My self centered "but objective" opinion
Message #1 Posted by Ron Ross on 12 Aug 2003, 6:07 p.m.
I believe Eriks site as I know him to be a reputable source of information. Am I estatic over what I see? No, but at least we will get a fresh supply of RPN calculators into the market place to placate RPN fanatics that do not need the Hp quality of old (ok, mostly for the newbies who don't know what an Hp calc SHOULD FEEL LIKE). I really had hoped for an enter key in the original location for both the Hp33s and Hp48G. I didn't really expect it for the Hp33s, but I was dissappointed with the 48G.
I am glad to see the new Hp33s. Not so much as it is the great savior to pocket calcs, but because it IS RPN. Perhaps this will lower the competetion for the older Hp32s and Hp42s and therefore allow their prices to fall (where I can buy another spare).
I noticed it is an RPN/Algebraic selectable. This is probably smart. However, I feel Hp is pricing this unit to high to make it the seller that it could or should be. It is really only a $30 calculator about on par with the 9G. Even though it has 32K (who really knows yet??) what good is that much memory without matrix math, only 27 variables and NO I/O? Marketing has probably struck Again!!! 32K sounds WONDERFUL!!!
An algebraic user will probably buy a Casio 7400 or maybe an Hp9G. Both cost less.
Design style makes me cringe, but I will buy. Function wise, it is well equiped. It is more powerful than an Hp32s, but I still like the old RPN keyboard and time will tell (but if I were to predict and I suspect this IS AN EASY PREDICTION, I won't like the new keyboards at all).
If the Hp33s really does have 32K, WHY DIDN'T they give us long variable names, matrix functions and I/O? Why not?
I feel the 48G won't last long on the market due to marketing genius'es. Why? Why buy a 48G? The beloved enter KEY is gone. Only a paltry 128K RAM (no mention of any expansion slots). True, it should be lots faster than an older 48, but it will only be half the speed of a new 49G. With the same keyboard layout, there is no reason to buy the 48G. Hp could have abandoned it. Why bother?
While I use a 48 much more than my 49, I do so only because of the keyboard and eq library. Now that the new 49 is going to have an eq library AND the very same keyboard, why would anyone buy a new 48G unless there is a drastic difference in price? Marketing!!!????
Well, I used up bandwith again.
I hope I haven't offended any legitimate Hp (or Kingpo?) engineers. However you marketing or management #@$%^'s at Hp, on the other hand, should be horsewhipped! I don't feel my comments are to far out of line considering what we will get to buy in the near future.
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