SwissMicros: it's time for the DM16L

[walter b]

Got my DM16L yesterday. Opened the small parcel and found a very smart packing method - a smaller transparent plastic bag glued to the center of the parcel containing a leather case and the calculator therein; no extra cushioning material needed. Opened the bag (no scissor needed) and pulled out the calculator. Very nice full leather case AFAICS, properly sewn. The DM16L itself consists of a metal back part and a plastic front part. The stamped and pressed back part takes four big rubber feet and looks solid as a tank. Its surface finish feels a bit irritating due to its roughness (etched?) but I may get used to it.

The plastic front takes a metal bezel with a bit strange finish again (like on a fair with merry-go-rounds if you can imagine). The remaining front looks like all plastic but I didn't open it yet. Keys are cuboids from outside view (no slants!). Prints on keys and keyplate are clear. Colors differ a bit from the good old blue-n-gold (the gold is too yellow IMO). Key action is firm and exact with a clearly sensible click. Though I didn't use it heavily so far yet.

Display features more than enough space - only about 60% of its area is really used for numeric output and indicators, so we see quite much empty space and very few pixels employed. Nevertheless, programming is still using the long outdated numeric keycode paradigm - overcoming this would be prio 1 on my wishlist if I'm entitled to wish. We are in 2015 and it would be a shame to skip the opportunities the display offers. Prio 2 would be slanted keys.

Review will be continued when I've opened the calc and found something inside.

d:-)