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HP Releases Hackable ARM-Based Calculator

Posted by Soulskill on from the turning-tools-to-toys dept.

mikeselectricstuff writes "HP's 20b business consultant calculator isn't the sort of thing that would normally interest the average Slashdotter, but HP has released a Devkit for it, including schematics and source for a sample application, and they appear to be actively encouraging people to re-purpose it. Maybe the engineers thought a business calculator was just too boring for their hardware? The calculator is based on an Atmel ARM chip, and it has a bootloader and JTAG interface to allow user applications to be written and downloaded, turning a boring calculator into anything you can do within the constraints of the hardware."

7 of 124 comments (clear)

  1. Sweet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    But how do I embed the calculator in my arm? Knife and some glue?

    1. Re:Sweet by edalytical · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hacksaw, maybe? I mean the title said it was hackable, I assume that means with a hacksaw. You'd probably want to _integrate_ rather than embed anyway.

      --
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    2. Re:Sweet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      No no, they embed the ARM in the calculator. Put the sharp objects down man.

  2. Re:it's all and well, but after fiorina... by ettlz · · Score: 2, Funny

    nothing beats the soviet-build-like 12c, tho'

    Remember that John Titor, the guy who travelled back in time to pick up an IBM 5100? You know why we've not heard any more of him? Because he should've picked up a HP 48 instead.

  3. Re:Sorry but I have to ask.. by harrkev · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does it run NetBSD?

    If you want it to.
    Some assembly required... and maybe some C++.

    --
    "-1 Troll" is the apparently the same as "-1 I disagree with you."
  4. Brick! by cplusplus · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bet the first thing I'd turn it into would be a brick.

    --
    "False hope is why we'll never run out of natural resources!" - Lewis Black
  5. Re:Good on 'em by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 3, Funny

    Whoever is in charge of decisions like this at HP really needs to be hired at Apple.

    Right...Like anyone who worked at HP would ever get very far at Apple...

    --
    This guy's the limit!