Slashdot Mirror

You are correct about the lithium batteries, they are useless with this new model.

My HP48G however used AAA's like machine gun bullets when my classmates played Lemmings and Frogger. Maybe 2-3 months a set, three a time.

Games obtained from www.hpcalc.org.

small decimal

If the thing between the first and second digit on the second line is supposed to be a decimal, then I would have to agree.

> We should have HP48G-looking units with 64MB of RAM, double-high-res colour transflective screens (think GBA), USB ports, AND full backwards-compatibility with all the wonderful HP48[G/GX/S/SX] software out there

Yes, it's called the HP49G+

512KB memory + one Secure Digital slot -- so you can get oodles of memory very cheaply (512MB? No problem). USB? Yes. Compatibility? Yes (source level). Higher resolution? Yes (16px higher IIRC)

You have a shelf full of calcuators, and the shiny TI machines are brand new, and at a good price. The HP one (if they have one) may have been sitting there for a while, and simply cannot compete on such things as screen resolution and memory.

I've been using my HP 48SX since '93 or so. Back then it cost something like $300. Its an amazing calculator, a lot like having Matlab and a symbolic solver in the palm of your hand, but as the years go by I kept thinking that one day its going to break and I won't be able to find another RPN calc that can do what it does.

So on a trip through Frys one day a couple years back, I spotted a HP 48GX on the shelf, and due to the desperate thought of having the SX die one day I went ahead and bought it as a backup. Even though it still cost a fortune, HP hasn't done anything to the design. Its the exact same calculator I could have gotten 10 years ago.

At least now HP finally has an upgrade - selling the 49G+ - with a 75MHz ARM, USB connectivity, and more memory.

Some people may have a different opinion: Dead 49G.

HP's latest hand-held calculators use ARM cores and are powered by AAA batteries.

You can download the software from this page.

For the interested, the site that I've always found the best info on HP calculators and software for them is http://www.hpcalc.org/.

See http://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/docs/misc/hp48gug.zip.

But if you look at the home page for your link, you see a big correction to that article... HP is back in the calculator business .

According to HP, it never left the calculator business.

Personally, I will be getting the new 49g+ in a few months, since my 48g is dying a slow, painful death. It's available for $160 and probably cheaper if you can find it. MSRP of $176 (er, 195.99).

frob

But if you look at the home page for your link, you see a big correction to that article... HP is back in the calculator business .

According to HP, it never left the calculator business.

Personally, I will be getting the new 49g+ in a few months, since my 48g is dying a slow, painful death. It's available for $160 and probably cheaper if you can find it. MSRP of $176 (er, 195.99).

frob

This not only provides additional user features such as on-screen algebraics, but also improves the general "feel" when using the stack interface.

See also the FAQ for more information.

This not only provides additional user features such as on-screen algebraics, but also improves the general "feel" when using the stack interface.

See also the FAQ for more information.

This not only provides additional user features such as on-screen algebraics, but also improves the general "feel" when using the stack interface.

See also the FAQ for more information.

I read about one vendor that was expecting a shipment of them to arrive today, even though official intro date is October 6th.

There's also the HP 48GII and the HP 33S.

Details on all three machines here.

I did a cursory glance and I didn't see anyone else mention this, but I apologize if it's redundant.

Just get a 48GX, put a 128k expansion card in, and get the Meta Kernel. It completely fills the 128k card and replaces most of the slow user interfaces. The calculator is actual pretty much as fast as TI's offerings, but the user response is very slow with out the meta kernel.

Take a look at the Calculator Buying Guide over at hpcalc.org. You can get a 48GX for about $130. The HP-approved cards are outrageously expensive, but the unofficial ones work fine. I have the one from Klotz Electronic, which is about $20.

I've had the card for about 3 years and I've been using the meta kernel on it for about 2 years, and I haven't had a problem yet.

I did a cursory glance and I didn't see anyone else mention this, but I apologize if it's redundant.

Just get a 48GX, put a 128k expansion card in, and get the Meta Kernel. It completely fills the 128k card and replaces most of the slow user interfaces. The calculator is actual pretty much as fast as TI's offerings, but the user response is very slow with out the meta kernel.

Take a look at the Calculator Buying Guide over at hpcalc.org. You can get a 48GX for about $130. The HP-approved cards are outrageously expensive, but the unofficial ones work fine. I have the one from Klotz Electronic, which is about $20.

I've had the card for about 3 years and I've been using the meta kernel on it for about 2 years, and I haven't had a problem yet.

I did a cursory glance and I didn't see anyone else mention this, but I apologize if it's redundant.

Just get a 48GX, put a 128k expansion card in, and get the Meta Kernel. It completely fills the 128k card and replaces most of the slow user interfaces. The calculator is actual pretty much as fast as TI's offerings, but the user response is very slow with out the meta kernel.

Take a look at the Calculator Buying Guide over at hpcalc.org. You can get a 48GX for about $130. The HP-approved cards are outrageously expensive, but the unofficial ones work fine. I have the one from Klotz Electronic, which is about $20.

I've had the card for about 3 years and I've been using the meta kernel on it for about 2 years, and I haven't had a problem yet.

According to this page HP will be releasing the 49G Real Soon Now(tm).

The 49G has been out for years, not that I can find it on their web site now; I own one. Their processors have the same clock speed as the 48Gs (at least roughly), but they feel faster because the software has been optimized (read: rewritten). HP tried to add a bunch of TIish features (including a non-RPN mode); some of them even worked, but many didn't. They added lots more memory.

The architecture did not lend itself to other kinds of upgrades (say, a faster processor or higher-resolution screen), and a complete redesign was apparently not feasable (or at least worthwhile) for the company. The same page you linked to suggests that the 49G+ may have better hardware that emulates a real 49. Time will tell, I guess.

The only 'problem' with the 49 is the soft non-clicky keys.

Fixed, fortunately, on the 49G+.

Contrary to what others here (your usual /. cranks with rose-colored nostalgic memories of ancient hardware) may tell you, the 49G is a great calculator despite the flaws in the design of the keys and display as well as the "new-wave" case. However, don't run out and buy a 49G now; HP is finally gearing up to release new calcs: the 49G+ and 48gII replace the aging Saturn processor (2-4 mhz, I forget what the process was but it probably was 3 microns or so) of older HP's like the 48S/SX/G/G+/GX and 49G with an ARM9 processor (48-75 mhz, probably a .18 micron process). (I think the ARM9 doesn't do quite as many IPC as the Saturn, and low-level saturn emulation will give some performance penalty, but still, this is going to be a lot faster- hpcalc.org just states it will be 3-7 times faster than the 49G, that's a pretty wide range). In addition, they appear to have fixed many of the case/key/display problems which plagued the 49G, and battery life should be about the same as it was for the earlier 48/49 series. I have absolutely no doubt that the new calcs will be fantastic deals.

I'd love to get another HP 48, but I'm not even sure if HP even makes calculators like that any longer...

This is why I couldn't take any interest in that HP-Compaq soap opera. The dissidents said they wanted to preserve "the HP way". But all that went away when they outgrew the "strolling manager" culture, spun off their original core business, and stopped doing the electronic wizardry that besotted several generations of geeks. Now they're just another computer manufacturer, so who cares?

If you can live with that buzzing sound, you should just get some rechargables and change them every day.

Oh wait, Google is your friend. A couple of stores still have them in stock. Maybe you should get more than one -- when they're gone, they're gone.

I have both a 48G and a 49G. I keep the 48G at work, and bring the 49G around with me to school. While I much prefer the 48G's feel (I can can enter keystrokes on the 48G's quick, plastic keys almost twice as fast than on the 49G's hard-to-press rubber keys), I use the 49G exclusively for schoolwork due to it's vastly improved equation editing, algebraic manipulation, calculus handling and unit conversion. The 49G is much better in this regard.

In the end, it really depends on what you'll be using it for. If you're not going to be doing calculations involving more complex equations (especially calculus or variable isolation involving many instances of the variable -- the 49G beats the 48G hands down here), the 48G (or 48GX) is probably best. Since you've gotten along with your 48S this long, the 49G is probably overkill.

HP will also be releasing a few new calculators soon, including a 48GII & a 49G+. Hopefully they will address the 49G's horrible key action!

I find it hard and annoying to use "regular" calculators now. I have been using my HP 48SX for almost ten years now and it still runs like a charm!!!! BTW, HP has revived their calc division. See www.hpcalc.org for details. They have a line of new calculators on the way too!!!

Sorry, should have put the link in easy to click mode: HP 49G+

Another RPN junky. (grin) I got hooked on it way back when as well, but I usually pull out my HP only for taxes these days. I get by with an HP emulator for my pocket pc, which works the way you expect it too - but is no replacement for the real thing if you are doing more than currency conversion for your expense reports.

This new calculator even uses a RISC ARM processor, so it should be fairly speedy. However, I don't know if these calculators have been made available for sale yet.

I have the HP48GX - it's a great calculator, but slow as molasses. According to this page HP will be releasing the 49G Real Soon Now(tm). I'll believe it when I see it, of course, but we can dream, right?

If you're attached to you're HP calculator, there are rumors circulating that HP will reenter the calculator business. Details can be found here.

If, however, they do not, there is always the Power48 PalmOS based emulator you can rely on if you original calculator decides to die.

Search hpcalc.org for doom

Other things I've found interesting:
"Displayed numerical precision: 12 digits, exponent: -4999 to +4999"
My HP48's (and I assume the HP49) exponents only go from -499 to 499.

They have also brought back infrared capabilities, which had disappeared from the HP49 due to the new flash memory.

"Most significantly it can handle RPN or Algebraic mode entry system logic and familiar textbook entry."

"Most significantly it can handle PR0N or ..."

Until sombody creates an equally good mathematics software suit for PDA's these things will still be around.
Another thing is QA. How are we to be sure that some program we downloaded to our PDA does the calculations correctly.

A few years ago HP started developing a WinCE-based calculator called Xpander. The project was cancelled but if you have a PocketPC you can download the onboard software. I don't have one, so I can't comment on how good it is.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.

Just had a glance at HPcalc.org, and noticed that specifications for a new calculator, the HP49G+ are up. There's been talk that HP is releasing a new super calc, and this seems to be it.

It has a 75mhz ARM processor, SD card storage, IRDA, an improved keyboard and screen and several other HP features, such as RPN

Naturally, these specs are not set in stone, but it seems legit (check out This PDF file!) This calculator seems to be the TI-killer that HP supporters have been waiting for.