The R47: A new physical RPN calculator • Hacker News Board

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#11

Post by ch_123 » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 4:28 PM UTC

NewsaHackO wrote: post #6

globular-toast wrote: post #5

I really want one, but 250 credits is quite a bit too much. Even at 100 credits I'd be questioning my sanity, to be honest.

Its ~300 USD. I wonder who the target audience is.

There is a community of folks who are really into this firmware, and a lot of those people buy SwissMicros other models of calculators, (e.g. DM42 or DM32) and put keyboard stickers on it. This allows them to buy the model with the correct key legends up front.

The low volume and the relatively high build quality involved pushes the prices up.

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#12

Post by ch_123 » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 4:28 PM UTC

fm2606 wrote: post #7

I still have my HP 48G and love it. I don't use it much and take the batteries out so they don't corrode in the case. Every time I use for more than a couple of calculations I think how much I prefer a RPN calculator.

The DB48X project created a HP48G/HP50G style firmware for SwissMicros calculators.

https://github.com/c3d/db48x

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#13

Post by mprovost » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 4:53 PM UTC

drob518 wrote: post #10

I still miss my 15C.

There's a really good emulator for the iPhone! Back when I bought it, it came from HP themselves, but a few years ago they sold it to another company which actually maintains it. They just released a major new version a few weeks ago.

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#14

Post by dripton » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 4:59 PM UTC

Cool. I used an HP48SX in college, and when it finally died about 20 years later, bought 2 HP48Gs so I'd have a Lifetime Supply. (1 is on my desk, 1 is still in the box.) But I confess that hardly ever use my real HP48G anymore, because I have the Droid48 Android app, and the 99% perfect calculator that's always at hand is better than the 100% perfect calculator that's on a shelf way over there, most of the time.

So I doubt I'll buy this one, even though I'm happy someone made it.

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#15

Post by fmajid » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 5:06 PM UTC

drob518 wrote: post #10

I still miss my 15C.

I still have mine from 1987. You can still buy the HP-15C Collector's Edition new, but it isn't as good as the originals with their perfect keyboards and the silicon on sapphire technology that gave them their incredible battery life. The SwissMicros DM-15L is also a worthwhile substitute.

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#16

Post by _fat_santa » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 5:07 PM UTC

Honest question but who would need this these days? Would this calculator still be useful for professors/mathematicians/etc or is this more for HP calculator enthusiasts?

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#17

Post by natas » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 5:08 PM UTC

ch_123 wrote: post #12

fm2606 wrote: post #7

I still have my HP 48G and love it. I don't use it much and take the batteries out so they don't corrode in the case. Every time I use for more than a couple of calculations I think how much I prefer a RPN calculator.

The DB48X project created a HP48G/HP50G style firmware for SwissMicros calculators. https://github.com/c3d/db48x

The db48x/db50x project seems to be more promising than C47/R47; although, I wish Swissmicros could produce a db50x version with the right layout (no stickies)

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#18

Post by TheOtherHobbes » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 5:09 PM UTC

dm319 wrote: post #2

This is a project to imagine what HP would have made today had they still been making calculators. It is unusual for a newly designed RPN calculator to be released, although there have been several re-releases of older HP models, such as the HP-15ce, HP-16c, and a series of calculators made by Swissmicros - DM-15L, DM-42, DM-32, but all based on designs dating back 30-50 years. The R47 has been many years in the maki…

I don't think HP would be making something like this.

The original calculators, from the discrete HP9100A onwards, pushed tech to its limits.

The HP65 (1975) was a jaw-dropping masterpiece. When most calculators were four function, and scientific calculators were still exotic, a pocket-sized programmable calculator with a magnetic card reader was beyond the imagination of most engineers, never mind most users.

This is more of a nostalgic tribute act. It's nice it exists. But it's looking backwards, not forwards.

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#19

Post by _trampeltier » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 5:14 PM UTC

_fat_santa wrote: post #16

Honest question but who would need this these days? Would this calculator still be useful for professors/mathematicians/etc or is this more for HP calculator enthusiasts?

I work in industry automation and use for every day calculation mostly my HP 35s, even I also have a HP 50g under my desk and more than a PC on my desk.

It's just for me the most easy way to calculate things with current and power for everyday use.

And .. even the basic Windows calc app is so slow to start, I already finished until the app started.

Re: The R47: A new physical RPN calculator

#20

Post by grugagag » Tue, Nov 11, 2025, 5:24 PM UTC

PopePompus wrote: post #9

There was a time when I would have salivated over this. But now I can run iPython on my phone, and have numpy, sympi, scipy, astropy and countless other packages. Physical keyboards are great for calculators - much better than virtual keyboards on phones. But the keyboard advantage seems to me most valuable for quick calculations, not elaborate things like this calculator offers. If I'm going to do matrix calculation…

True but a dedicated device has its own advantages (and disadvantages). Despite high availability I dislike spending too much time on my phone beside quick uses.