HP Forum Archive 17

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #1 Posted by Martin Pinckney on 17 Oct 2007, 3:51 p.m. Due to all the negative comments on here, I have been trying my best to dislike my 35s, but so far, I've failed. I still like it. Reasons: 1. It looks cool*. 2. Relatively compact. 3. A lot of memory for a scientific calculator (as opposed to a graphing model). 4. Tactile feedback keystrokes. 5. Crisp, contrasty 2-line display. 6. If I see reflections on the glossy screen, I just move my head a little. 7. Ability to switch between ALG and RPN for different kinds of calculations. 8. Equation Solver. 9. Apparently I don't use the functions that have bugs. 10. It looks cool*. *To be a little more specific, the slanted keys, color (I still don't know if its brown or black), the whole "HP is quality" retro look.

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #2 Posted by Miguel Toro on 17 Oct 2007, 4:22 p.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney I will add: 1.- More flexibility for programming: I find myself programming more now with the 35s because it is easier than with my 32sII or my 32s. 2.- If it breaks, it is still available and I do not have to spend a fortune to replace it. And it is still under warranty, as a matter of course. 3.- I may be naïf but I hope the problems will be fixed, so the HP 35s will be an excellent calculator (not like a 42s, but...). I think that people could agree that without bugs, this is a step in the right direction. Regards, Miguel Edited: 17 Oct 2007, 4:25 p.m.

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #3 Posted by Meenzer on 17 Oct 2007, 4:27 p.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney You're so like - totally - right! I love it, too! Edited: 17 Oct 2007, 5:06 p.m.

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #4 Posted by Seth Morabito on 17 Oct 2007, 4:29 p.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney I pick on specific, serious bugs that affect the 35s, but overall I totally agree. I love it, and I'm glad it exists. It may be a buggy little beast, but it's almost everything I need in a calculator, AND good looking AND comfortable to use, to boot! I most heartily welcome back the slanted keys and the wonderful tactile feel. I'm confident that most of the bugs will be worked out in a future ROM release. For $60, it's still a good deal.

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #5 Posted by Ed Look on 17 Oct 2007, 8:47 p.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney Given today's manufacturing and marketing realities, it's a wonder HP would still "do" a 35s. If for no other reason than this, coupled of course with the relative ease of use and programming, it's really a small jewel... ... and the 33s really wasn't all that bad, either.

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #6 Posted by Seth Morabito on 17 Oct 2007, 8:52 p.m., in response to message #5 by Ed Look I agree about the 33s. My only complaint was the funky keyboard. Other than that, I found it to be a very nice calculator.

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #7 Posted by Jandro Kirkish on 18 Oct 2007, 12:25 p.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney I would add (with some redundancy): 1) nice included case. 2) Looks so good even my girlfriend was impressed. 3) Lightweight. 4) Best keyboard feel since the 15C, IMO. 5) Big enter key. 6) Looks so good, just putting it on my desk makes it look like I'm working ;)

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #8 Posted by Arne Halvorsen (Norway) on 18 Oct 2007, 12:39 p.m., in response to message #7 by Jandro Kirkish The case it quite good! A while back I was traveling and bought a bottle of water in an airport. Did not finnish it and put it in my backpack with the machine. Later discovered had not put cork on good enough! Everything was swimming in water, and had been for a while! But the case is rather water resistant! Machine was only slighty damp, nothing that could have harmed it, it was fine. To bad not the same level of quality did go into the making of the machine itself!

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #9 Posted by John Wasilewski on 18 Oct 2007, 6:02 p.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney I absolutely agree with all your reasons for liking it. I just so, so wish it had a USB connector and I truly cannot understand why this was presumably not considered a cost worth including. Even cheap cameras can be used as PC virtual drives via a USB cable. Also finding the intermittent uninterruptible program bug is a huge disaster. Even for you it will be Martin, some day. Unless we are all lucky and this defect is limited to early production batch calculator units, and you are lucky enough to have one without the defect, the time will surely come, I'm sorry to warn you, when a program you have written enters an endless loop AND the uninterruptible bug kicks in. You will then lose everything you have ever programmed into it. That said, I am still hopeful that HP can resolve this for us, I don't know why, but somehow, because I like this calculator very much and I WANT to be able to trust it. --- John

Re: Top Ten Reasons why I still like my 35s Message #10 Posted by bill platt on 19 Oct 2007, 7:31 a.m., in response to message #9 by John Wasilewski Quote: so wish it had a USB connector and I truly cannot understand why this was presumably not considered a cost worth including. See the NCEES threads regarding Professional Engineering license tests.

Re: That's not a knife... Message #11 Posted by John Wasilewski on 19 Oct 2007, 11:06 a.m., in response to message #1 by Martin Pinckney One of my clients, the senior partner of a distinguished firm of solicitors based in the north east, whilst admiring the HP35s, that I keep in the inside pocket of my suit jacket came, up with a superb suggestion: As and when I am talking to another engineer about eg stresses, deflections, dimensions, levels, factors of safety, etc, (or to a client about overdue fees), then the next time that one of them reaches into his case or desk drawer for a calculator, I am to rock backwards very slightly, grin at him whilst looking down at his Casio, Canon, or whatever, then look him in the eyes again, smiling broadly and muttering laconically, “that’s not a calculator,” (slowly getting out my HP35s), “THAT’s a CALCULator…!”

Re: That's not a knife... Message #12 Posted by Paul Brogger on 19 Oct 2007, 11:24 a.m., in response to message #11 by John Wasilewski . . . with the requisite Oistrahlian acceent. Then the other engineer looks worriedly from your Calculator to his & back again, messes his drawers and runs from the room.

The reference to "That's not a knife..." Message #13 Posted by Karl Schneider on 21 Oct 2007, 2:43 a.m., in response to message #12 by Paul Brogger Several years ago, I happened to catch part of the Australian movie Crocodile Dundee, starring Australian actor Paul Hogan. A New York street punk attempts to rob Dundee and his companion at knifepoint, whereupon Dundee says, "That's not a knife," then pulls out his much-larger Australian-style Bowie knife and says, "Now that's a knife." The would-be robber flees. Had I not watched the movie scene with the semi-famous catchphrase, I'd have had no idea what you guys were talking about. Other readers may have been quizzical... :-) -- KS

Re: That's not a knife... Message #14 Posted by Arne Halvorsen (Norway) on 19 Oct 2007, 11:59 a.m., in response to message #11 by John Wasilewski Obi-Wan in Star Wars about the light saber: "Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster, but an elegant weapon for a more civilized age." Me about any fine HP RPN machine: "Not as clumsy or as random as a ti, casio or a pc, but an elegant calculator for a more civilized age."

Just don't try to calculate with it!. Message #15 Posted by Palmer O. Hanson, Jr. on 19 Oct 2007, 1:26 p.m., in response to message #11 by John Wasilewski Quote: I am to rock backwards very slightly, grin at him whilst looking down at his Casio, Canon, or whatever, then look him in the eyes again, smiling broadly and muttering laconically, “that’s not a calculator,” (slowly getting out my HP35s), “THAT’s a CALCULator…!” And, if he is at all familiar with bug after bug after bug after bug, on and on, ad infinitum, he might respond "Just don't try to calculate with the damn thing."

Re: Just don't try to calculate with it!. Message #16 Posted by Stefan Vorkoetter on 19 Oct 2007, 2:45 p.m., in response to message #15 by Palmer O. Hanson, Jr. More likely, s/he'll say, "Yeah, right, it doesn't even have an equals key!" Stefan

Re: Just don't try to calculate with it!. Message #17 Posted by Arne Halvorsen (Norway) on 19 Oct 2007, 2:52 p.m., in response to message #16 by Stefan Vorkoetter No, he will laugh... 'you gotta yellow shift to get your result!', gives you time to get you out of 'vector syntax error' or reset to get out of enless loop....

[ Return to Index | Top of Index ]

Go back to the main exhibit hall