What calculator do you use ?

[Ecklar]

I use HP41CX both physically and emulated on the Smart phone.  Also use HP12C again the real thing and emulated.  The emulations are great in that I can have my fav calculators with me no matter what the circumstances.

Problem with the emulations are you don't get that wonderful HP beveled keypad. 

You are absolutely correct about losing the access to beveled HP keypad.  For the past six months now I've been exclusively using the AL Software i41cx emulation on an iPad Air 2 with the Apple Smart Cover.  I use this config so I can have it in constant ON mode with the cover holding it at a really nice slant horizontal position.  Other times, while using the Pad ( I use it a lot) I just poke the icon and POW my 41cx is right there in vertical.

At first it was a little odd touching glass instead of the HP keys with that satisfying click feedback.  However, after awhile I got to like the emulation As much as and in some cases even more than the physical calculator.  First, the emulation is always with me and it's clean and bright and never gets old.  I've been buying old CX's off Ebay and using them a lot and owing two so that when one gives out I have a back up.  Getting those N batteries is a cost and a nuisance.  Next, the emulation has MUCH MORE functionality.  In horizontal mode, I have two screens, one being the calculator face that is much easier to see and read that a phisical unit and the other a screen that you can swipe and see ALL the register or ALL the User flags or other things.  Also, the iPad version is big and bright and functional and easy to read and will never go bad.  I no longer have the fear of not being able to get a good replacement. 

After using the emulation for about 30 days I no longer missed the physical keyboard.  In fact, I haven't taken the actual calculator out of its case for six months and i just think I need to check on the old calculators and change the N batteries so they don't leak. 

I never thought some iPad version would give me the satisfaction of or replace my old trusted CV's and CX's, but it has. 
Incidentally, I have no connection to the software, app creator or to Apple.  Simply a user. 

I also use Smart BASIC on my iPad to test out simple routines quickly.

[ccs46]

My Dream Calculator is either the Curta I or the Curta III.

[codeboy2k]

My Dream Calculator is either the Curta I or the Curta III.

You made me look it up! now I want the poster

[Whales]

I don't use this guy for calculations, but he's a wonderful clock in my room. 

I found him last year, repaired him and replaced his batteries.  The first words I heard from him was that it was "...1982 today".   That sent shivers down my spine -- did this calculator really not know?  I was tempted to keep him on his old timeline, but it was easy to convince him that his default reset point was a long time ago.  See the attached .flac

I can't remember how far he would believe me to, I think 2099 was this limit.  A century past the manufacture date isn't too bad as obsolescence goes. 

[Jay_Diddy_B]

Hi,
When I use a real calculator I use a HP41CV or CX (I have a few). These were introduced in 1979. In 1979 they were $295.00 and $325.00 USD. Around $1000.00 if you adjust for inflation. It is a good job they last 

They run of four N cells. N cells are 12 mm diameter x 30.5mm long. The batteries last many years.

Most of the time I use an emulation than runs under Windows. The emulation can be downloaded from here:

https://www.educalc.net/326089.page

Here is a screen shot:



There is much more information here:

http://www.hpmuseum.org/hp41.htm

And a teardown by Dave:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1114&v=mGFJQxAbWeY

Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B

I also have HP11c, HP15C, HP16C, HP35S (relatively new), HP38G, HP48GX and HP97 

[VK5RC]

For a bit more stuff about HP 41 check out this site
http://www.hp41.org/Intro.cfm

[broz]

Non-programmable: Casio FX-115ES PLUS
Programmable: TI nSpire CX CAS (can compute matrices with complex entries )

[cdev]

Me too, I have the Radio Shack EC-4014, which is the exact same calculator as the Casio FX115.

Its amazing that it still works! I still have the manual for it too.


Quote from: RCMR on 2012-04-17, 01:59:08

I still use the old Casio FX115 I bought way back in the 1980s.

Does multiple base math and is solar powered.

I'd rather have something that handled RPN but the Casio is what I have.

[TheAmmoniacal]

I use the HP Prime.

[NivagSwerdna]

I have a WP34S (because it's fun), HP35S (nice recent RPN, good for confusing the kids), Casio fx-991ES (because it's like the kids fx-85S they are asked to use at school) and a Casio fx-4200P (because I'm too sentimental to part with it) on my desk. 

I tend to use Excel or Wolfram Alpha. 

[crispy_tofu]

FX100AU plus, but only because our school has a list of approved calculators.

[nanofrog]

I use the HP Prime.

How do you like it?

[grifftech]

Ti-84 plus

[Vtile]

Great thread though, I'm looking for a nice, small rpn calc for quick basic calculations. Quick and easy is key, using the pc or smart phone is just too cumbersome. I have lots of suggestions from here now. Thanks everyone.

https://www.swissmicros.com/

[jimdeane]

For 30 years I carried an FX98 as my go-to Casio until I found out it was rare, and losing it would be irreplaceable, if not terribly expensive.  So several years ago, I loaded up on FX-260s and leave the FX-98 at home.

I last saw an FX98 sold on eBay for over $300.
For Casio-nuts:
http://www.casio-calculator.com/Download/Collectors/CasioCollectors.html

I sold my BROKEN Casio CFX-400 scientific calculator watch for $400 cash to someone in the US before the whole ebay collecting craze took off.
That model is worth even more now, up into the 4 figures for a watch that I paid $20 for at K-Mart back in the 1980's.

Dave.

Crap, I am going to have to go dig through my high school boxes at my parents house.

[SingedFingers]

Bloody hell. I've got one of them as well somewhere!

[WattSekunde]

My first and all time favorite RPN was the HP 48SX. From time to time I use HP 15C LE and the fully self resaturated HP 97 on my desk. 
It's also very handy to have them 1:1 on my touch devices with me.

Non RPN calculators always confusing me. 

[spudboy488]

An actual HP-11C and I use the RealCalc app (pictured) in RPN mode on my Android phone.

[Kilrah]

Still my old TI-89.

https://www.swissmicros.com/

Ooooh... salivating

[brucehoult]

I never had a 41CX. I went from TI 57 to HP 28S in 1986, which I still use today.

Though frankly, most often now my "calculator" is google. You can do all kinds of things from the google search bar, including any kind of unit conversions, decimal/hex/binary, up to the minute (nearly) foreign exchange rates

Being able to copy&paste from or to what you're working on, rather than enter again on a physical calculator, is a huge timesaver.

Enter: 9.8 m/s^2 * 3 s
Google: 29.4 m / s
Enter: 9.8 m/s^2 * 3 s in km/h
Google: 105.84 kilometers per hour
Enter: 100000 aud/year in rubles/month
Google: 358 043.617 Russian rubles / month

It's pretty useful.

If it's more repetitive/complex then my calculator is OOcalc or ruby/perl. Hmm.. or actually I use elisp for quick calculations a *lot* too. All depends on what is handy and convenient at the time.

[SingedFingers]

TBH I'd use s spreadsheet more if someone did one that did engineering units.

[eugenenine]

HP48SX, X48 and Droid48

[HighVoltage]

Enter: 9.8 m/s^2 * 3 s
Google: 29.4 m / s
Enter: 9.8 m/s^2 * 3 s in km/h
Google: 105.84 kilometers per hour
Enter: 100000 aud/year in rubles/month
Google: 358 043.617 Russian rubles / month

It's pretty useful.

Instead of using google for this, try Wolframalpha
https://www.wolframalpha.com/
It gives you even functions and so much more

[brucehoult]

Enter: 9.8 m/s^2 * 3 s
Google: 29.4 m / s
Enter: 9.8 m/s^2 * 3 s in km/h
Google: 105.84 kilometers per hour
Enter: 100000 aud/year in rubles/month
Google: 358 043.617 Russian rubles / month

It's pretty useful.

Instead of using google for this, try Wolframalpha
https://www.wolframalpha.com/
It gives you even functions and so much more

Of course I know alpha. For things like the above it takes about six seconds where google is under a second. HUGE difference. Not worth it unless it's something google can't do.

[tkuhmone]

Still have the HP 48G - from time when studying to telecomm engineering :-)