50g

Any first impressions...

Michael Carey

mike wrote:
> Any first impressions...

I've got one.  I do like it better than the 33S.  It's a nice 
"middle-level" programmable.  I do like the physical packaging (not the 
retail packaging, I mean the shape and buttons and such).  The screen is 
the same as the later 33S screen, plus what appears to be a piece of 
protective plastic that adds a bit of glare, and which some people have 
removed[1], but which doesn't actually bother me.  I don't like the 
incomplete nature of the complex-number arithmetic.  It turns out to 
have some flaws in the implementation of its programming model, and some 
smallish arithmetic bugs (in the trig functions for values very near 
zero), and you should peruse the forums at hpmuseum.org for more detail.

All in all, it's a good successor to the 11C, the 32SII and 33S, and 
other mid-level calcs.  It's not a good successor to the 15C, 41C and 
42S, any 48 or 49/50, or other high-end calcs.  It's not trying to be. 
One engineer here at work, who designs PC boards, did replace the 49G+ 
with it, and he's happy; he had replaced a broken 32SII with the 49G+, 
but it was more calc than he needed.  As a good calc to keep handy, it's 
excellent -- light, feels good, good buttons, much clearer labeling than 
the 33C.  The case is also fine.  When the bugs in the software are 
fixed I will be able to recommend it with no reservations, but even now, 
I can recommend it, as long as you don't need to do anything too far 
outside its functions -- no large matrices, no heavyweight units 
support, no CAS, etc.  A good calculator for engineers, less good for 
math courses.

[1] It's held together with screws -- you can actually take it apart, 
and put it back together, without damaging it -- this is a definite plus 
in my book...


-- 
Dave Boyd
"If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall
  like a house of cards. Checkmate."  -Capt. Zapp Brannigan, D.O.O.P.

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, Dave Boyd <boydda@...> wrote:
>
> mike wrote:
> > Any first impressions...
> 
> I've got one.  I do like it better than the 33S.  It's a nice 
> "middle-level" programmable.  I do like the physical packaging 
(not the 
> retail packaging, I mean the shape and buttons and such).  The 
screen is 
> the same as the later 33S screen, plus what appears to be a piece 
of 
> protective plastic that adds a bit of glare, and which some people 
have 
> removed[1], but which doesn't actually bother me.  I don't like 
the 
> incomplete nature of the complex-number arithmetic.  It turns out 
to 
> have some flaws in the implementation of its programming model, 
and some 
> smallish arithmetic bugs (in the trig functions for values very 
near 
> zero), and you should peruse the forums at hpmuseum.org for more 
detail.
> 
> All in all, it's a good successor to the 11C, the 32SII and 33S, 
and 
> other mid-level calcs.  It's not a good successor to the 15C, 41C 
and 
> 42S, any 48 or 49/50, or other high-end calcs.  It's not trying to 
be. 
> One engineer here at work, who designs PC boards, did replace the 
49G+ 
> with it, and he's happy; he had replaced a broken 32SII with the 
49G+, 
> but it was more calc than he needed.  As a good calc to keep 
handy, it's 
> excellent -- light, feels good, good buttons, much clearer 
labeling than 
> the 33C.  The case is also fine.  When the bugs in the software 
are 
> fixed I will be able to recommend it with no reservations, but 
even now, 
> I can recommend it, as long as you don't need to do anything too 
far 
> outside its functions -- no large matrices, no heavyweight units 
> support, no CAS, etc.  A good calculator for engineers, less good 
for 
> math courses.
> 
> [1] It's held together with screws -- you can actually take it 
apart, 
> and put it back together, without damaging it -- this is a 
definite plus 
> in my book...
> 
> 
> -- 
> Dave Boyd
> "If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall
>   like a house of cards. Checkmate."  -Capt. Zapp Brannigan, 
D.O.O.P.
>
my favorite feature is the equation setup, i would have liked some 
way you could have labeled the equations, but i also it is a good 
idea you have to think about each equation you are looking for.
also i like the idea that you can not only store equations, but 
polynoials in the same storage.

michael carey
sry my kb is still playing up.

im  a 50g  owner  and  recently  purchased  a  35s
through  amazon.com
"i  also  ordered  a  real full  sized   users  manual  through ebay   since  hp   is out  "permanently"
of  free    users  manuals.
a  fre   bidirectional polar  to  rectangular  algorythm
was  emailed  to  me from  hp support.
when  i  purchased  the  50g   i  was  concidering  a  33s  but  wasnt very impressed with  it.
i  really  like  the 2  line display   "so  i  can see  both  the  x  a Y  REGISTERS   "just  like an  old time  hp calc  like the 9810"
ive  always  hated   the   1  line   hp  calculator  displays
having  to  flip    x  and  y  around  to  see  y.

--- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, "mike" <mickpc@...> wrote:

>
> --- In 50g@yahoogroups.com, Dave Boyd <boydda@> wrote:
> >
> > mike wrote:
> > > Any first impressions...
> > 
> > I've got one.  I do like it better than the 33S.  It's a nice 
> > "middle-level" programmable.  I do like the physical packaging 
> (not the 
> > retail packaging, I mean the shape and buttons and such).  The 
> screen is 
> > the same as the later 33S screen, plus what appears to be a piece 
> of 
> > protective plastic that adds a bit of glare, and which some people 
> have 
> > removed[1], but which doesn't actually bother me.  I don't like 
> the 
> > incomplete nature of the complex-number arithmetic.  It turns out 
> to 
> > have some flaws in the implementation of its programming model, 
> and some 
> > smallish arithmetic bugs (in the trig functions for values very 
> near 
> > zero), and you should peruse the forums at hpmuseum.org for more 
> detail.
> > 
> > All in all, it's a good successor to the 11C, the 32SII and 33S, 
> and 
> > other mid-level calcs.  It's not a good successor to the 15C, 41C 
> and 
> > 42S, any 48 or 49/50, or other high-end calcs.  It's not trying to 
> be. 
> > One engineer here at work, who designs PC boards, did replace the 
> 49G+ 
> > with it, and he's happy; he had replaced a broken 32SII with the 
> 49G+, 
> > but it was more calc than he needed.  As a good calc to keep 
> handy, it's 
> > excellent -- light, feels good, good buttons, much clearer 
> labeling than 
> > the 33C.  The case is also fine.  When the bugs in the software 
> are 
> > fixed I will be able to recommend it with no reservations, but 
> even now, 
> > I can recommend it, as long as you don't need to do anything too 
> far 
> > outside its functions -- no large matrices, no heavyweight units 
> > support, no CAS, etc.  A good calculator for engineers, less good 
> for 
> > math courses.
> > 
> > [1] It's held together with screws -- you can actually take it 
> apart, 
> > and put it back together, without damaging it -- this is a 
> definite plus 
> > in my book...
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Dave Boyd
> > "If we hit that bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall
> >   like a house of cards. Checkmate."  -Capt. Zapp Brannigan, 
> D.O.O.P.
> >
> my favorite feature is the equation setup, i would have liked some 
> way you could have labeled the equations, but i also it is a good 
> idea you have to think about each equation you are looking for.
> also i like the idea that you can not only store equations, but 
> polynoials in the same storage.
> 
> michael carey
> sry my kb is still playing up.
>