The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
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Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#2How can you not love this:
> HP typically priced their equipment at the cost of the material list × π (or in an especially competitive market, list × e)
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#3A neighbor gave us one when he moved up to an HP-25 (lower number, but a later and better calculator). I used it in college. I remember running across campus on my way to a chemistry test, playing catch with my calculator (in the padded case) as I ran. I had confidence that, even if I dropped it, it would still work.
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#4Unfortunately, consumer electronics are not the same as the days of Braun. 70’s was the golden era.
I was extremely pleased with my DM42 from SwissMicros. All of their models either have a Titanium or Steel case. The heft and quality is just absolutely beautiful.
I spoke to Michael Steinmann and he seems to be a great guy passionate about what he does. I enjoyed our conversation about old school electronics.
Check out https://SwissMicros.com
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#5How can you not love this: > HP typically priced their equipment at the cost of the material list × π (or in an especially competitive market, list × e)
The founders of HP were just so much cooler than the business school goons like Fiorina who practically drove it into the ground.
That pricing formula is so playful, as is "well I want one and so do my engineers".
Chapeau Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard.
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#6It really is hard to over state the impact that scientific calculators had on industry. My great uncle who was an engineer at the Panama Canal company had log tables, these were tables of logarithmic values given a number, and the inverse. He needed the heavy tome because he couldn't get enough digits of precision out of his slide rule. He was one of those people who immediately bought an HP-35 when it came out and was thrilled.
My parents bought me the TI SR-52 when it came out and it was the coolest thing I could imagine. I wore the numbers off the keycaps on that thing.
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#7I really really like HP calculators. The only one I have now is the HP-35s, a new version of HP-35.
Once you go RPN, you can never go back! I have PCalc (another piece of amazing software) on my phone for RPN.
It feels really stupid for others to see that I can't operate a normal calculator.
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#8Unfortunately, consumer electronics are not the same as the days of Braun. 70’s was the golden era. I was extremely pleased with my DM42 from SwissMicros. All of their models either have a Titanium or Steel case. The heft and quality is just absolutely beautiful. I spoke to Michael Steinmann and he seems to be a great guy passionate about what he does. I enjoyed our conversation about old school electronics. Check ou…
Thanks for SwissMicros link! Never heard of them.
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#9Unfortunately, consumer electronics are not the same as the days of Braun. 70’s was the golden era. I was extremely pleased with my DM42 from SwissMicros. All of their models either have a Titanium or Steel case. The heft and quality is just absolutely beautiful. I spoke to Michael Steinmann and he seems to be a great guy passionate about what he does. I enjoyed our conversation about old school electronics. Check ou…
This image from their website is one of the sexiest product photos I've ever seen:
https://www.swissmicros.com/photos_feb2016/kuble/DM15_credit...
Re: The HP-35: Consumer Electronics, an Origin Story
#10Oh yea. Those were the days those were.
HP 21, 29C, 41CX. Great introduction to computing.