HP-95C Unreleased Printing Programmable Calculator.HP-92 Printing Business/Financial Calculator.Second Generation Desktop Calculators (1976) HP-27 "Do Everything" Model (Sci/Stat/Math/Bus).Second Generation Handheld Calculators (1975) HP-55 Scientific/Programmable with Quartz TimerĬlassic Printing Desktop Calculators (1973).HP-35 The First Slide Rule Pocket Calculator.HP 9815A/S Third Generation RPN Desktop.HP 9810A Second Generation RPN Calculator.HP 9100A&B Programmable RPN Calculators with no digital ICs.Calculating Machines, Slide Rules, etc.The HP Garage - The Birthplace of Silicon Valley.I don't yet have the personal experience of doing that, but it's a definite plus just knowing that I'll be able to do such upgrades in the future if needed. Another feature of their design that I like is that updates to the operating software are able to be loaded via a miniUSB port that is built in to the units. If I didn't need the extra programming capacity, based on the quality of my 15C version, I would have already ordered their 12C version as well. All in all, I'm very pleased with the 15C version, and feel that the trade-off between the HP keyboard "feel" that I got used to with the HP-65, HP-67, and HP-41C, CV, and CX and the convenience of having the HP RPN computing power in such a small package that is even easier to carry in my shirt pocket is well worth it. Apparently they've evolved the design, because my 15C version has an excellent quality black anodized case instead of the "sandwich" construction shown in the videos. If you go to their site,, and click on the "infos" button, you'll be taken to a page where they have links to videos on YouTube that show their initial prototypes & first version. I can see that someone with larger fingers might need to use a stylus, but even then, just being able to have a full powered, RPN, calculator in such a small size would be worth it, at least to me. One of my concerns before ordering it was that I might have to use some sort of stylus to press just the keys I wanted. And as I mentioned, I was really surprised that once you get the sense of it, you can easily only push the key you want without activating two or more keys simultaneously. Anyway, while there is a different "feel" to the keyboard, it seems to be more of a function of the construction constraints, and, on balance, there is something very neat about being able to have such a small, yet full-powered, RPN calculator that is so easy to carry in your shirt pocket. that I had "been weaned on", so to speak. I settled on trying their 15C clone because it does have the greater programming capacity, plus it has user labeling (A-E) like the HP-65, 67 and 41's, etc. of 99 steps and I was more interested in the 399 steps of the Platinum, I took a look at their other models. Since the programming capacity of the regular 12C only allows a max. However, when I asked the question as to whether it was a clone of the HP-12C or of the HP-12C Platinum, I learned that it was of the regular 12C, not the Platinum. And it's interesting that you mentioned the 12C, because initially I was interested in buying one of those. My first was the HP-65, then, one step at a time, the others that followed (67, 41C, CV, CX, 42S, 35s, etc.) I know what you mean about the HP key feel. I'm a long-time HP calculator user and fan. The only valid reasons I see for buying this are:Ģ) You used to own one, are familiar with it, and do not want to waste time learning something new.īoth these reasons seem perfectly valid to me. If you want a calculator that fits in your pocket, virtually everyone carries a smart phone these days and you can buy a calculator app from HP. If you just want a small, powerful calculator that will last a long time on watch batteries, HP already makes several that are far cheaper (and have RPN mode, if that is your thing). For $100, you can get an HP 50g or a TI-89, both of which are basically mathematical mini-computers and terribly more advanced.įrom where I stand, I think the point on portability is moot. For $50 you can get the 35s, which as far as I can tell is superior in every way other than size (disclaimer, I bought it for one class and have barely used it). Is the 15C really worth $100-200? I doubt it. If you were born after 1980, you were more likely to have been using a TI in school, so the nostalgia might not be there for you. HP basically made the market for calculators (the ones that replaced slide-rules) and old-school scientists and engineers grew up on them.
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