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.
>