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Smallest RPN Calculators

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47 pointsDanBC32 comments

Rather than carry another device, I use RealCalc [0] on my Android phone. It supports RPN.

Besides, my HP-16C still works :-)

Agreed. I have had many arguments with people concerning physical calculators and calculator apps. But despite what people say, they actually use apps when on the move. They may have a real calculator on their desk (i do too), but the truth is they don't want yet another gadget in their pockets to worry about.

These small RPN calculators are neat, but they fall between two goals. For a physical calculator they're a bit too small and fiddly to use. I certainly wouldn't want to program on the actual devices [although i really would like to be able to transfer programs in/out from a PC]. The size of the originals was about right - nice to handle and also pocket sized.

The other goal is portability, but in this respect they are _still_ another thing to carry. and it's not that clear whether a tiny keyboard is actually better than a large smartphone screen.

here's a plug for a calc app i wrote (sorry not RPN). It's totally free with no annoying adds (so i feel ok posting it here).

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.voidware.r...

Only problem with the calc app is that it takes forever to find, load etc. I still use a pair of 16C because of that; they lie on the desk and they look pretty :-)

Shamelessly plugging my iOS RPN calc : http://protonome.com/apps/calx/

Slick app. Was looking for a RPN calc. Just purchased it.

Cheers mate! That's probably the first sale I've had in about four months...

I've always find these fascinating, but I don't know if I would actually use one.

Basically when I would need it is when I'm programming and in those cases a Python REPL is easy to start (new terminal, run python), and for me it is unbeatable.

I really admire that someone is doing this, but I just don't understand where these things would be useful. Other than as a novelty/nostalgia object, why?

What "use-case" does a calculator have these days?

One that I know: labs.

Having a calculator next to your precision balance or your micrometer is always useful. Many times, you always need to do the same operation with the quantity you are measuring, so it is worth to even program the calculator for it, if you have the possibility.

In this situation, the phone is usually hidden by a lab coat and you are wearing a pair of gloves . Moreover, the computer is out of reach or you do not want to touch. The calculator gets the job done much faster and you do not have to worry so much when it is soaked in acid.

Maybe distraction free teaching aid?

Smallest, hah! Check out the HP-01.[1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-01

It wasn't RPN:

"The HP-01 was Hewlett-Packard's first algebraic calculator."

I have the 15C clone and is awesome.

What I'm looking is a Windows RPN calculator

My own HP48 unfortunatley failed with a bad LCD I had to switch to emulators and now use "Droid48" for Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.ab.x48)

For PC there is e.g. http://hp.giesselink.com/emu48.htm

Or have a look at http://www.hpcalc.org/hp48/pc/emulators for a list of different HP calculator emulators. There are other modells than the HP48 on this page too.

how does that keyboard feel? It looks not that great from the photos. Was thinking to get the 15L for my son because the keys look the same as the HP version

Is not the best keyboard I have used, and the keys are not independent as the original HP's

the last time i saw one, the keyboard sucked badly. Otherwise i would buy one. The latest might be better. hope so.

They recently changed the design of the keyboard.

The keys have a shorter travel than the original, comparing my DM-15L with a real HP-12C. So not quite as good but infinitely better than a touchscreen.

There are a couple recommend here:

http://softwarerecs.stackexchange.com/questions/10818/revers...

> What I'm looking is a Windows RPN calculator

I've been using Xcalc for years. I love it.

http://www.tordivel.com/xcalc/

Oooh, these look cool! I wish I had a child or relative in school right now, because one of these would be a gret little tool to help ensure success.

I used an HP calculator in college (they didn't exist when I was in high school). But now life is no longer so simple. Now you're forced to use a very overpriced POS TI graphing calculator. Besides, most high school math teachers probably don't even know what RPN is!

http://mic.com/articles/125829/your-old-texas-instruments-gr...

students were allowed to use Desmos-installed iPads on the Texas state assessment

Calculators too expensive so use iPads???

I still have the Casio FX82 I used and school and the HP48GX I used at college, both work perfectly and are still useful, the Casio is about 25 and the HP about 21 years old!

They make for a cool toy. But how are they going to ensure success with anything?

Because RPN is far better than infix, which means calculations are faster, leaving one more time to check one's work.

And they don't ensure success; they help ensure it.

That's a reasonable argument. I doubt however that speed of entering calculations is the thing holding people back.

Tried to order a 16C blue but they are out of stock already it seems. Not that I /need/ one since I hoarded a pair of real 16C, but hey!

Thats cool. I wonder if they are programmable... I have a HP12C which still feels great.

They are the exact same - original ROMs running under emulation. I have a DM-15L and it is superb.

I've a HP-41C, but the screen is a bit busted. I know it's a different format, but I wonder if they're similar? Do these feel like the old ones? The keys had a really nice feel to them.

The keys are flatter and have less travel.

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