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Author Topic: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?  (Read 24947 times)

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Offline Calambres

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #125 on: May 16, 2020, 03:39:15 pm »
I still use the Farad 808 scientific calculator I purchased in 1976. Still on my desk. Why throw it out when it still does the job for some work?
But for most engineering calculations and all hex and binary calculations, I use RealCalc on my Samsung S8. Nothing beats it, IMO. It also has RPN mode. Photos here.

Funny... I still use occasionally the Hornet SR-30 I was given as a christmas present back in '76. It happens to be the very same calculator as yours 8)

Nowadays I use Free42 in my android cellular and in my computer. It is a fantastic emulation of a fantastic calculator (HP-42S).
Love RPN.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2020, 03:41:47 pm by Calambres »
 
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Offline PeteCal

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #126 on: May 20, 2023, 09:18:35 pm »
Old thread but I just found this site.
I have always used HP RPN calculators.
HP-35, HP-28C, HP-48S.
 I can't find any anymore but I have the HP-48 app on my android phone.
 
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Offline Specmaster

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #127 on: May 20, 2023, 10:18:57 pm »
What about the HP 50G and the HP 32SII? I have both of these among my collection.
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Offline Calambres

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #128 on: May 21, 2023, 07:07:54 am »
I can't find any anymore but I have the HP-48 app on my android phone.
HP just released the "new" HP-15C Collector's Edition

Besides you can have the fantastic SwissMicros reproductions. I have their DM42 based upon the venerable top-of-the-line HP-42s and, in a matter of weeks, they're going to release a new DM32 based upon the HP-32SII.

You've got a LOT of alternatives today...

The SwissMicros' DM42 I've got is one heck of a calculator. Much better than the original IMHO.
« Last Edit: May 21, 2023, 07:12:30 am by Calambres »
 
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Offline RoGeorge

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #129 on: May 21, 2023, 08:49:42 am »
While I have a Casio FX-991ES at hand, I found myself using a smartphone instead.

Bigger buttons, bigger numbers, has backlight, and if you don't like the calculator app's look, install another one.  Can have more than one calculator at once, and smartphones are usually smaller and flatter than a pocket calculator.

Plus, even the out-of-use 10+ years old smartphones have many extra features useful in the lab:
- camera
- flashlight
- chronometers/timers
- WiFi, BT
- mp3 player/radio
- voice notes
- the big screen ones are great to display a schematic or a datasheet, etc.

I always keep 1-2 smartphones (without SIM) somewhere on the workbench.
 
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Offline RAPo

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #130 on: May 21, 2023, 08:52:58 am »
I use a physical calculator daily: DM42, DM41X and sometimes HP15C.
(I have the complete HP1X series including HP15C LE, and bought the HP15C CE).
 

Offline DiTBho

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #131 on: May 21, 2023, 10:39:58 am »
sold my old fx9860gII, bought a new Casio fx9860gIII, used regularly every day
The differences between them are more ram, faster, better keys, +USB-fs.
The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow
 
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Offline johnboxall

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #132 on: May 21, 2023, 12:25:24 pm »
Yes. I spend a few hours a day in an environment where we can't have any radio signals, static, etc. So I take in a HP 35s.
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #133 on: May 21, 2023, 05:56:41 pm »
sold my old fx9860gII, bought a new Casio fx9860gIII, used regularly every day
The differences between them are more ram, faster, better keys, +USB-fs.
Not too sure in what way do you means the keys are better, to my mind the keys are OK.
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline Benta

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #134 on: May 21, 2023, 08:36:00 pm »
HP just released the "new" HP-15C Collector's Edition

Besides you can have the fantastic SwissMicros reproductions. I have their DM42 based upon the venerable top-of-the-line HP-42s and, in a matter of weeks, they're going to release a new DM32 based upon the HP-32SII.
The new "HP" has nothing to do with Hewlett-Packard, but Czech company Moravia Consulting, who apparently have gotten a license for this product.
And there's nothing "fantastic" about the Swiss Micro HP-15C. The keys are really cheap and sponge pad-printed. How low can you go?
The new Czech one looks better on that point. Let's see when deliveries start.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2023, 12:17:32 am by Benta »
 
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Offline SiliconWizardTopic starter

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #135 on: May 21, 2023, 09:43:24 pm »
Yes. I spend a few hours a day in an environment where we can't have any radio signals, static, etc. So I take in a HP 35s.

That would be a good reason. What kind of environment is it, if not too personal?
 

Offline DrGeoff

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #136 on: May 21, 2023, 11:33:25 pm »
Integral of ln(x^2)dx, from -5 to 99 (EDIT: as can be seen in the photo, on Casio FX-991ES display)

Casio FX-991ES -------- 3m15s -------------- 717.9281095
HP 39G II ---------------- 7s ------------------- 717.928109451
HP 49G+ ----------------- 25m 38s ----------- 717.928325369
HP 40GS ----------------- 20m48s ------------ 717.928325369
HP 49G ------------------ 54m54s ------------- 717.928325369
HP 48G -------------- was not able to solve
Microsoft Mathematics on a i5 ---- 0s ------ 717.9281094509898

My HP 48G+ finished it, took a long time (sorry, didn't measure it), but it arrived to a result of 717.928325369.
My HP35S failed to compute due to the discontinuity, but the 48G emulated on my Galaxy S8 (Droid48) finished in about 45s with the same result of 717.928325369.  :-+

Just to add to the numbers. On an old (1980/81) HP15C this took 10m35s and evaluated as 718.0021.
Was it really supposed to do that?
 
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Offline Benta

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #137 on: May 22, 2023, 12:12:40 am »
Just to add to the numbers. On an old (1980/81) HP15C this took 10m35s and evaluated as 718.0021.
And it took you over three years to work that out?
 

Offline DrGeoff

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #138 on: May 22, 2023, 12:16:04 am »
Just to add to the numbers. On an old (1980/81) HP15C this took 10m35s and evaluated as 718.0021.
And it took you over three years to work that out?

And it took you just a little bit longer to see the post...
Was it really supposed to do that?
 

Offline RoGeorge

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #139 on: May 22, 2023, 08:25:52 am »
Yes. I spend a few hours a day in an environment where we can't have any radio signals, static, etc. So I take in a HP 35s.

That's an interesting aspect.  I wonder what would produce most RF leaks, a HP35s, or a smartphone (any model that has a metallic enclosure, on airplane mode, of course).

Asking because I remember a trick from an old magazine, where an AM radio was taped back-to-back with a pocket calculator, so to improvise a detector for pipes/wires position in walls.

The pocket calculator was acting as a source of RF noises, and the audio hissing and squeaking noises produced by the AM radio were changing their amplitude when the two devices taped together were swept across a metal in the walls.

Anybody measured which one would produce more spurious RF, a metal case smartphone in airplane mode, or a HP35s?
Is HP35s in a metal enclosure, or do you just turn it off during measurements?

Offline johnboxall

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #140 on: May 22, 2023, 08:34:55 am »
Yes. I spend a few hours a day in an environment where we can't have any radio signals, static, etc. So I take in a HP 35s.
Is HP35s in a metal enclosure, or do you just turn it off during measurements?
It has a plastic enclosure. I usually turn it off after use, more of a reflex/OCD thing than anything.
 
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Offline pdenisowski

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #141 on: May 22, 2023, 10:44:47 am »
All the time :)

Test and Measurement Fundamentals video series on the Rohde & Schwarz YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKxVoO5jUTlvsVtDcqrVn0ybqBVlLj2z8
 
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Offline David Hess

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #142 on: May 22, 2023, 01:31:20 pm »
Integral of ln(x^2)dx, from -5 to 99 (EDIT: as can be seen in the photo, on Casio FX-991ES display)

Casio FX-991ES -------- 3m15s -------------- 717.9281095
HP 39G II ---------------- 7s ------------------- 717.928109451
HP 49G+ ----------------- 25m 38s ----------- 717.928325369
HP 40GS ----------------- 20m48s ------------ 717.928325369
HP 49G ------------------ 54m54s ------------- 717.928325369
HP 48G -------------- was not able to solve
Microsoft Mathematics on a i5 ---- 0s ------ 717.9281094509898

My HP 48G+ finished it, took a long time (sorry, didn't measure it), but it arrived to a result of 717.928325369.
My HP35S failed to compute due to the discontinuity, but the 48G emulated on my Galaxy S8 (Droid48) finished in about 45s with the same result of 717.928325369.  :-+

Just to add to the numbers. On an old (1980/81) HP15C this took 10m35s and evaluated as 718.0021.

After resetting various CAS parameters, HP50g took just seconds to reach the HP 39G II result of 717.928109451.
 
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Offline Ed.Kloonk

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #143 on: May 22, 2023, 04:34:56 pm »
As I mentioned previously in the purchased-today thread, I recently bought a exact pocket calculator like my own one from the mid 80's. It has some nice Hex/Bin/Dec features and I'm quite fond if it. And it's sure seen some battles.

The battery in my old one is starting to go and rather than fix that, I just bought another one from some guy in Europe.

So this thing arrived and compared to my old one, the 'new' one is in mint condition. I mean really remarkable good condition. It's still in the cardboard box it came and I'm too frightened to contaminate it.
iratus parum formica
 

Offline kripton2035

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #144 on: May 22, 2023, 05:24:22 pm »
HP prime (G1, a G2 would be faster)
Integral of ln(x^2)dx, from -5 to 99
took no time to calculate, 0s and gave 717.928109451
« Last Edit: May 22, 2023, 05:27:33 pm by kripton2035 »
 
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Offline Calambres

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #145 on: May 23, 2023, 05:57:14 am »
...and, in a matter of weeks, they're going to release a new DM32 based upon the HP-32SII...

Anticipating another harsh comment from Benta  ;D the new Swissmicros' DM32 is already released and the first samples are sent.

Offline HuronKing

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #146 on: May 23, 2023, 09:47:06 am »
Interesting thread necromancy.

I don't use a standalone calculator but I do use REALMAX FREE on my phone (no more than 3 ads per day which are very easy to close out of without waiting) and does a great job of emulating the feel of classic scientific calculators plus graphing and equation solving:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realmax.calc&hl=en_US&gl=US

« Last Edit: May 23, 2023, 09:49:07 am by HuronKing »
 

Offline pdenisowski

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #147 on: May 23, 2023, 02:34:45 pm »
Anticipating another harsh comment from Benta  ;D the new Swissmicros' DM32 is already released and the first samples are sent.

I like my SwissMicros HP15 clone (DM15L), but not sure why the DM32 costs 100 CHF more (149 vs 249).
Test and Measurement Fundamentals video series on the Rohde & Schwarz YouTube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKxVoO5jUTlvsVtDcqrVn0ybqBVlLj2z8
 

Offline Calambres

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #148 on: May 23, 2023, 03:31:34 pm »
Much better HW platform and processor.

Offline newbrain

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Re: Do you still use stand-alone ("pocket") calculators?
« Reply #149 on: May 23, 2023, 08:01:50 pm »
A SwissMicro DM42 in Sweden, an HP35s in Italy, and Plus42 on my phone when I'm around.

Frankly, the build quality and even the key feeling of the SwissMicro are better than the HP, and quite surely their quality controls: I had to send back the first HP35s as it was HDOA (Half-Dead On Arrival): only the left half of the keys was working.
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