HP Forum Archive 15

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

"New" "HP" Calculator Message #1 Posted by Samuel Heddle on 29 Dec 2005, 12:50 p.m. linky Reason for the quotes: It's not really "New", or an HP. In fact, word is that it's a copy of a Casio calculator. Don't expect too much.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #2 Posted by Namir on 29 Dec 2005, 12:54 p.m., in response to message #1 by Samuel Heddle Intersting ... but not enough fire power! Thanks for sharin about this new little baby! Namir

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #3 Posted by Les Bell on 29 Dec 2005, 5:41 p.m., in response to message #2 by Namir The mention of "Super visually perfect algebraic mode" is a dead giveaway that it's a Casio under the covers. As a matter of fact, it looks remarkably similar to the Casio that my son's school mandated for his maths class - I hope it has a better manual, but I doubt it. My RPN-leaning brain couldn't work the darned thing. I noticed that educalc.net is actually based in Singapore. Coincidentally, I think I bought all of my later HP models - 32C, various 41's, 17B and 16C - in Singapore, either while visiting on business or while transitting the airport. The duty free stores there used to have a good selection, but they could never understand why I used to ask to see the manual rather than picking up the calc and pushing buttons at random like the other shoppers. ;) Best, --- Les [http://www.lesbell.com.au]

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #4 Posted by Samuel Heddle on 29 Dec 2005, 6:00 p.m., in response to message #3 by Les Bell I actually like the design of this "HP"; I just wish the 33S had used it. Edited: 29 Dec 2005, 7:03 p.m.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #5 Posted by Les Bell on 29 Dec 2005, 7:05 p.m., in response to message #4 by Samuel Heddle Yep - that's very like the Casio my son uses. Even more annoying is the fact that it has outlasted - by several years - the HP6S I bought for him. Good mechanical design, with a slide-on cover that protects it well in a school bag. Best, --- Les [http://www.lesbell.com.au]

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #6 Posted by Samuel Heddle on 29 Dec 2005, 9:40 p.m., in response to message #5 by Les Bell I might buy this one; no RPN, but it's cheap, and might be a nice 20S replacement.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #7 Posted by Jan on 30 Dec 2005, 9:23 a.m., in response to message #6 by Samuel Heddle It appears the guys at HP don't have any sense of honour left. Of all the crap they have presented on the calculator market lately this is I think the limit (or is it the 33S? HP, please do something about the design of that one! It ****!). Sorry for the explicit reaction folks, just got a little upset. I revived an old HP-67 today: now that's what you call a calculator. Where have the good old days gone?

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #8 Posted by Gene Wright on 30 Dec 2005, 9:59 a.m., in response to message #7 by Jan Lol. When in the good old days did HP ever had a calculator for under $15? Don't like it? Then don't buy one. :-)

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #9 Posted by Jan on 30 Dec 2005, 11:27 a.m., in response to message #8 by Gene Wright You are right Gene: HP never had a calculator under $15 in the good old days. But low end HP models were not that expensive in those days either (HP 21/31/10c for instance). I have nothing against the fact that HP offers the 8s. The fact is that I am just afraid that HP will move more and more to mass-consumption electronics and that it will abandon its old more traditional trade: high quality electronics for professionals. The fact that they offer a casio calculator with an HP label could very well be consistent with a desire to have a market share also on the low-end market, but since they do not develop their calcs by themselves anymore for some time, I think we could also very well be the whitnesses of the last generation of high quality HP calculators (49 series). I do not exclude the possibility that the 8s will in fact be the first product in a line of mediocre machinery sold (not even produced) by HP, whereas the high-end trade will be left to other manufacturers. That would just be a pitty.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #10 Posted by Gene Wright on 30 Dec 2005, 1:15 p.m., in response to message #9 by Jan Jan wrote: "You are right Gene: HP never had a calculator under $15 in the good old days. But low end HP models were not that expensive in those days either (HP 21/31/10c for instance)." Gene: Until adjusted for inflation. The HP21 was $125 back in 1975. Today, that's well over $300. The HP10c was $75 or so back in 1983. Today, that's still over $150 at least. "I have nothing against the fact that HP offers the 8s. The fact is that I am just afraid that HP will move more and more to mass-consumption electronics and that it will abandon its old more traditional trade: high quality electronics for professionals." Gene: A lot of that business went with Agilent. "I do not exclude the possibility that the 8s will in fact be the first product in a line of mediocre machinery sold (not even produced) by HP, whereas the high-end trade will be left to other manufacturers. That would just be a pitty." Gene: Well, the 30S, 9S, and 9G were all OEM products, just as the HP8S seems to be. I don't make any conclusions at all about the low-end products. HP still has quite a hand in their products that aren't low-end. I just wouldn't get too up in arms about a $15 calculator.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #11 Posted by Bob on 30 Dec 2005, 9:14 p.m., in response to message #7 by Jan I just picked up another 33S a week ago and I am impressed with the improvements over the early versions. The display is clearer and it is RPN. It is no 41CV or 42S, but then it is only $49. Of course, I don't use a calc the way I did 20 years ago either, so I guess it all balances out.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #12 Posted by Jan on 31 Dec 2005, 7:51 a.m., in response to message #11 by Bob Ok but there is still that keyboard. I simply cannot like it, it makes the calc look like a remote control or something. It's not user friendly either since it is somewhat messy. And that's the pitty because in terms of functionality it is a good calculator I believe (quite similar to the 32SII) and it's an RPN calculator. The latter is perhaps the strangest thing from a marketing point of view, since I don't think that the vast majority of RPN enthousiasts will like the looks of the 33S. They usually want something more down to earth and a more professional appearence. I mean, compare the 33S to the 41-series or even the voyager series: quite a difference in style isn't it. The design of the 33S would be nice for a lower end ALG calculator meant for high-school students but not for a professional calculator. At least, that is what I think.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #13 Posted by Gene Wright on 30 Dec 2005, 10:04 a.m., in response to message #4 by Samuel Heddle Slightly better image. :-) I'm not sure this will be sold in the US. The dealers appearing to carry it are all in the Taiwan region.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #14 Posted by Samuel Heddle on 30 Dec 2005, 11:16 a.m., in response to message #13 by Gene Wright Hey, everyone got one wish fulfilled; blue and yellow shift keys!

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #15 Posted by Wayne Brown on 30 Dec 2005, 7:36 p.m., in response to message #13 by Gene Wright Wow, a new HP that actually isn't horrifyingly ugly. If it were RPN and had a big ENTER key, I'd be glad to buy at least two or three of them.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #16 Posted by brian healy on 1 Jan 2006, 6:02 p.m., in response to message #13 by Gene Wright Gene, Any chance that in the future we might get a 33s with revised cosmetics? Say a dark background with blue and gold or orange shifted functions? It would make living with the chevron keyboard and the small enter key a lot easier. The functionality of the 33s is good in my opinion, but the cosmetic design is hard to live with.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #17 Posted by Jim Creybohm on 30 Dec 2005, 12:26 p.m., in response to message #1 by Samuel Heddle If you really need to buy an HP, and it is OK if it is ALG, then why not pick up an HP20S on EBay? I bought a (very) used on a couple of months ago, and it is a great little rig - OK its not a 41 nor a 48, but I am not nearly as stressed leaving it at work. I paid 10 bux for it. Programmable, 10 mem, has a large horizontal INPUT key (looks almost like an Enter key) and best of all, a quality feel. Highly recommended!

I don't need hp; I need RPN Message #18 Posted by db (martinez, ca.) on 30 Dec 2005, 12:37 p.m., in response to message #17 by Jim Creybohm Fortunatly, I have a few.

Re: I don't need hp; I need RPN Message #19 Posted by Nenad on 31 Dec 2005, 5:06 a.m., in response to message #18 by db (martinez, ca.) Strongly supported! RPN is really something to be appreciated. IMHO, RPN is preferably related to Hewlett Packard calculators, though there existed other RPN models. HP Invent calculators are something completely different. IMHO, there is no need to even discuss HP 6s, 8s and simmilar algebraic HP Invent stuff. The reason is obvious: why not discuss then every 5$ (or 32 kuna) kung-fu-drastic-plastic produced calculator available in a supermarket or delivered freely with a 5 kg pack of washing powder. Happy New Year to all the moHP community. For me, it is very nice to have such a web place where I can read informative, well prepared and polite posts from very competent people. Thank you Dave and thank you all!

Re: I don't need hp; I need RPN Message #20 Posted by Walter B on 31 Dec 2005, 8:10 a.m., in response to message #19 by Nenad Fully agree! :-)) IMO, the most elegant algebraic pocket calc HP designed was the 27s. For me as a statistics aficionado also the 21s has some value. But I would love them if they were RPN ...

Re: I don't need hp; I need RPN Message #21 Posted by brian healy on 1 Jan 2006, 6:13 p.m., in response to message #19 by Nenad I agree with you 100%. I need RPN. I need a basic RPN calculator similar to the 33s, but without the bad design associated with invisible decimal points, bad keyboards, and a bad color scheme. HP, please no more styling gimmicks. I want something that looks like a prefessional tool, not a toy.

Nicer than 6s, IMHO Message #22 Posted by Andrés C. Rodríguez (Argentina) on 31 Dec 2005, 1:13 p.m., in response to message #1 by Samuel Heddle Oh, if only it had RPN...

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #23 Posted by Eddie Shore on 2 Jan 2006, 10:37 a.m., in response to message #1 by Samuel Heddle It looks like a Casio. Why no (optional) RPN mode? It is what differentiates HP from anyone else.

Re: "New" "HP" Calculator Message #24 Posted by John on 18 Jan 2006, 12:42 p.m., in response to message #23 by Eddie Shore Continuous memory ? Programable ? This Looks like another standard dumb Calculator that powers-up with a full memory-wipe. (Academic meddelers love calcs w/ no real memory )

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall