Celebrating the HP-35 Calculator With a New Model

An anonymous reader writes "Hewlett-Packard last week announced a contest whereby HP-35 fans create and submit videos of their favorite calculator memories. HP will choose the best videos and you can win a 50-inch, high-def plasma TV. But everyone wins, because HP this summer will debut a special new calculator model. The details aren't announced, however, it's likely to be a 35th anniversary edition of some sort."

PLEASE DON'T USE THOSE DAMN CHEAP KEYS

[xtal]

Hello HP;

I am among the last in a long line of engineers who have been lucky enough to be exposed to the OLD HP. The HP run by engineers, that made great test equipment, and calculators. The HP that made great calculators with excellent tactile feedback. You know, one of the only reasons to USE a dedicated calculator.

My HP48GX was purchased in the summer of 1994 before I started my electrical engineering degree. It followed me through every exam and project I have done since and proudly sits on my desk today where it continues to be used daily. I own a 48G I boughts as a spare; and happily run the emulators you have so nicely provided the ROM for, including on my very speedy Palm T3.

I also owned a great HP35, and a HP100LX that I used daily for years. All of these devices had the great, tactile response keys and indestructible construction.

So please, for the love all that is holy and good in the universe, do not make another fisher price calculator. Please make another quality business calculator, and PLEASE consider making an updated version of the best engineering calculator that ever was - the HP48GX.

Re:TI

[644bd346996]

...because every school across the country seemingly pushes TI use in school, I didn't think people used anything else.

I don't see how one implies the other. What engineer would take a high school teacher's calculator recommendation at face value? Public schools use TIs because TI markets to the teachers. Ten years ago, all engineers used HPs because HP marketed to engineers and professionals. Then Carly Fiorina took over and killed the HP calculator business for a few years. But they are now back in the game and developing new models that are once again very good products. If you can be bothered to learn RPN, you will never buy TI for yourself again.

The sad truth is...

[DogDude]

The sad truth is that the world just doesn't have much use for calculators, any more. The world is too busy worrying about who the Next Top Model is.

Re:RPN

[moosesocks]

Wow..... you just made me realize that RPN is essentially the Latin grammatical syntax applied to math.....

(For the uninitiated, Latin sentences typically go: Subject -> Direct Object -> Verb (with an indirect object optionally thrown in before or after the DO))

Alternatively, rearrange the phrase as you'd hear Yoda say it.

Re:As easy as 1 ENTER 1 +

[TheGavster]

This is why they developed 'graphing' calculators that just accept expressions typed as written. TI even has a line of scientific calculators now that have a single line display that handles complex expressions.

Re:TI

[Anonymous Coward]

So, you'd do a three line equation (TI-83 screen) faster with RPN? I thought that RPN would fall over when trying to do such equations (which weren't uncommon for me).
Can you then repeat the whole equation and edit the numbers?