Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Hewlett Packard HP35s

Named after the ground-breaking 1972 pocket calculator that killed off the slide rule, the HP35s is Hewlett Packards attempt at a retro styled calculator. And at only $60, it should prove popular with nerds of my generation. Next, I'd like to see them reintroduce the HP25c!



Thanks Retro Thing
Categories:Gadgets Science

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Retro styled? I'd rather call it 'functional'. Many of todays' calculators are styled like gadgets, instead of being marketed as a tool, intended for serious work.

Anonymous said...

This is a vast improvement over the sorry (but unavoidable, for NCEES folks) HP-33s. First of all, HP has somehow remembered how to produce keyboards again. The quality tactile keyclick is back, as is the tall, wide key that pivots at the front and rocks backward. Next is the large ENTER key, located where it belongs. Colorblind people like me can actually see the keys on this calc, unlike the 33s, and the keyboard just isn't as crowded.

The new SHOW function will be one that you'll probably not pay much attention to at first, but you'll miss on other machines later.

I haven't explored the programming too much yet, but you now have numeric labels, so you can actually use the memory it comes with.

The downsides? Irrational key assignments! The STO and RCL are now shifted functions! WHY!!?? Instead, the MODE and EQN are first function keys. (So how often are you going to use the MODE function, versus the storage registers? Who made this asinine decision?) Gone is the highly useful Rectangular to Polar conversion. You'll have to program your own, which isn't exactly a challenge, but still...

There are plenty of imaginary number functions which are likely to be of use to electrical engineering students, and the manual seems as good as the 33s's, which is to say very good.

All in all, it looks, feels and works like HP's announcement that they're back in the fight in the calculator market. There's an accompanying DVD (same content as an online video), on which their reps crow about the longevity of the 12c, saying that they 'got it right the first time' 25 years ago. Well, you could say the same thing of numerous models, including the 11c and the 41CV / CX, and wonder why they try to reinvent the wheel when they did, in fact, have it right the first time repeatedly.

I found mine at Buy.com for $51 shipped, and a lot of my recent HP's will now gather some dust.

Unknown said...

I'm a surveyor and the HP35s has now become totally unsuitable for rapid field work.
No polar/rectangular conversion, thus no rectangular coordinate addition using Sigma+/sigma-.
The highly useful RCL Sigma+ has been missing since the HP15c.
The pretty useful HMS+ and HMS- disappeared after the HP67 maybe.
Who cares a fig for in/cm, litres/USgallons, C/F, lbs/kg. Or how about inHg/hectapascals and acres/hectares be included. Fraction to decimal notation, hello, why?
If you are a surveyor, stick with the HP33s. The second iteration screen was much better, and I quite got to like it.
This one, no thanks, but I'm stuck with it and will have to teach it next semester. Unless I can find a source of 100 odd HP33s.

Unknown said...

I'm a surveyor and the HP35s has now become totally unsuitable for rapid field work.
No polar/rectangular conversion, thus no rectangular coordinate addition using Sigma+/sigma-.
The highly useful RCL Sigma+ has been missing since the HP15c.
The pretty useful HMS+ and HMS- disappeared after the HP67 maybe.
Who cares a fig for in/cm, litres/USgallons, C/F, lbs/kg. Or how about inHg/hectapascals and acres/hectares be included. Fraction to decimal notation, hello, why?
If you are a surveyor, stick with the HP33s. The second iteration screen was much better, and I quite got to like it.
This one, no thanks, but I'm stuck with it and will have to teach it next semester. Unless I can find a source of 100 odd HP33s.

Anonymous said...

Converting from polar to rectangular uses three or four key strokes, depending on the conversion. To go from polar to rectangular keystrokes:[display][9]
From rectangular to ploar:[display][.][0]

The [display] key requires a left shift keystroke. That's all I have to say about that.

Anonymous said...

Very poor, I have been using the HP 20 for over 20 years (but can't use it for the PE exam) and I can't get this new unit to work like the 20. This unit is a big disappointment.

Anonymous said...

anyone available to teach me how to program my 35s? I will pay a fair rate. please!!!

email me at

themoneymomma@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Indeed the lack of functions HMS + and HMS-make this calculator useless, and not be alpha numeric.