing. She happily uses the 19-BII and I live in hope that one day she may switch over as an experiment and experience the epiphany that we've all enjoyed.

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #6 Posted by Chan Tran on 24 Mar 2003, 7:02 p.m., in response to message #5 by Chris Randle (UK) I say RPN (or RPL) only, no algebraic. Scientific (no graphic) even though you could have multi line display. Graphing not neccessary as a PC would do that much better.

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #7 Posted by Ben Salinas on 24 Mar 2003, 10:46 p.m., in response to message #6 by Chan Tran <<I say RPN (or RPL) only, no algebraic. Scientific (no graphic) even though you could have multi line display. Graphing not neccessary as a PC would do that much better.>> The reason I was suggesting non RPN, and graphing was to appeal more to high school students. I know I am on of the only people at my school of 600 who does not use a graphing calculator (and my school is a math and science magnet school). I personally CAN use nothing but RPN also, but most people I know are scared out of their minds of RPN (even though, IMHO RPN is much easier). HP is much more likely to build a new calculator if they can take a larger market share. Personally, I would like a small, RPN, scientific calculator, but that's just what I think. I bet most engineers and the likes agree with me. I was also thinking of a graphing calculator, built like a scientific. In other words, no massive menus, and clumsy keyboards. (I guess it would be more of a scientific calculator with basic graphing abilities) Of course then you have to have the huge screen, so scratch that -Ben

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #8 Posted by Michael F. Coyle on 25 Mar 2003, 8:48 p.m., in response to message #7 by Ben Salinas Hi Ben! I would also prefer a scientific to a graphing. (I have both and enjoy them both.) There are already enough graphing calcs around but we really need a shirt-pocket RPN scientific. I suspect you're right -- HP might be more inclined to make a machine they could sell lots of. So maybe it does need to be dual mode -- algebraic/RPN. But here's a suggestion: select the mode by keystroke, like DEG/RAD/GRD is now, but 1. Have it "wake up" in RPN mode, and 2. Don't remember the mode when it is shut off. This way, algebraic users would be accomodated but they would have to press an extra button each time they turn it on. (And of course make RPN/ALG a shifted function so they'll have to hit a shift key too.) Maybe some users would get tired of hitting the extra keys and be more inclined to see what RPN is all about. (The 48GX is like this -- primarily RPN but algebraic available at a small price: single quotes + EVAL.) Good luck with your entry! - Michael

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #9 Posted by bill platt on 24 Mar 2003, 8:30 p.m., in response to message #5 by Chris Randle (UK) Yes, and palm-top computers can also graph---with the appropriate hp-48 emulator, or other software--- the graphing calculator is dead, but the compact scientific will live on---32sii sized or smaller.

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #10 Posted by Masao Kinoshita on 25 Mar 2003, 10:09 a.m., in response to message #5 by Chris Randle (UK) My wife is the same way. She'll use my HP 17Bii (in algebraic entry mode), HP 27S or her HP 30S; but not my HP 32Sii or HP 48GX. (I also gave her an HP 6S Solar, but it got broken when we moved.) BTW, where she worked before, they bought a bunch of HP 30S's for everyone after she brought hers in. Is there a connection? :-)

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #11 Posted by John K. (US) on 25 Mar 2003, 3:31 a.m., in response to message #4 by Ben Salinas Well, what do you think we need in one? Well, since you asked... :^) I would really like to see a HP 42S replacement with a large memory capacity (64 - 128 KB) and some way of feeding it info. Bluetooth would be nice, but probably too expensive. USB would be a reasonable alternative. Bi-directional IR would also be acceptable. I'd really like to be able to print to my 82240B with it as well. Good luck with your entry!

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #12 Posted by Fred Lusk (CA) on 24 Mar 2003, 9:09 p.m., in response to message #1 by J.Manrique López So why doesn't HP also have some Create-A-Calculator contests that non-students could enter? For instance, why not a contest open to engineers? Fred

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #13 Posted by Paul Brogger on 24 Mar 2003, 10:40 p.m., in response to message #12 by Fred Lusk (CA) Well, the HP du jour is making a play to start building interest in the engineers of the future. Let's hope they follow through and stick with it for a couple of decades . . . So, find a semi-interested child, grandchild, niece, nephew or ??? and offer some encouragement, help with RPN, experience with various calculator features, and . . .

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #14 Posted by Masao Kinoshita on 25 Mar 2003, 9:55 a.m., in response to message #12 by Fred Lusk (CA) IIRC, the last time HP held a calculator contest for grups,* HPCC entered a triangular calculator. (Philadelphia won.) *grups = "grown ups" in a Star Trek TOS episode

Re: HP and Scholastic Launch 2003 Create-A-Calculator Contest Message #15 Posted by Jordi Hidalgo on 31 Mar 2003, 12:12 p.m., in response to message #14 by Masao Kinoshita Masao Kinoshita wrote: > HPCC entered a triangular calculator. (Philadelphia won.) Yes, the PAHHC entry won. But HPCC's entry was not the triangular calculator described by Wlodek in Datafile V17N2, pages 19-21 ("Let's Innovate!") but the HP68, described in V17N6, pages 24-30 ("HP68 Calculator Design Datasheet"), which was "nearly the same size and shape as the HP48, but slightly smaller so it fits better in the pockets". It's interesting to note that many features of the HP68 were later included in the HP49G (better display contrast, display protected from breaking, RPL, CAT command, filer, fonts, math libraries, electronic version of the AUG, ...) Jordi Hidalgo HPCC #1046

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