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HP Calcs Live On Under PalmOS

philipsblows writes "Emulators for HP Calcs have been around for a while, but HP is actually getting behind this one, allowing ROM images to be included to support emulation of 48sx, 48gx and 49g (all separately and at the same time) on your PalmOS device. Unfortunately, it has to be a color device, but this is great news anyone who would otherwise miss out on using an HP calc. Check out Power48 here." And unlike a calculator, the software is free (and Free).

22 of 186 comments (clear)

  1. Apparently not on my PalmOS device... by Fesh · · Score: 3, Informative

    I've only got an m515, looks like this sucker will only work on a Tungsten or Clie.

    Drat.

    --
    --Fesh
    Kill -9 'em all, let root@localhost sort 'em out.
  2. Old. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    The 48GX and SX roms have been freely available (courtesy HP, of course) from www.hpcalc.org, and probably other enthusiast sites. It is interesting that HP is actually backing an emulator, though. Hey, where's that RPN troll when you need him???

  3. Back and White? by negyvenot · · Score: 5, Informative

    I am a bit disappointed that it does not work on monochrome devices like the good old Palm Vx, which I'm happily using for a long while now. The original HP48 display was monochrome and would perfectly look on my Palm. Now only if those keys weren't color :)

  4. Cool, but done already by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is cool, but it's not new. There has been a HP 48/49G emulator for Windows CE for some time now. It even runs at an acceptable speed on the newer Pocket PCs. There has also been a Psion version.

    ht tp://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/pc/emulators/</a>

  5. Emulator may be free (Free), but the ROMs aren't. by alanh · · Score: 1, Informative

    This program emulates the hardware of the HP48SX, HP48GX, and HP49G. In order to legally (morally?) use this software, you need to have the ROMs, or develop your own equivalents. The ROMs are copyrighted by HP.

    --
    - AlanH
  6. Re:Emulator may be free (Free), but the ROMs aren' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
    OK, I know it's a lot of trouble to read the article, but the summary says:
    but HP is actually getting behind this one, allowing ROM images to be included to support emulation of 48sx, 48gx and 49g (all separately and at the same time)

    ~~~

  7. not only 'color device' by MarcoAtWork · · Score: 2, Informative

    but also with the new high definition screens (320x320 or higher) so people who have a IIIc (like myself) are SOL.

    --
    -- the cake is a lie
  8. Re:Lives on? by jorlando · · Score: 5, Informative

    HP calculators still being sold, but nobody is sure for how long. There was thread discussed at hp.misc.calculators (that can be read at http://www.hpcalc.org). One thing is certain: the division responsible for R&D new HP calculators, the ACO has been closed during the merge with Compaq (http://www.hpcalc.org/goodbyeaco.php). In five years from now, HP will be recognized as a brand of so-so printers, shitty computers, not as an inovative and ingenious company as once has been. But that's the life... and Carly won't be near the mess... But that's my opinion...

  9. Links to HP emus: by fbg111 · · Score: 5, Informative

    PC HP calc emus:

    http://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/pc/emulators/

    Or check out all the other emu goodies at that site:

    http://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/

    Or just search http://www.handango.com for "HP 48" for more emus for all portable computing platforms.

    --
    Flying is easy, just throw yourself at the ground and miss. -Douglas Adams
  10. Re:Reverse Polish Notation and Stacking Languages by Bishop · · Score: 4, Informative

    The other unique feature of many of the HP calculators was the bomb proff design. The keys are tough clicky keys designed to be used by professionals for years. HP made scientific and bussiness calculators. On the HP calcs (11B ??) has as strong a following in the account world as the HP48 in the engineering/scientific world.

    "dc" command on linux except that dc is only good for integers

    You probably want to check the man page on that:

    dc - an arbitrary precision calculator

    Look for the 'k' command. Also you should be useing p not =.

    'dc' is GNU software and should compile on anything with libc.

  11. Going, Going, Gone. by Detritus · · Score: 3, Informative

    While recently looking at HP's online store, I noticed the HP-48GX was listed as a "closeout" item. It appears that once the existing inventory of HP calculators are sold, HP will be out of the calculator business. Carly sucks.

    --
    Mea navis aericumbens anguillis abundat
  12. Observations on it.... by shlong · · Score: 5, Informative
    Well, it appears from most of the comments here that no one has actually test driven the program yet. Well, I just fired it up on my shiny new NX70V, and I got to say that I'm quite impressed. I already own a 48GX and 49G, so I had no moral delimmas with installing those rom images. I don't own a 48SX, so I can't comment on it. Anyways:
    • The speed is very impressive. I ran some of the TEACH examples on the 48GX mode and they fly. It's easily 2-3 times faster than the real hardware. Of course my hardware is StrongArm based, so I wonder how well the DragonBall hardware will work. Time to go dig out my wife's N760.
    • Button layout for the 48GX was nearly identical to the real hardware. Button layout for the 49G was a little strange, with the arrow keys being shoved off to the left side and the 6 function keys that used to be next to them compressed from 2 rows of three to 1 row of 6. Not a big deal, but tough to get used to.
    • As impressive as it is, I still prefer the feel of the real 48GX hardware. That machine was designed back when HP knew how engineers operated. Of course, I hate the 49G key layout and rubberized buttons, but that's a bikeshed of a different color. Anyways, even with the 320x480 screen, the buttons are a bit too small to comfortably work by finger-touch. Using the stylus is fine, but not like having the real buttons.
    • I haven't tried any 3rd-party programs. From reading the documentation I'd guess that things written in SysRPL and and UserRPL will probably work fine, but I wonder if ASM stuff will also work.

    In all, I'm highly impressed with this, though it will take a few weeks to see if I treat it like a toy or a real calc.
    --
    Cat, the other, tastier white meat.
  13. Re:Emulator may be free (Free), but the ROMs aren' by WegianWarrior · · Score: 2, Informative

    Since reading the article isn't hard at all, you may notice that the article says;
    The HP48/49 ROM images distributed with this emulator are the property of and copyrighted by Hewlett-Packard. Their inclusion in this package is for the convenience of the end-user only. If you (the end-user) are not legally permitted to use a particular ROM image you must not install that ROM image to the VFS storage mechanism.

    What part of that did you fail to understand?

    --
    Everything in the world is controlled by a small, evil group to which, unfortunately, no one you know belongs.
  14. Releasing New Calc...I hope so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    I sent an email to HP customer service, asking what they had for RPN calcs since I wanted a scientific RPN calc, but was too cheap to pay $150 or whatever.

    In addition to pointing me to low-cost retailers, the reply hinted that there were going to be new models coming.

    I hope that the calculator business doesn't die. I only like RPN calculators. I have a mangled 17BII on my desk and a 12C in the drawer. I want one to replace my 12C so that if the new one grows legs, I won't care as much.

    That brings another reason I like RPN, no one can use it so no one is tempted to walk off with it.

  15. Easycalc.... by sergio · · Score: 2, Informative

    I had many HP calculators. Lved them all. Loved RPN.
    Power48 is an impressive emulator... BUT:

    1.- Start time is too long. Screen is too crowded and plain complicated for a PDA LCD.

    2.- If you need a very good calculator use EasyCalc and you'll be happier at any resolution. http://easycalc.sourceforge.net/. Fast startup and
    decent interface. Clearly not as programable nor a large library of tools, still very usable.

    Now, here is the irony: HP should have been a king of the PDA arena using their experience in the calculator group... but somehow they become WinCE clone makers. Very sad. What happened?

    1. Re:Easycalc.... by SN74S181 · · Score: 2, Informative

      HP's Corvalis group (the Calculator team) designed the first two HP Omnibook portable PCs (I have an Omnibook 300), which reflect the same tight design as the calculator line. Then the 'Omnibook' brand was stolen off to HP's shit-oriented PeeCee branch.

      Some of the first computers I programmed on in High School were Hewlett Packard timesharing minicomputers. Built to the same quality standards as the H-P instrument line.

      Some day someone technically oriented is going to disembowel and then slowly strangle Carly to death.

  16. Sci/Graph calc for Palm by RomulusNR · · Score: 2, Informative

    If all you want is a good scientific/graphing calculator for your Palm, get EasyCalc.
    (It appears to be in English now, too. :) )

    --
    Terrorists can attack freedom, but only Congress can destroy it.
  17. If you have a Pocket PC by Sad+Loser · · Score: 2, Informative


    Check out the HP 41 emulator

    There is a lot of software available here as well.

    There are more HP calculator emulators for different platforms here.

    --
    Humorous signatures are over-rated.
  18. Re:But by pongo000 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sure, they were popular with highschool and college kids, but people who do real work with calculators are pretty much unanimously in favour of HP's.

    Not "were", but "is" (at least in Texas, unfortunately). TI has a sweetheart deal with the state: Their TI-83+ is the prerequisite calc for all schools administering the state-standardized exams (and that's basically every public school in Texas). Hundreds of thousands of dollars, per school district, flow into TI's coffers as a result.

    Having been raised on HPs, I find the TI's EOS (algebraic entry system) extremely tedious to use. No intermediate answers (well, you can access the previous answer), just keep typing in numbers and parens until you're through, hit the enter key, and keep your fingers crossed you didn't make a mistake.

    I shudder to think what colleges are requiring their engineering students to use (when I was in engineering school, the 41CX was a necessity to survive).

  19. Re:But by 0x0d0a · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sure, they were popular with highschool and college kids, but people who do real work with calculators are pretty much unanimously in favour of HP's. Of course, this is a small and shrinking group of people, which is why HP is out of the calc business.

    No, TI is more popular with incoming people than with dinosaurs precisely because HPs used to be more popular globally, fell out of popularity, and now all the younger people are using TIs. HP lost the market themselves, not because of a bunch of people who don't "do real work with calculators".

  20. Re:Which TIs have you even played with? by BrokenHalo · · Score: 2, Informative
    i forget what half of them do

    So did I until I started playing with custom menus (which come pretty intuitatively to HP48 users). Being able to find progs according to context makes a big difference if you've got a lot of them. Saves a lot of time spent wading through var-link listings.

  21. Re:Lives on? by jorlando · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think that you can't get any better than hpcalc. Perhaps the news groups like comp.calculators.hp48 (or something like this).

    But as a repository I doubt that anybody surpassed hpcalc.org.