We've come a long way

[HP67]

I'd rather see a quality focus than a feature focus. And I'd like to see a dedicated calculator processor again rather than using a generic microprocessor or microcontroller.

Computers and cellphones have calculators beat in the hardware department and that's never going to change. And there are already dedicated numerical packages for computers that are more powerful than what a calculator is going to be able to offer. There's no point banging heads against that stuff. It has its place. But a calculator also has its place.

For calculators to be viable and for HP to stand apart from the unwashed masses they should focus on their core values- putting out the best hardware and software possible and refining it. We really don't need a revolution in calculators, just careful evolution like HP used to be great at.

The 50g is a good example of something that went in the right direction and is very good but could be great. The power, memory capacity, SD card support, and screen are big improvements over the 48. Physically the device feels solid. Yet, improvements can be made. I'd like to see a new Saturn processor running at 100-250 MHz (and still provide HP 48 class battery life) and perhaps with optional 128 bit integer registers that could be run as 64 bit wide in compatibility mode until the OS could be reworked to exploit it. I'd like them to get rid of the algebraic mode entirely, give us a big ENTER key where it belongs, keep the USB connection but offer a real RS-232 port, revamp the IR so that it's compatible with the 48. The keyboard feels very good on mine but it's new and I have no idea how durable it will be in the long run. Double-shot plastic keys instead of the rubber ones would make it better like it was in the old days. The 50g is top-heavy because the 4 AAAs are at the top of the case. The balance is bad and the device wants to rotate out of your hand. The 48 was like a mid-engine car, it sits well in your hand and is balanced.

There's also a very big problem that somebody mentioned in the other thread about the issue of lead-free solder that is a ticking-timebomb for all electronics. There's no way around this so that makes the likelihood of us using 30 and 40 year old 50gs damn slim. Given everything is now more or less disposable, maybe it's just not reasonable to expect any device to last the test of time anymore. But then again HP has innovated enormously in the past. Maybe they can find a new construction process that overcomes these problems and once again ship devices that are built to last indefinitely. If they do, there will always be a small market that will be willing to pay premium prices for the best we can get.

I realize none of what I said is likely to show up on HP's radar, but since you asked