The Prime is no doubt a great calculator, especially as compared to the TI and Casio calculators with which it is intended to compete. And this video does a decent job of explaining some basic stuff, e.g., some of the immediate differences between the CAS and Home modes. But I do have a bone to pick here. At 53:50, the author says that he has already outlined the differences between the Prime and the HP 50g. I don't know what he was thinking when he said that, but the differences are vast, and any differences he discussed were superficial and obvious. When he points out that you can switch the Prime to RPN mode, many uninformed people will infer that the Prime's RPN mode is functionally equivalent to the RPL calculators such as the 50g. He should have said in a perfectly plain manner that the RPL calculators are functionally unique and can never be replaced by any calculator that doesn't have a full implementation of RPL as found in the HP-28, the HP-48, HP-49, and HP-50 calculators. He should have said this, because it is the truth and needs to be said. He clearly owns a couple of the RPL calculators, but I can't help but wonder if he is one of the many people who owned an RPL calculator but never really understood them. People who really understand RPL calculators will very often create simple RPL programs and save them rather than proceed to use the calculator like a more basic RPN calculator. For example, if you need to solve some right triangles for the hypotenuse, with the short sides given, and you know you're going to do it more than once, you don't simply input the RPN expression x^2 SWAP X^2 + SQRT. Rather, you first press the key that puts the opening and closing guillemots into the command line, then you enter that RPN expression between the guillemots and press ENTER. You've just written a basic RPL program, which is transferred to the stack intact when you press ENTER. You then save it into a variable, by inputting the name you want to use, then STO. Now all you have to do is input the two short sides for the right triangle, then press the physical key assigned to the program, i.e., the physical key immediately below the label you see in the display, with the name you used. The usefulness of this simple technique is impossible to overstate, and you can't do this kind of thing with the Prime, because, even though it has an RPN mode, it is not an RPL calculator.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Your RPL knowledge tells me you are the same Thomas Barber who authored the excellent spiral bound Definitive Guide to the 50g! Thank you for commenting. I purchased your book in July 2016. :-) For those of you interested, you can purchase Mr. Barber's book on Amazon from my affiliate link here: amzn.to/2Py8vD9 Mr. Barber, it would be appreciated if you could please watch my video from 23:52 to hear me say that the 50g is the last true RPN calculator among the ones shown and to hear me explain a very basic usage difference. My video focuses on the Prime because it is currently manufactured and sold new whereas the other calculators in my HP collection are not. Of course, RPN mode doesn’t work in CAS mode on the Prime, which is unfortunate. And there are other differences regarding RPL and programming, as your detailed comment describes. HP has targeted the Prime at students of today who, for better or for worse, tend to prefer calculators in Algebraic mode as opposed to the wonderful RPN mode (with RPL programming capability) which you and I clearly love. I have tried to teach my own children the benefits of RPN mode, but they just aren’t interested in it and use their Primes in algebraic mode. What all this means is, that even though there are RPN and RPL “truths that need to be said“ (and thank you for saying them), most students watching aren’t interested in that and want to know if the Prime is approved for use on the SAT (it is) and if it is better than a similar TI calculator (it is). I do very much appreciate your detailed comment though and I’m sure that it will be helpful for other people who come here and read your words. Thank you for making time to share your thoughts. I will pin your post for others to see perpetually at the top of the comments. For further reading about RPL and the programming language used on the Prime, I highly recommend the discussion thread below. Joe Horn is a highly respected member in the HP calculator community, and he has some interesting comments about programming in that thread: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/archive/index.php?thread-126.html
@jvanegas144 жыл бұрын
The HP Prime does not support RPL, but it still has a wonderful utility for defining quick macros which are compatible with it's RPN mode. Functionally it's quite similar to the RPL macros of past, where you just push the needed arguments to the stack and then hit the key you assigned to the macro to do the operation.
@thomasbarber40014 жыл бұрын
@@jvanegas14 I'm interested in knowing more about this capability. Could you provide some examples? Actually, I've got a good case in mind, and I'm going to work up a few solutions in RPL. Maybe you (and/or JDW) could show how you would approach the same problem on the Prime. I think it might be revealing, or at least informative. I will follow up with another post.
@thomasbarber40014 жыл бұрын
Heron's formula for the area of a triangle is an interesting problem for calculator implementation. With Heron's formula, you can calculate the area of any triangle when you know the lengths of the three sides (a, b, and c). Note that the more familiar formula for the area of a triangle is not generally an alternative since you must know the height of the triangle, or else know other information from which you can calculate the height, which will generally involve using trig functions, which do not occur in Heron's formula. It is customarily written as two equations: s = (a + b + c)/2, area = SQRT( s(s - a)(s - b)(s - c) ) It is obvious why it is written as two equations. It is easily implemented in two parts, however if you use one program (or algebraic expression) to calculate s, and a separate program (or algebraic expression) to finish the calculation of the area, then if you aren't careful, you'll end up calculating s four times. You have to save the value of s into a variable (or else keep a copy on the stack and pick it off the stack four separate times). Ideally, this will not be a global variable, and ideally, you want to avoid the need for the user (even if you are the only user) to have to follow steps such as "Use ______ to calculate s, then save s into a variable named ________, then use _______ to finish the calculation." Rather, you want to bind the two equations into a single logical unit. A little program, that is. Some non-famous person once said that the true measure of a calculator is the ease with which you can implement little ad hoc programs. I did this several different ways in RPL. It would be interesting to compare these solutions with one or more solutions that some smart and ambitious person implemented on the Prime. The first solution is an old-school solution that avoids using local variables or algebraic expressions. The three sides a, b, and c have to be duplicated, because they are each consumed twice. I made a list from them, duplicated the list, then used OBJ-> to decompose the list (twice). OBJ-> returns the element count after the elements, thus the two instances of DROP. If it isn't obvious, a, b, and c are assumed to be on the stack when the program starts. Note that I'm using the asterisk for the multiplication operator. DROP + + 2 / SWAP OBJ-> DROP 4 PICK - SWAP 4 PICK - * SWAP 3 PICK SWAP - * * SQRT >> Each occurrence of PICK grabs a copy of s for consumption. Note that you can do the subtraction backwards an even number of times, i.e., (x-y)(w-z) = (y-x)(z-w), thereby reducing the need for SWAP. After the third PICK, a SWAP is done so that the final subtraction will be frontwards thus avoiding the need to multiply by -1 to fix backward subtraction. The only real drawback to this kind of old-school solution is that in order to follow the program you have to waste too much paper trying to keep track of what is happening to the stack. The next solution uses local variables so that it will be easier to follow what happens on the stack. The "->" you see in this solution is not part of any command name. Rather, it is the special symbol used when you declare local variables, which are initialized by consuming from the stack. The scope of local variables is limited to the embedded procedure or algebraic expression that follows the list of variable names. a b c s > >> >> This solution uses two embedded procedures, both of which occur in connection with local variable declarations. Since the second one is embedded within the first one, the scope of a, b, and c extends into the second one. Since both embedded procedures occur in connection with local variable declarations, they are evaluated implicitly, i.e., EVAL is not needed. A modest variation uses a single embedded procedure. To do it this way, you have to place an initialization value for s on the stack prior to the local variable declaration. a b c s > >> Note the single-quotes protecting s from evaluation, before STO. In the prior version, STO isn't needed because when s is declared, it is initialized using the value on the stack. When declaring local variables, you can use an algebraic expression in lieu of an embedded procedure. The pros and cons are various, but worth noting is the fact that an embedded procedure can be big and can have other embedded procedures and algebraic expressions within it, whereas an algebraic expression ends on its own terms and cannot have other objects embedded within (but can reference other objects by name). The last solution uses two algebraic expressions, corresponding to the two equations. The second algebraic expression corresponds to the second solution's second embedded procedure, serving the same purpose with respect to the declaration of local variable s. I couldn't do the same kind of thing with the first embedded procedure, i.e., I could not replace it with an embedded algebraic expression, because in order for the scope of a, b and c to extend into the second algebraic expression, the second algebraic expression would have to be embedded within the first algebraic expression. Which isn't allowed of course. Thus, the outer embedded procedure from the second solution remains, and the first algebraic expression is contained within the embedded procedure. a b c s 'SQRT( s*(s-a)*(s-b)*(s-c) )' >> >> Since the first algebraic expression it is not used in connection with local variable declarations, it is not evaluated implicitly. EVAL is needed to force its evaluation (the result of which is left on the stack and used as the initialization value in the declaration of s).
@jvanegas144 жыл бұрын
@@thomasbarber4001 Hello Thomas, Sorry, I'm going to be a little slow to reply as I'm currently struggling with a nasty project for grad school. I will come up with a couple of methods on my calculator in the coming week.
@osiris18022 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video. I‘m still using the HP-41CX that I bought in 1985. It still works flawlessly today and I will continue to use it as my daily calculator as long as it will work. The HP calculators from the 1970s and 1980s were built to last. Expensive? Aye, for sure expensive but worth tenfold the price I paid.
@tjschmal3 жыл бұрын
Bought the 28s for MedSchool in 1988. This thing was a beast ! When you used it, you felt like an engineer of the klingon empire. Today i use the HP Prime most of the time, but my 28s is still working and i love it !
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing your experience with the 28S, Thomas. Those are my sentiments exactly! Nothing impressed folks back in the day like the 28S, even in the engineering department. It's still an eye-catcher today because there's nothing quite like it.
@Mythologos2 жыл бұрын
My brother just gave me his 48Gx because I've really gotten into HP calcs and started a little collection. It still works and he had 2 cards (for surveying). It's a vintage beauty!
@MrWaalkman Жыл бұрын
Hang on to it! Great calculator. :)
@user-cy2iq1gl1t2 жыл бұрын
I purchased my 28s in the late 80’s while in engineering school and I do have my original battery door. I did go to the 48 and 50 later on while in the Air Force. My oldest son is an aspiring engineer or computer scientist and will be starting at the Naval Academy in the fall. He has zero interest in RPN aside from novelty. My son stopped watching after giving me a somewhat “really dad!” look, but I’m in heaven. Great video.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing. You and I would appear to be about the same age. So even though your son is somewhat following in your footsteps when it comes to a career path, he dislikes RPN and clearly isn’t interested in videos on that topic. I have a 19-year-old daughter in college right now and my son is 15. Even though they do use the HP Prime calculators I purchased for them for use in school, they tend to use them in algebraic mode mostly. They don’t have an interest in RPN. I’m not sure if it’s simply the effect of smart phones and modern technology on the younger generation or if it’s just that you and I have a different mindset that is more compatible and appreciative of the benefits that RPN gives you. But regardless, RPN certainly is superior and I can’t help but continue to love HP calculators as a result. And then there’s the nostalgia on top of that. This of course makes me curious what our children will reflect upon fondly with nostalgia when they are in their 50s and about the same age you and I are now.
@henrikkliebhan48748 ай бұрын
My son's comment goes the same direction 😁
@joeddejohn5 жыл бұрын
My first was the HP48G. Loved it. Picked up the Prime about 5 years ago. Not in school anymore but still enjoy it. Nice about the 3D feature.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and sharing your experience, Joe!
@bryanosborne9059Ай бұрын
HP 50g is the best calculator ever made for engineers that can program.
@JDW-Ай бұрын
I'd argue it's the best calculator ever made, even for technical people who can't program. Alas, most people have a Brain Cloud that prevents them from learning RPN. And yet, RPN is what great HP calculators are all about. Therein lies greatness!
@stevew397813 күн бұрын
It maybe true, but it has a very terrible screen that's extremely hard to read under most lighting conditions.
@JDW-13 күн бұрын
We are discussing the HP 50g here, so if you are referring to that, I must say you are the first person I’ve heard who has remarked that the LCD is “terrible.” Younger folks who are primarily comparing older display technology to state-of-the-art iPhone display tech would of course share your sentiments. But when I personally use my 50g in a room with lighting that’s adequate for me to read a piece of paper without straining my eyes, I find the 50g to be completely adequate and most certainly not “terrible.“ But if I were a younger person demanding a very high resolution backlit color screen, and if I were to use a 50g, I would of course find it lacking “in comparison.“ So it really does depend on you, and what you’re comparing it to.
@stevew397813 күн бұрын
@@JDW- As much as I'd like to believe I'm still a member of the "Younger folks," I'm over 60. My first calculator in college was the HP-41c. Then I moved on to the HP-42s. The HP-42s had a worse display than the HP-41c, but it was still very decent. I also own an HP-12c, HP-17BII, HP-19BII, HP-30b, HP-33s, HP-34s, HP-50g, and an HP Prime that I bought two weeks ago. The HP-34c has a great high-contrast display with a large viewing angle. The HP-50g has BY FAR the worst display of them all, and I'm NOT comparing the HP-50g's display to bright cell phone displays. The display of the HP-50g has a very limited viewing angle and is only usable during the day with bright background lighting. It's exceedingly hard to read at night when it's illuminated with desk lamps.
@JDW-12 күн бұрын
@@stevew3978 Thank you for clarifying. It must simply be a difference between our eyes then. Because the way my eyes see my HP calculator displays is pretty much the way my 4K camera shows the LCDs in my video. For example, let's compare my older 48GX LCD to the newer 50g. See 22:40 for the 48GX LCD. See 24:06 for the 50g display, which when compared to what you just saw on the 48GX display is clearer to my eyes, especially because the background color on the 50g is lighter and more white than the 48GX. I also adjust the LCD "Contrast" by way of pressing-and-holding the ON button and then pressing "+" or "-" to increase or decrease the contrast (i.e., adjust for your viewing angle). With that said, I can only describe my personal use case and show what my camera sees in my video. That doesn't put me in your shoes, of course. So everyone will have their own take on what their own eyes see, with or without glasses. I'm still a youngster at the age of 53, but I am looking at my calculator without glasses. Looking through corrective lenses may obscure the screen, perhaps.
@yeahitsme87995 жыл бұрын
Started my KZfaq binge with Butterball Turkey 20 videos ago now I'm here. . .
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Wow. Thank you for watching. I try to keep topics diverse. :-) I'm now putting the finishing touches on a new video about power supply replacement on a Macintosh SE/30 (from 1989). Should be out within a week.
@candlercando5 жыл бұрын
When you revealed your HP 48GX, I put that section of the video on loop!! I wish I had saved mine from 1996 or could find a pristine and working unit on eBay for a reasonable price. I may have to just get a Prime and put it in RPN mode. Thanks for the video.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Don't give up hope on EBAY. You can indeed find the 48GX in pristine condition for less than $250. I know because mine was purchased on EBAY in the summer of 2016 for US$125 (including shipping), shipped from the seller in Oregon to my forwarding address in California. My 28S is the only calculator I purchased originally back in the day, just when I was entering engineering school in 1989. It may take you a number of months, but I guarantee that you will find one in good condition for a reasonable price on EBAY if you are watchful and patient. In the meantime, below are some of my photos on Flickr that show the various calculators in my video, including the 48GX and the 128k FRAM card I use in it. Funny (and painful), but the FRAM card cost more than the 48GX at US$138 shipped. That too was an EBAY purchase from "slvr00gt" -- the guy who makes them. I hope this info helps, and thanks for watching! bit.ly/2o9VgKC
@inakipascal77184 ай бұрын
Thanks for the video. It brought back nostalgia from my days as a foreign student in Mexico. In 1983 I bought my HP 41CV, it cost 450 dollars in Mexico, I traveled to Los Angeles to buy my calculator for 100 dollars less! A design that inspired respect for US engineers. In the student environment it was something like driving a Cadillac. It was the first calculator used on the space shuttle. I still keep my hp41 among my most precious objects. best regards from Cochabamba, Bolivia.
@leemontgomery79145 жыл бұрын
You sir, are my hero. I grew up with HP 33E, then HP 28S, finally HP 48SX...actually appreciated 48sx but both 28 and 48 got me thru engineering school as well. And today I am still an HP-man.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your kind words, Lee. It's always nice to hear the stories of fellow HP calculator owners which largely parallel my own experience. By the way, I love of the printed color scheme of the 48SX much better than the 48GX, but of course, one can't complaint too much about that in light of the expandability the GX offers. Meta Kernel running off a 128k FRAM card (which needs no card battery) is great! Best wishes!
@leemontgomery79145 жыл бұрын
During my younger days, I worked as a structural draftsman (pre-BSME) and my Boss was an older man (Engineer). He had, wait for it, both the HP-67 and desk top 97. And he utilized the magnetic programming strips (cards).
@wombatlover27965 жыл бұрын
Hi Lee, I also started with the HP 33E and loved and adored it !!! Then I went to a HP 41CV, then my beloved HP48G and finally HP 50G, it got me through Science (Chem & Physics) and I still use it today !!! From Australia !!!
@jackprick97974 жыл бұрын
I have an HP 42S as my primary calculator. I love this little calculator!
@kimchee94112 Жыл бұрын
Although this is 5 years ago its a major update for me. Have not used a scientific calculator in years, my go to was the HP15C which I have not outgrown. I have couple of newer HPs, one with a magnetic tape reader. My oldest one is the HP 46, a monster desktop typewriter sized calculator inherited from a MIT engineer. The 46 came out a year after the HP 35, the first pocket scientific calculator and the killer of slide rules. Remember those slide rules? When you guys talking about the Prime, it's like a brave new world for me.
@JDW- Жыл бұрын
Interestingly, the video content is still as fresh as when I released it 5 years ago because there was only one somewhat minor update to the HP Prime hardware in that time. And of course, legacy products are locked in time forever. The 50g was discontinued some time ago, which is why it often sells for rather high prices today. But you can still find some sold new. If you want everything to be in RPN mode and have a classic usage feel in terms of function and UI, nothing beats the 50g. If you want modern tech and a touch-screen, the Prime is the right choice. And if you want that vintage button look and feel, a 28S or the 48g-series are excellent picks, if you can find them for a reasonable price on EBAY, that is. Even so the 50g is a nice blend of modern and the past. There are times when I punch in something on my 48gx and it takes a second or two to display. The 50g displays everything instantly due to its faster processor. That makes a difference when you are busy and need to punch in calculations fast.
@wokecults2 жыл бұрын
"I'm a guy that likes details" No need to state the obvious LOL. Thanks for the video. I'm getting an HP Prime G2 these days and your analysis confirms it is the best for me.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for making time to comment, John! The older version Primes my kids use are great, and that G2 is even better. Let me know how you like it!
@komanguy6 жыл бұрын
thank you for this review. Calculators are more comfortable than phones.
@JDW-6 жыл бұрын
They are. And you don't get pounded with "notifications" on your calculator like you do a phone. So a dedicated calculator is less distracting and allows the student to study, rather than watch KZfaq videos! :-)
@cfgosnell4 жыл бұрын
I have a 48GX and a 42S. My 42s is still going strong from 1987. The 42s is legendary. RPN is worth a try, especially for Engineers. HP is not the same company that made those calcs, but I may give the Prime a try...
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
I would suggest giving the HP Prime emulator a spin first. Then you can decide if the actual calculator is worth a purchase: www.hp-prime.de/en/category/6-downloads
@cfgosnell4 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- I am looking at it. The best thing I like about 'real' graphing calculators used for 'Math' students is that you get an answer something like 3pi/7 for an answer to the local minimum of a curve vs. 1.346... BTW, I loved my hp200LX as well. Another really good product from HP. Man, I am old...
@clearsailing79934 жыл бұрын
I had a bunch hp calculators over the years. I bought the prime and could not program it. Not much info out there on it.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
@@clearsailing7993 You can find details about programming here: www.hp-prime.de/files/composite_file/file/201-programming-in-hp-ppl.pdf Any questions you have can be submitted in the following forum, which is frequented by HP Calculator group engineers: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@trailranger6602 Жыл бұрын
Your video took me down memory lane. I started with the 28C, then the S and did 4 years of RPN. I struggle with algebraic entry methods to this day. Unfortunately my career veered away from physics into computer science where I didn't get to use much of the math I learned. A few years back I got a 48GX but even after all those years, my muscle memory found me grabbing the 28S. The 48's top row keys finally quit responding and I couldn't fix it. I now have the Prime but I've rarely used it because I spend so much time looking for the key I need. I'm still using the 28... Now that I'm retired, I'm going back over all my old math books and am only going to use the Prime. Let's see how that goes.
@JDW- Жыл бұрын
You are like me in that my muscle memory pertains to the 28S too. I like many things about the 48GX, but compared to my 50g, it's really slow. On some basic operations, it suddenly takes several seconds before numbers appear on the display. Not so with my 50g. So anyone wanting a 48GX style calculator should probably get the 50g to avoid frustration. But most people who buy the 48 and older series do so for reasons of nostalgia alone. With that said, my 28S is often more responsive than my 48GX for some reason. No sure why. Maybe it's just playing a mind trick on me! 🙂
@maxrkmrose5 жыл бұрын
Great video. I am also a longtime HP user since the 41C back in 1979. Hands down for the engineer, the best choice in my opinion.
@JonathanAdami2 жыл бұрын
omg the memories, the time I spent coding on that 48gx and then I still remember the feeling upgrading to the 49 haha
@rodrigofilho19963 жыл бұрын
I have a HP 50G and I love it, even tho I finished all my studies (for now) I still prefer to use the calculator on my work and other stuff, after 8 years using it I just got used to it so much that anything more "modern" feels wrong, and even tho its old, if u know how to use it they are extremely powerful to this day...
@rjarpa3 жыл бұрын
I'm a millennial and I love this video, still I'm using 48G+ and I love RPN method to work with the previous result in the stack, the best thing of HP Calculators are the buttons very well design and too much responsive specially when you are under pressure doing a test against the clock. Thanks for the video
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and sharing your kind thoughts, Ruben! Your calculator is almost the same as my 48GX. I use the GX at the office all the time to this day, despite the fact the 50g is so much better in many ways. It's something about the feel of the keys, the look, and the nostalgia!
@tookitogo3 жыл бұрын
I grew up using algebraic input on TI graphing calcs, so I don’t use RPN on my Prime, but the keyboard on it was actually the original reason for me to look at the Prime to begin with. (I have a pinched nerve that causes me issues, including oversensitive fingertips, so mushy keys that need to be pressed hard simply don’t work for me any more.) At age 40 I went back to school, and my math teacher let me try his various calculators, and let me borrow his Prime for a week. I ordered one two days in. :)
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
@@tookitogo I agree that the Prime has a nice keyboard. Some purists like the keyboard of the HP48 series better, but I'm not so strict. Glad to hear you were influenced by an HP lover. HP calculators are great. Then again, so is RPN. Even so, the Prime isn't a 100% RPN calculator, but I still enjoy using it in RPN mode. I used algebraic calculators until I started college and switched to the HP28S, which was my first try at RPN. I've been using RPN exclusively ever since!
@VitorMartinsAugusto8 ай бұрын
I own the HP Prime, the HP 48GX (has a common defect and is unusable - was my University calculator after the Casio FX-850P), the HP 48G and the HP Prime. I own many other calculators, but that is not important now. I must say this about the HP Prime: when I bought it, I was overwhelmed regarding its functionality. Absolutely amazing: the touch screen, the responsiveness, etc. But soon that passed and I realized that I really disliked the calculator! Here are some reasons: 1) I got the G1 (was purchased right when it was released - I bought it while visiting New York, the calculator was not available in Portugal). The key labels are a joke. Especially the blue and orange labels are unreadable with reduced ambient light. The blue ones are hard to read even with full ambient light. 2) I find the separatoion of HOME/CAS/APPS very unintuitive, especially because you see the current app name on top of the home screen (where you do the calculations). Why is the CAS HOME a different one? Makes no sense to me. 3) While I figured out how to use the NUMWORKS calculator without reading the manual, including the Python editor and shell, I had to read the HP PRIME manual to do most of the few things I was able to do. Still I have no idea how to use Python. By the way: there is a bug: when in Python Editor mode, press APPS and you get a 5% chance of crashing & rebooting the calculator. 4) The calculator is NOT a HP RPN/RPL calculator. It does have a RPN mode, but it is nowhere near what an HP48/50 (or older) calculator can do. I understand that older HP caluculators with RPN/RPL are obsolete in the current school system, where companies like TI, Casio, HP and Numworks have to provide certified calculators with tailor limited functionality. In order to compete, they develop math courses for teachers and provide teachers with their calculators for free (or at reduced cost). As a parent, the best is to give your child the same calculator as the teacher uses, otherwise your kid won't have any support in class, when he get's stuck in an exercise - the teacher doesn't know how to use different calculators. Most modern engineers use other tools, instead of calculators: Excel, Matlab, or whatever software tool, including Wolfram Alpha and ChatGPT. There isn't really much demand for "engineering" calculators, as the "engineering" is done on a laptop filled with software and the internet. When I was in University (88-94), we did not have laptops and computers were running mainly DOS. Having a good calculator was a requirement, as we did have to produce real values at the end of an exercise. Those, like myself, who knew how to program the calculator, could achieve great grades. Today, most teachers do not care for the numerical result. They prefer to not authorise any calculator and get the formulas from the students, instead of risking them cheating on the whole exam. I think the HP Prime caught caught in the middle of this change and is neither a popular school calculator (too complicated) nor a great engineering calculator (not RPN/RPL).
@MrWaalkman4 жыл бұрын
I've got a 28s as well, and it's a nice calculator. My 15C is still my favorite though. :)
@scramjet46107 ай бұрын
By far the best HP Prime video. Your clear, detailed explanations together with the 4K video is very effective for getting started with the HP Prime. Thanks for the great work.
@JDW-7 ай бұрын
Thank you for your very kind words!
@IB4U2Cme9 ай бұрын
I have three HP50s. I tried using the Prime, it is fast, but programing on my HP50 is so much easier. I after six months, gave up on the Prime because my experience with the programing is already established.
@JDW-9 ай бұрын
You are one of many who feel that way. It's not to say the Prime is bad, but the 50g is truly the ultimate HP calculator.
@jlastre4 жыл бұрын
I purchased the HP Prime as a grown adult to take my Ham radio exams. I grew up in the 70s and used Ti, Casio ( graphics) and finally the HP 28s. Lost all of them. HP Prime is really nice and the price differential is not that much more. You can’t use your phone for the Ham exams as they are connected to the internet. Arguably the exams are not math intensive and I have an advanced degree in statistics. The price relative to what I had before is quite reasonable. Nice review.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your story. The fact that the HP Prime is accepted on standardized tests is really why these calculators exist now days. Even though smartphones can do nearly everything better and faster, they are banned from most tests. The Prime is nice because it has a touch screen and is about the fastest dedicated hand-held calculator you can find. To get the most out of the Prime, be sure to join the HP Museum forums. We have a great community over there, and HP engineers often post there too. Best wishes!
@jlastre4 жыл бұрын
JDW Yup. One thing you didn’t mention is that RPN stood for Reverse Polish Notation which for the uninitiated was thought to be an insult instead of what it was which was the naming convention in honor of the inventor. Oh the good o’ days.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
@@jlastre Indeed. I'm certainly glad it wasn't called by the inventor's last name though since no one would have been able to pronounce it! :-) I love RPN and hate using calculators without it!
@mellowtube2 жыл бұрын
I have owned a 28s,11c,41cv, 48sx, 33s, hp prime g2. I mastered my 48sx. When I was in Nuclear Power School, I used the 48sx to write a Nuclear reactor simulator on it. It blew all the Naval Nuclear Reactor Operators away. I miss that calculator, it died on me several years ago. Now I have a hp prime g2. and 33s. The hp prime is not as intuitive to me as my other hps, its a fine calculator, granted I havent broke down and read the 703 page online manual. I miss printed manuals! will read the manual. and give a update. thanks for the video.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and sharing your HP story, Craig. That's quite a number of HP calcs you've used!
@mellowtube2 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- I am old school. I am old enough to know, hp is the shit. The Hp primes power and speed is amazing.
@henrikkliebhan48748 ай бұрын
Excellent video with the right flight level. I owned a 11 C and a 42s. I'm still (my age is 58) confused using non RPN Calculators 😉. So I'm going to buy a "last one". The decision will be hard there are so many offers... 😊
@ricardomontes3734 жыл бұрын
You keep an open mind and I admire that. Thanks for the review.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and for your kind words, Ricardo.
@josetoro44054 жыл бұрын
Wow. Extraordinary review. Really. All previous models, and particular for PRIME. Smooth narrative. Wow. Thank you!!!!
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the kind words, Jose!
@Sparks525 жыл бұрын
The 50g also has algebraic mode. I have one and that's the mode I use most often with it. Interesting review as I'm going to buy the latest Prime. I've also got a number of TI calculators and they have their strengths. The oldest TI programmable dates back to a TI-58c with LED display, for which I have numerous modules and a printer with thermal tape (don't know if the very old tape is any good now). Thanks for all the details. Regarding the ACT, they currently prohibit all variants of the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS (non-CAS are OK), HP Prime, HP 48GII, HP 40G, HP 49G, and HP 50G. Also prohibited are four model series of Casio calculators and any calculator with a QWERTY keyboards. Google for ACT Calculator Policy and the link readily appears. And, BTW, if all else fails and there's no calculator available, or the battery dies mid-test, don't panic; having a towel handy helps. The answer to every calculation is *always* 42.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Using your 50g in Algebraic mode no doubt makes your life easier when using your TI calculators that lack RPN. But the 50g is really an RPN calculator at its heart, and I find there is so much missing from the experience when switched to Algebraic mode. RPN is something special. With regard to the ACT vs SAT, you may find it interesting to know that the SAT is comparatively more geared toward those who excel at math, versus the ACT which is better suited for those well versed in English. So it comes as little surprise, the SAT offers students liberty when it comes to using the 50g or the Prime. Students can take either test, so I personally would choose the one that allows me more calculator choices. Further reading here: bit.ly/2WxyZdC
@Sparks525 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Thanks for the reply. For me, the SAT, ACT and GRE are water not only under the bridge, they're well past the delta and littoral out into deep blue water. I've got no kids or grandkids anywhere near the ACT/SAT/GRE age brackets. As an undergrad, the school I attended, ASU, only accepted the ACT. May still be the case with a few schools. That's what I took and in that era it was all paper and pencil. Didn't need a calculator for the GRE even though I had a very simple one with me that did the four functions plus transcendentals (a "slide rule" calculator). All its math questions were trivial *if* you saw through them to underlying principles that provided shortcuts to the answer. The TI four-function from 1967 existed but no HS student other than the independently wealthy could afford one. Wouldn't have been allowed when I took the ACT anyway. I was nearly done with my undergrad degree when the HP 35 hit the streets and they were outrageously expensive. The rest of us used slide rules. I still have a couple and occasionally use them. Great for doing very quick calcs and who needs more than two or three significant digits? At one time I could do dual precision computations with one - needs paper and pencil/pen to record the intermediate values. One part in a hundred or thousand precision works for nearly everything unless you're calculating space probe trajectories. I have to control my laughter when I see applied science and engineering presentations using more than 4 significant digits for other than business case or grant monetary accounting (which must be down to the penny). Most practical measurement systems can't deliver more than 3 digits; some sophisticated ones can deliver 4 digits. Greater precision demands an environmentally controlled lab with very expensive and delicate instruments. No batteries required; slide rules are solar powered. Mentioned the ACT restrictions as your video specifically mentions college entrance exams. I've digressed. ;-) An HP Prime G2 is en route (Rev D, the newest 2018 model) which is supposed to be about 3x faster than the G1 Rev C. Also found an old TI-86 for a pittance, which is easier to connect to a current PC than a TI-85 and it's nearly 100% backward compatible. There are programs I have for the TI-85 I don't want to port to the TI-89 Titanium, the HP 50g, or the Prime. Unnecessary work. Runs fast enough for what I need. I've used RPN, but like many tools, one uses a hammer for nails and screwdrivers for screws. There are occasions when algebraic input is very direct from the source information and fast. On other occasions, using the RPN stack is more efficient, although for what I'm doing it's 35-40% of the time. Being able to flip between the modes has been convenient - if it's the 50g on hand. I'll see how the HP Prime works out. For me, they're all tools in a toolbox, each having a few different characteristics.
@mluna9cr3 жыл бұрын
Just to say thank you for taking your time to put this together.. I am about your age and not an expert just exploring this type of calculator for my future career and certainly I needed this type of video that take us from the very starting point, as opposed to the majority of youtube videos that go pretty fast and not very clear .
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your kind words, Miguel. I'm always thrilled when someone comes along, such as yourself, and says you are pleased with the video detail. I do that deliberately because I am a man of details. But there are also people who comment and say they want a 3-7 minute video. I suspect, these are the same folks who, at the time of this writing, are among the 46 people have given the video a Thumbs Down. But I remind them that I am not making videos for entertainment purposes. I seek to inform. Thank you for letting me know you appreciated the content.
@lenkapenka69765 жыл бұрын
Own a 48G (32K) and 50G... prefer the 48G in usability.... and keyboard... whenever I want to do something on the 50G I refer to my 48G hard copy manual... almost everything is the same ))
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Beside the keyboard, what specifically about the 48G do you prefer over the 50g? I ask, because I own a 48GX. The 50g has Meta Kernel builtin, and the 48GX can add Meta Kernel via 128k card, but your 48G cannot. That’s why I am curious what other than the look and feel of the keys makes you prefer the HP48 over the 50g. Thanks.
@lenkapenka69765 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Prefer the layout of the keys functions, also although the screen is smaller it handles exactly what I need (stack) although Matrices are nowhere displayed near as good (mind you the Nspire CX is streets ahead of the 50G in matrix presentation/manipulation) - just like the feel and size of the calculator, yes can customise the 50G (and have) but I guess spent so long with the 48 series I really start to prefer it even if technically inferior., but most I think will say it shows its age.
@noth6064 жыл бұрын
Ed Ed I have a 48G now, had a 48SX for a long time but sold it aiming to upgrade to the GX but never got around to it and now they are hard to find. Lucked out and found a cheap mint 48G. But as the 50g is not available locally where I am at all, and from overseas it's price plus shipping plus customs make it far too costly I have a TI nspire CAS for anything that the 48G can't do. Basically CAS lol, but I got it for next to nothing so why not.
@lenkapenka69764 жыл бұрын
@@noth606 The 50G has one definite superior component - a "Black" screen, similar to the later (post 1999) 48GX's that now fetch a premium price, however, the earlier 48G and GX screens are fine, if less contrasty, but the 48S/48SX screen is terrible, even for 1990!!!
@breaktheloop3 жыл бұрын
Appreciate your detailed video review. It helped my purchasing decision on a graphing calculator for self-study math. Also, thank you for showing the screen protector and soft case accessories. I had not even considered the idea of getting either of those until seeing your video. Although the specific brands in your video are not sold any longer, I bought what look to be equivalent products on Amazon in the CATI HP Prime screen protector and a XBERSTAR Neoprene soft carrying pouch for Texas Instruments calculators. Thank you for the informative video!
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and for your kind words. Best wishes to you in your study of math!
@RodrigoVzq5 жыл бұрын
I have the 50g with the leather case. It is really premium
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
You have the earlier version which came with the leather case. The 50g hasn't changed but the case has. The one I have isn't leather. Yours has a more premium feel. The only benefit to the case I have is that it won't scratch, if one considers that a benefit. Sadly, the 50g has been discontinued. You can still find one but the sellers want more than $300 for one. It's a pity for those who don't own a 50g. To RPN lovers like me, I still find that the 50g has some appeal over the Prime. But for high school students today, the graphing features of the Prime far outshine any other calculator. It's fast and in full color.
@Vinicius-nd8nz4 жыл бұрын
I was in doubt about which calculator to buy because I didn't know a lot about them, just knew I needed one. You explained a lot with many important details. Thanks for the wonderful video.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
That you for watching and for your kind words, @UCa7MOOXKS_J-A8zjojNk4PA!
@clearsailing79934 жыл бұрын
At least Swissmicro is making a replacement (DM42) for the hp42s. It has a bigger screen and a usb plug. I hope eventually they will make a replacement for hp50g. Hp doesn't care about calculators anymore.
@komanguy6 жыл бұрын
Though this hp prime doesn't have RPL (the programming language) nor SysRPL, I love it; Very fast (maybe the fastest calculator) and very capable; plenty of storage also;
@JDW-6 жыл бұрын
RPN mode in the Home button is nice, but I wish the Prime also had RPN when using CAS too. Still not sure why there's no RPN mode in the CAS button. It feels slightly inconsistent. But that won't affect most students who will use the calculator in either Algebraic or Textbook modes.
@CarlStender5 жыл бұрын
You are supposed to lightly push on the HP logo on the cover to slide the cover on and off. It is designed to be locked on unless you push the logo to get it to release. I had the exact same problem as you until it dawned on me how it was designed. Luckily I'm a plastic injection mold maker so after I looked it over, it dawned on me how it was designed. Pretty slick now that you know how it works, ay?
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Carl, I would assume that trick isn't in the HP Prime documentation, right? In any case, I do appreciate the tip, as I am sure others are here in the comments section. Thank you!
@ZTenski2 жыл бұрын
When I was in school, I went for TI all the way. But now that I'm not in school, I use an HP prime for everything. I have the physical calculator, but I use the android pro app for everyday use because of its speed (hp gets kudos for supporting their own emulator.) The big gripe with primes seems to be lack of apps and marketing, but honestly, if I'm gonna do some crazy simulation or something that it can't handle, I've found it's faster to just load a proper computer program like octave or multisim or R, whether I use hp or ti. Gotta use the right tool for the job. I have circuit analysis, chemistry, and kinematics apps and they all work great, courtesy hpmuseum. I have never felt a lack of support once I left school, especially given the python capabilities they added to the gen 2 calculator. The only thing ti is good for is backwards compatability with apps made in the early 2000s that really don't matter once I was out of school. No one in the real world plugs a calculator in to measurement equiptment. They get a proper IO board and use a laptop.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for making time to share your detailed experience. Glad to see someone able to move beyond TI and choose an HP. I agree that different situations call for different tools!
@ZTenski2 жыл бұрын
Also, the layout of the keys is far nicer in my opinion. TI has had this annoying habit of not caring about accessability. Every friggin' function is in a menu of a menu of a menu, and it's gotten worse, not better with the nspire, or even on the 30 series. With the HP, you spend your time in the homescreen doing your math instead of in menus. Also, the lack of default backspace and insert mode on TI's. I don't know if they are tone deaf or just don't care but, I write from left to right. So obviously I want to have backspace over delete. And I miss inputs more often than misspress, so I'd rather insert. The nspire fixes this, but it took them almost two decades. This is why for a nonprogrammable I reccomend the sharp w516 series. No menus, it's all on the buttons. And for programmble CAS, the HP prime is best. It's probably the single best calculator on the market.
@hansmeier16085 жыл бұрын
Wow, that's really a very informative, clear and well made video. No shaking cam, nothing unsharp but all good to see. You are showing many aspects, so it gives a good view on this machine. I think you have made several videos or are used to make this in your profession. That's what I call competent. f course, not all capabilities of the Prime were shown, that would need some more time (also to prepare this), it has a large fundus of possibilities. So if you like to go on on with Prime videos, it may be useful to take one part like functions, statistic or another one and show only this at a complete video. So interested people can see detailed aspects. A good work, like to see more like this! An information about the Prime: now the newer and faster G2 version is coming on the market and in some shops you can get it (not all!).
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your kind words, Hans. I shoot with a Panasonic GH5 and Olympus 12-100mm F4 lens mounted on a tripod, then edit in Apple's FCPX and use unsharp mask (I hate blurry videos). As to the G2 edition of the Prime, it is terribly unfortunate that HP still hasn't gotten their act together and made it available worldwide. It's nowhere to be found here in Japan and still very hard to find in North America. For some reason, HP, despite being an American company, decided to release the G2 in select parts of Europe first. There's been a lot of talk about that decision in the HP Museum forum but members of HP who often participate in that forum are being silent about the reasons why. Anyway, I agree without you that some follow-up videos would be in order. It's just that every time I have time to make a video, my kids are using their Primes for school! :-)
@hansmeier16085 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Good equipment. We can see it and the good handling by the quality of your video. If you want a G2, i can send you one from here, but if there is any problem, then guarantee is only given here. Am also reading in hp museum forum, its very helpful. Many commands that we dont find in user guide or only rudimentary are explained there. I think, the time is over when it was useful to learn everything on a calculator, its to much and a large spreading over many themes. So I try now to study only few of its possibilities, esp. programming.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your kind offer, Hans; but I won't trouble you with the G2 model. When it finally comes to most stores in the US, I will buy one and possibly review it. I purchased the two Primes my children use (one of which is shown in my video) from Walmart in the USA. The price was about $119 each. They don't carry them in stores though. I had to order from Walmart online, which is strange. Clearly, HP isn't doing enough to ensure their products are seen in-store. It's too bad and one reason TI is more popular than HP among US students. TI calculators are in every store.
@hansmeier16085 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Would be no trouble but I would like to do something good for a guy like you :-). Price for G2 here (germany) is today 114,95 Euro (129,87 US-$) and for porto 15,89 Euro (17,95 $) for little package with no insurance (no, not good) or 36,99 Euro (41,79 $) with insurance max. 500 Euro. Last would be better, so I could send it to you during 3-5 days until I get it and the time for sending to USA by DHL service (they tell about 10-12 days for it) for 129,87+41,79. Your very good work made me happy to see, so I have no problem to do something good for you. There are really lots of videos here with shaking cam, dimly lights, showing stomach of autor but the told item and so on...
@TheTechnologyFuturist5 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the review! I added this to my collection with my ti nspire cx cas and 84 plus ce
@tookitogo3 жыл бұрын
What’s your long term opinion, now that you’ve had them for a while?
@JohnLee-bf2ux3 жыл бұрын
Thank God you didn’t fall for the Ti Nspire CX II CAS marketing bull***. You bought the fastest and the most straight forward device for any on the field calculations available to man.
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Indeed. But the sad reality is that HP's marketing department has allowed TI to take over American schools. They really have. And they don't do much to promote HP calculators in key markets outside the USA either. For example, here in Japan, the Prime doesn't even appear at all in HP's calculator store! As a result, most American math textbooks now showcase how to solve problems on TI calculators rather than HP. You can read more about that monopolization of American math education by TI here: bit.ly/2GdLbZL
@nahbro72823 жыл бұрын
I got the ti nspire cx II cas over the prime. I’ve used tis forever but that’s not the main reason. The main reason is because the ti has a much better cas program, and that’s the main thing I needed. I don’t need to compute sequences that go from 0 to 10000, I just need all the cas features. I agree that they have a monopoly but this is in no way worse than this calculator. I’d say they are equal (I also find a touchscreen useless for my liking).
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
@@nahbro7282 When you graph a lot, the pinch-to-zoom touch screen of the Prime is vastly superior to the TI. Regarding CAS differences, the myth that the NSpire is better than the Prime has been largely dispelled in this discussion: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-11214.html Still not convinced? Hold on to your hat... kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mbt4o6epmeCrd2w.html
@nahbro72823 жыл бұрын
JDW in regards to the discussion I didn’t mean like simplifying stuff. I’ve been through the cas (or maybe they’re not cas menus idrk) menus of both calculators and the ti had a much bigger menu. I had seen that comparative video but a lot of the features the prime is “better” at don’t really mean much to me. I would never use the touchscreen, the faster processing would most likely not be much of a difference because I don’t think I’ll be doing sequences from 0-30000, and having actual trig buttons doesn’t really matter to me either. The only thing that is kinda annoying are the rough edges in the polar graph the video compared, but that may not be a big deal either because that graph or graphs as complicated may never show up for me. For what I was looking for, the ti, IMO, was better for me
@nahbro72823 жыл бұрын
JDW also, for graphing, at home, I would most likely just use Desmond for simplicity and time, so I would use it anywhere that’s not my house.
@detronbrian6 жыл бұрын
thank you for this video! I have a 48SX, 48GX, 50G, (and a 15C), and was not sure if I wanted the Prime or not. I still do not know, but I feel I have more information to work with.
@JDW-6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your kind comment, Detron! Be sure to click "SHOW MORE" in the text description under my video because I posted a lot of useful supplementary information there.
@mellowtube2 жыл бұрын
You are a excellent teacher. You are very good at explaining things
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your very kind words, Craig.
@michaelbaker50702 жыл бұрын
The package is a pain believe me
@josemesquita6036 жыл бұрын
Thanks for your nice presentation on the HP prime. I own the original revision "A" hardware (yours is a "C") and enjoy it very much, although I used the HP-67 and the HP-25C in my time at school days.
@JDW-6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment, Jose! I hope my video will inspire some students to give HP calculators like the Prime a hard look, especially in the USA where TI has a near monopoly on the education market.
@andresfrr1005 жыл бұрын
I started with HP-28, then HP-48G, HP-48GX, HP-49G and now HP Prime. I still can get HP-48GX II, HP-49GX and HP-50G brand new.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
When you say "I still can get... brand new" I think you meant to say, "I purchased these brand new," right? Finding sellers who have unopened "brand new" shrink-wrapped 48GX packages are something I've never seen in recent years! :-)
@andresfrr1005 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Nope. Sorry I'm sleepy. The first ones I have them, HP50G it's been selling new in some stores with the Synthetic Case in one transparent package and I found one where they sell the HP48GII and the HP49G+ (sorry the codes where wrong) new as they look.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
OK. So you didn't find the 48GX shrink-wrapped and sold as new. :-) I didn't think so. And yes, I too have seen the 50g sold new, but most sellers are insane asking about US$300 for one. They are no longer made, true, but that price is just outrageous. Glad I got my 50g when I did.
@KM-yl9lc4 жыл бұрын
Thank you very much for this video. I was on the fence on whether to buy this or the CX. You’ve swayed me to go for the Prime!
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
I think it's a good choice. My daughter has been using it in high school since 2018 and she's quite savvy in using it without having read too much of the documentation. It does take a little time to understand, but that's true of any fancy calculator you've never used before. Best wishes!
@vanessakitty88675 жыл бұрын
I had the HP41 series. My HP 41CX was used recently during my Masters Degree program.
@lipschutz4 жыл бұрын
I was literate in RPN. I just can't use another system.
@kurtfrancis46212 жыл бұрын
I have the 28S...still running after 33 years. Still have the battery door. REAL engineers use RPN. If you aren't using RPN, you need to be INDOCTRINATED into the correct mode of thinking. Enter ARGUMENTS, then the VERB. There's a good reason why the Apollo Guidance Computer used this methodology...BECAUSE IT MAKES SENSE!
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing. Although I too still have my battery door on the 28S, the sharper edges of that door broke off many years ago. It still fits into place, but it's not in pristine/perfect condition. Aside from that, a couple keys on the 28S don't work unless I press so hard I think I'll break the calculator. No surprises there, as it was my workhorse in college and is now 33 years old!
@JoeSteele2 жыл бұрын
I still have my 28S with the door intact as well, although I can't say it has seen much use in the last 10 years. But I broke it out and tested it and it still works! Thanks for the great video @JDW
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you, Joe!
@tekcomputers Жыл бұрын
I found RPN to be second nature, the way you performed computations is basically the same way we were taught to right down math problems in elementary school., you place one number, put the next below it and then apply the operator, lol..... So going from there, it just meant thinking of all problems like that. And of course the best benefit is not having to fight with operation order, since everything is just done left to right.
@leozendo35005 жыл бұрын
Such a good choice. Everyone uses Ti nspire cx CAS and it is very hard to use. Very little people know HP Prime, unfortunately.
@julianlee14355 жыл бұрын
Hello..can you help me? how do you calculate % on hp prime? I don't see % key. Ex (2/10)*10=20%
@leozendo35005 жыл бұрын
@@julianlee1435 percentage is just 1/100. Just devide your number by 100 and it's the percentage.
@GeertDelmulle4 жыл бұрын
Julian Lee open the toolbox, choose catal(o)g,... you’re welcome.
@jjkatter29 күн бұрын
Thanks for the thorough and informative review. A+
@fepatton2 жыл бұрын
The 28C was my first “pro” calculator and I got a ton of use out of it, but goodness it hoovered up the batteries! Mine may have had a flaw, but I never got more than a couple of weeks out of it.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
I've never used the 28C. I suppose it could be conceivable that it was a design flaw because I never had battery issues on my 28S (which I still own and use today).
@mellowtube6 ай бұрын
Just got me a great condition HP50g! So far so good. The HP50g is more intuitive than the HP Prime in my experience. So happy getting one. Maybe it's because Iam nearly 54?
@JDW-6 ай бұрын
I myself will be turning 53 this month, so we are in the same age group who know well what makes a good calculator! 🙂
@mellowtube6 ай бұрын
@@JDW- you should contact me. From what I can see, we are similar.
@oksolets11 ай бұрын
Best review on the internet
@JDW-11 ай бұрын
Thank you for your kind words!
@fahd90224 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed the detailed review
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Thank you, Fahad!
@lenkapenka69765 жыл бұрын
hey nice review! Prime sucks for me... HP-50G.... that is in a different league )))) I think the HP28S keyboard is pure luxury, so smooth...
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
I suppose I like my 50g the most, but I still love the keyboard on my 28S. My kids do enjoy using their Prime at school though. But I think that’s mainly because the Prime is more visually impressive than the calculators other students are using.
@valizeth40734 жыл бұрын
Just got this calculator, bit of an upgrade from my hp 49g+ and it takes some time to get used to, like no real equation writer, however it's a really nice calculator.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
It has a mix of good and bad for those of us used to older HP calculators, but the faster speed, color touchscreen, and advanced graphing features make the Prime a great purchase for many.
@deusimperator4 жыл бұрын
In 1989 I entered engineering school. 80% of the class used HP-28S
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
I attended CSU Fresno from 1989 through 1994 and don’t remember anyone other than myself having a 28S. I do remember when the 48 came out my fellow students started buying those, but I didn’t have any bit of jealousy whatsoever because at the time I thought my 28S was superior. I loved the extra keys which I felt made my inputs more productive. I still love my 28S, but some of the keys are difficult to push now which is a bit sad.
@deusimperator4 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- As a part of the required book list issued by the Engineering department was the HP-28C/S calculators. In high school, only perhaps 3 students used the 28C/S, U used a Sharp EL-9000. In university, we pretty much had abandoned all other calculators for RPN. I prefer the 28S even to this day though I have the 50G and prime. 28S is a far superior calculator for most tasks. Once you have an RPN calculator you really lose interest in other calculators. Stacking and the tools required to manipulating the stack are nonexistent in other systems. I quit engineering and studied math physics instead and the 28S held up, The only problem I have had with the 28S is the battery doorway broke and the door hangs on by the metal insert.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
@@deusimperator Thanks for sharing. What university did you attend? I too purchased my 28S through the university bookstore, but it wasn't required. In fact, I think it was one of the highest priced calculators on the list at the time. I didn't buy it based on price though, of course. I had never used an RPN calculator before. I simply checked out the specifications and made the buying decision based on that. Glad I did! :-) That was my start into the world of HP calculators.
@deusimperator4 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- I attended a few universities but not all related to the study of mathematics or physics. The University of Calgary, University of Western Ontario, University of Michigan, University of Fribourg, and the Louvain.
@deusimperator4 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- I remember paying about 350.00 for the 28S. These were pretty expensive even for that time
@jonl7166 жыл бұрын
In Canada, we are not allowed to use any of these calculators in Engineering school on exams. It's really unfortunate. I own several HP calculators including the WP 34s.
@JDW-6 жыл бұрын
I was in engineering school in the CSU system in California from 1989 to 1994, and at the time I was allowed to use my HP 28S during exams in most engineering classes. Acing your engineering class exams takes a lot more than a good calculator, that’s for sure. While I understand the educator argument that a student who doesn’t know the basics won’t be able to move up to more advanced topics, I also understand that forcing students to do the drudgery of math longhand is also an obstacle to advancement, unless perhaps you’re planning to be a career mathematician. Once you graduate from engineering school, you’re not going to be sitting around all day doing math by hand. The core of good engineering is learning, growing, and understanding the digital tools that help us engineer even better. And while it’s true most engineers are going to be using computers or tablets and more powerful devices when we get out in the field, the fact is that calculators like a Prime can be an important aid to help students advance.
@threadripper9792 жыл бұрын
Pretty sad to see what HP has done with their calculator line. They pretty much washed their hands of it, selling it off to Moravia, and they are doing basically nothing with it. 😪
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Exactly!
@ultrametric93179 ай бұрын
Good review - should I get a Prime 2? I have a 50g. I had a 71B for 35 years :) I love calculators! But the TI CAS really is more capable, and useful in practice to the CAS on the 50g. It is based on Derive, which in turn is based on LISP. This is a very powerful environment for doing symbolics.
@JDW-9 ай бұрын
Since you mentioned nothing about RPN or RPL and focused mainly on the quality of CAS, based on that, I would say you would be happy with the Prime as its speed blows away any other dedicated calculator, especially those in the TI line. It's only those who own a 50g and demand the most complete RPN and RPL experience possible who somewhat hold the Prime in disregard. RPN works only in the HOME button view on the Prime, not in the CAS button view.
@ultrametric93179 ай бұрын
@@JDW- RPL is a great thing. RPN is just second nature, I can't believe people make a big deal of it. I had FORTH on my HP-71B :)
@RC-wi6xm5 жыл бұрын
State-of-the-Art is SwissMicros DM42
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
All except for those lackluster keys (aesthetics). Sorry, but classic HP calculators have a serious one-up on Swiss Micros when it comes to the look of HP's lovely beveled keys. I especially like the keys on my 28S. If Swiss Micros would hire a better CAD engineer and mimic those keys, I would agree with you that Swiss Micros are a hands-down serious rival to some vintage HP calculators. Even so, the calculators shown in my video still have advantages over the DM42, especially the 28S with all its keys. Swiss Micros still has a very small selection of calculators. Beautify those keys and broaden the selection of calculators, I say!
@komanguy6 жыл бұрын
I had the same difficulty at opening the package. :)
@Manuel-ge3zk Жыл бұрын
great video, thank you!, I had a HP50g and I loved it
@JDW- Жыл бұрын
The 50g really is the ultimate calculator, I think.
@julioc49783 жыл бұрын
Great review. Where can I buy the FRAM Card for the 48GX? I have an older RAM which needs a coin cell battery and every time it drains, I lose the contents. Thanks
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment. The EBAY seller from who I purchased my FRAM card stopped selling them. Not sure if you could contact that seller to offer more or not, but I discuss all that in this forum thread: bit.ly/2P4CEqR
@paulgets27375 жыл бұрын
P.(P.S.) I've been buying Hp calculators (Hp25 the first) since i was 18!
@fabiuspocus14303 жыл бұрын
Hi, I am Fabio. Great video and great collection! I think that HP-28S and HP-28C are graphing calculators but some sites says no. What is the truth? Thanks from Florence, Italy.
@MTkavc3 жыл бұрын
Yes, they are. I own 28S.
@nicaeng7353 Жыл бұрын
I am still thinking whether to buy a Prime or give my unused 50G (after discovering it just sucks batteries in weeks; my 48S was a true legend which I still use the emulator on my phone) to my new engineering student daughter or buy her a red/pink TI calculator as she wishes 😂 What a world and consumption craze
@JDW- Жыл бұрын
The 50g has longer battery life than the Prime, I believe. BTW, how many weeks until your 50g dies with fresh alkalines?
@nicaeng7353 Жыл бұрын
@@JDW- actually I had bought 50G in 2009 (after 48S died) and seen that in my typical usage it was like 4-5 weeks. Never tried rechargeables (couldn't get used to buttons and places after using 48S for 19 years). I recommend my daughter to start with 50G but her decision. Running with a powerbank through mini USB cable is another advantage for 50G but never used it heavily. IMO, calculator has to have a mono screen (like Al Bundy wants a white WC). I have Prime emulator in my phone as well (again not used so much). 48S was having all commands quickly reacheable (even 48G requires some struggle for some commands). Too many functions cause some user experience reduction. Again my opinion.
@JDW- Жыл бұрын
@@nicaeng7353 The main benefit I get from the 50g over the 48GX is speed. There are times when I start typing and hit ENTER on my 48GX, only to find the number never appeared! I have to press ON, then wait, then slowly type the number on my 48GX. With the 50g, there's nothing that slows me down. Ditto for the Prime. With that said, the battery life of the 48GX is awesome and spans years!
@13231wmw11 ай бұрын
Under heavy usage, my HP50G would last around 2 months on alkaline batteries, although using it on high contrast would deplete the batteries way quicker. I don't remember the last time I changed its CR2032. Rechargeable batteries may trigger low-battery warnings on older devices, as their voltages are way lower than a fully charged alkaline: 1,25 V vs 1,5 V.
@johnchristopherrobert18392 жыл бұрын
I had an HP 49. When I was in University found that the graph and calculated was only good for crafting homework. If I tried to utilization in a timed test I would do much better writing out a proof before punching in numbers into a calculator. I guess that’s just me.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Let's face it, an iPhone is much, much faster than any calculator, but they don't allow iPhones on standardized tests or in many math classrooms, which is why dedicated calculators still exist. With that said, I don't have first hand experience with the 49, but the 50g is pretty fast. Not as fast as an iPhone, but back in my EE college days I used a much slower 28S and got along just fine. I didn't rely on it for fast graphing, but rather for pretty much anything else. That 28S was a big help to me (that was 1989 to 1994).
@johnchristopherrobert18392 жыл бұрын
@@JDW-, I think you missed my point which was I don’t think using a graphing calculator is faster than working the problem out for yourself. For me and during the day there took longer than just writing out the proof. Of course every math test that I ever took in college I had to write out the proof.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
@@johnchristopherrobert1839 I guess it depends either on your major or your college. I was in the electrical engineering program at a CSU school in California, and there were many times when no written proof was necessary on the test or on homework. In those cases, and for the type of math I did, the HP 28S calculator I had at the time came in handy. While I especially liked (and still like) about HP calculators is RPN. I had never used RPN prior to my purchase of the 28S, but I fell in love with it fast.
@rolandougalde14725 жыл бұрын
Hello, very nice collection I no longer have my 48GX or my TI-83, in my area one store is selling HP 50G, in the package.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
For what price is you local store selling the 50G? I'm just curious because I've only seen them sold online for a crazy sum of US$300 over the past year and a half.
@rolandougalde14725 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- ¢89.000 -> $145, 39gs may be available.
@clearsailing79934 жыл бұрын
How can that be? They quit building them in 2015 I think!
@rolandougalde14724 жыл бұрын
@@clearsailing7993Some local stores keep selling it, I live in CR.
@garyk40174 жыл бұрын
I'm a little late to the party, but I just watched your detailed review of the HP Prime today. Thanks for taking the time to do this review. How have the two Primes for your kids held up over the past two years (especially the keyboards)? Like you, I've had numerous HP calculators over the years, including the HP-25, 41C, 28S, 19B and 10B (the latter inherited from my dad). Actually, I still own all of them, although the only one I've used recently is the 10B. Sadly, the + and - keys intermittently require excessive force to operate. I was thinking of getting a 12C Platinum to replace it, but the Finance app on the Prime would probably take care of this requirement, plus it does so much more. I've been playing with the Prime Virtual Calculator on my PC today (the 2020 01 16 version). I like that it offers RPN/algebraic as well as CAS. For everyday calculations I prefer RPN over algebraic.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your comment, Gary. Both Primes are holding up well. My daughter is older so she has been using her calculator much more, yet the keys look the same to my eyes as the day I purchased the calculator. And because I put a protector on the display, there are no scratches on it there. Even the slide-off plastic cover is in very good condition. The battery still charges well too. I asked my daughter if she regrets that I bought it and wishes I had got her another calculator and she told me an emphatic, "No, this is great!" Apparently, it makes her the envy of her class too. (Everyone else has a TI of some sort.) My 28S is the only one that is giving me issues. I bought it new back in 1989 when I start engineering school and used it for countless hours back then. I've used it off and on at the office since then. But as of the making of my video, some of the keys would stick. If I apply a huge amount of force, I can get them to register, but it's so much force that it's no longer enjoyable to use it. So these days I mostly use my 48GX, especially because I have a 128K FRAM card in it that has Meta Kernel installed. Meta Kernel is installed by default on the 50g. I too enjoy RPN over algebraic any day of the week! Thanks for watching!
@enantiodromia4 ай бұрын
If you plot two functions that intersect, can the calculator determine the set of intersection points algebraically?
@JDW-4 ай бұрын
Yes, it can give you the intersection points, although I don't know what you mean about it giving them to you "algebraically." But it's been a long time since I've used the HP Prime because my kids have them, so I cannot offer you detailed instructions. Even so (and I had to laugh when I did this), if you copy/paste the following text into ChatGPT, it will give you the details: I have an HP Prime calculator. If I plot 2 functions that intersect, can the calculator determine the set of intersection points algebraically?
@JDW-4 ай бұрын
Even more funny, I just Googled your question and found the answer in video form here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Z5dkjK-nmp6xY6c.htmlsi=r9s6-iPZIzsS1Mre&t=77
@enantiodromia4 ай бұрын
@@JDW- Well, by "algebraically" I meant I would like to know if the calculator can, for instance, give me the equation of the circle of intersection that arises when two three-dimensional spheres intersect. So can the Prime, not numerically, but in a closed form, define the set of intersection points?
@enantiodromia4 ай бұрын
@@JDW- Thank you for the link.
@darkbdn4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video but I have a question. How did you install the periodic table into the Prime?
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
You need the periodic table app and the HP Connectivity Kit to install that app on your Prime. If you will expand the text description under my video above, you will see a timestamp to my mention of the Connectivity Kit in my video. You will also find a link to the Periodic Table there too.
@komanguy6 жыл бұрын
Long but interesting video. I have the 50g along with the prime which is faster and easier to use globally
@jesusk13587 күн бұрын
Not the only calculator with touvh and zoom. What about Classpad? It has touch since 2007. Of course prime is the fastest out there but it is not the only calculator with touch and zoom.
@JDW-7 күн бұрын
That calculator is not allowed when taking the SAT because it’s not on the College Board’s list of approved calculators. Furthermore, some people who have used that calculator and the HP Prime tend to prefer the prime as shown in this discussion: www.reddit.com/r/calculators/comments/bkoxsj/currently_debating_between_casio_cp400_and_hp/
@mellowtube2 жыл бұрын
I hope HP comes out with the Prime G3.
@Juango405 жыл бұрын
Great work!!! Thank for this video.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and for your kind comment, Juan! Best wishes!
@barkbarkatthemoon5 жыл бұрын
thanks for this video, i grew up with HP calcs like the 41 and 48 and I have had a Prime since it was released. Video was long but i made it through and it is worth it. I have a question, why do you not use your prime in RPN? I switched it on when I got it and seldom switch it back.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and for your kind words. The Prime shown in the video belongs to one of my two children. I actually bought two Primes, one for each of them. They prefer to keep the Prime in textbook mode. They like it better than RPN for some reason. But I will admit that you cannot use RPN in every mode on the Prime, which is unfortunate because it makes the overall experience less consistent. I use a 50g at home and my 48GX with Meta Kernel at the office, along with my 28S when I want a change. What would make the Prime even better would be a Retina display with no flickr, and a more well developed app store promoted by HP, rather than the HP Museum Forum. There is so much potential for apps on the Prime, but in the greater scheme of things, there really aren't that many apps. With that said, the Prime is a very nice calculator, and for high school students it's perfect because you get fast color graphing capability that is allowed on tests like the PSAT and SAT, and sometimes teachers will allow the Prime on general math tests as well.
@barkbarkatthemoon5 жыл бұрын
I have been keeping it in RPN mode on the home side and using that for numbers. When on the CAS side it is nice that it automatically throws down the ans+ when you hit the plus as that does a great job of reminding you that you are not in RPN.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Yes, The Prime does a decent job informing you are not in RPN when in CAS mode, but the fact is I want to use RPN in CAS mode too.
@naderhumood11992 жыл бұрын
Aptly it's great calculator......Thank you very much indeed, Sir...v informative vedio.
@Matongrud4 жыл бұрын
Hi is there an indicator when its charging or when its fully charged? Because I star charging it an the calculator turn on and I immediately turn it off. Sorry for my English I am from Argentina
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately, the HP Prime doesn't have an LED to show charging. When you connect the Prime to USB power, the display turns ON automatically and stays on unless you turn it off. It's OK to turn it off because it will continue charging. But unfortunately you are not told when charging is done. If the battery is dead, it takes about 4 hours for a full charge. You will just need to turn on the Prime, disconnect the USB cable, and then check the upper right corner to see the battery level. If it says 100%, you know the calculator is fully charged.
@branozember5 жыл бұрын
I expecting 4k at 240fps for this kind of reviews, it's bring a lot of user experiences watching it on big TV 8x slower, realy :)
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
My video is indeed 4K but only 30fps. KZfaq doesn't allow any frame rate higher than 60fps. I shot it at 30p (with a 180° shutter for perfect motion blur) because many people like that over 60fps for some reason. If you watch a 30fps and 60fps video side by side you get a different feeling for each. Higher frame rates would yield yet another different feeling, but again, KZfaq doesn't allow them. Also, you Mac users out there, note that Safari sadly does NOT support 4K videos here on KZfaq so you will need to use Chrome or FireFox to see my videos in 4K (or an AppleTV or similar). I wish Tim Cook would kick some engineering booty and get that fixed. I prefer Safari but hate the fact I'm locked to 1080p here on KZfaq.
@branozember5 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- OK I understand, but your youtube channel is for free, isn't it? ;) and how high resolution improving video content? Are you able use one of those calculators to estimate how 4K video increase energy demands comparing with 1K 30p? how many power consume create, publish, distribute and decode it? and for what? I sitting opposite for many others reasons.... but this is not about calculators. HP prime is nice option.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Anyone can watch any of my videos for free, of course. In fact, I don't even allow ADs on my videos because I hate ADs. Why do I make all my videos in 4K? Well, my camera shoots 4K so why not? If someone wants 1080p, it's easy to switch to that lower resolution. It's not that difficult to edit 4K videos in FCPX on Macs. If it was hard, I wouldn't upload in 4K. Anyway, thanks for watching and for your comments. Best wishes, Brano!
@leemontgomery79142 жыл бұрын
Good Dad.🤓
@sharplonde11474 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the video, bro. BTW, how do you keep the 28S battery door still in great shape? Mine is also fine though, I'm afraid it's falling off one day :(
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
A combination of luck and being careful! :-) A tiny bit of plastic broke off mine, but thankfully it still closes well enough. The bigger problem I have with my 28S is that some keys don't work anymore no matter how hard you press them. There's no easy fix for that, unfortunately. Some people have fixed such keys, but only by drilling holes in the case, which in my opinion looks awful. Realistically, when you have bad keys on a 28S, you really need to replace the entire calculator. Mine has sentimental value though since I purchased it when I started engineering school back in 1989. And man did I use it a lot back in those days! It really helped me through engineering school.
@gbennett582 жыл бұрын
My first HP calculator was the HP-65. After that it was the HP-41C. My 41C was stolen and I haven't had an HP calculator since then. I recently was lucky enough to buy an HP-48G at a garage sale for $5. I am thinking of selling it and using the money to get an HP Prime. Any comments, is it better to keep the 48G?
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
My concern is about whether HP even still sells the Prime anymore. But even if you can find a new one for a reasonable price, it really boils down to whether you are “old school“ (in which case the 48 might be better for you) or if you don’t mind the fancy color touchscreen interface of the Prime.
@gbennett582 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Best Buy still sells the Prime, and HP still sells it on their online store. My main concern with the 48G is the computer interface is obsolete, so I can't easily import or export programs.
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
If you don’t mind the fact that RPN mode doesn’t work in CAS mode, there’s nothing seriously wrong with the Prime. And although there are custom cables you can buy for the 48 on eBay that would technically work, the Prime is a more bulletproof way to connect to modern computers. Because of its larger color screen, battery life is shorter with the Prime, although the Prime’s battery is rechargeable. But the quality of the color screen on the Prime is inferior to that of an iPhone.
@gbennett582 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Thanks
@Wohntaxi10 ай бұрын
its just xmodem, any computer can do that with a usb to rs232 adapter @@gbennett58
@feats4 жыл бұрын
Hello, as a student in high school, do you recommend the TI Nspire cx ii cas or the HP Prime G2?
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
My daughter is 17 and a Junior in High School. She has an steady A in her math classes. I bought the Prime for her and she not only loves it but is the envy of her class where every other student has a TI calculator. Yep, even the Nspire users have HP Prime envy. The G2 is wicked fast and is the only hand-held calculator with a touch screen. I also bought my son an HP Prime. He will be 14 this coming June. He previously had a Casio, but still picked up on how to use the Prime fairly easily. Keep in mind that the ACT bans both the TI Nspire cx II CAS and the HP Prime because the Prime also has CAS. I think that is silly because the Prime has a test mode that disables CAS, but that's the ACT for you. The good news is the SAT and PSAT allow the HP Prime to the TI Nspire cx II CAS, so if you buy either calculator you definitely want to take the SAT, not the ACT. Lastly, the Prime has an RPN mode (the Home button mode only, not CAS) that is pretty nifty, I think. You won't find that on the Nspire. I hope this helps! If you are based on the US, you can get the Prime on Amazon here: amzn.to/2OhHZxe
@paulgets27375 жыл бұрын
Hello! Is this the HP Prime G2 version , 256 MB ram? If you are patient i would have another question. I bought in Italy 2 Hp Prime. Both, after charging some thirdy part programs, kept on rebooting and every time all programs were deleted from calculator. Since i think HP Prime is the best, i would buy a third calculator, but i fear to repeat the first 2 failures. How can i do to be sure that a calculator works perfectly? P.S. Both first calculators, soon after turning them on, did not show the HP logo: could this be a malfunction evidence? Thank you in advance for your eventual reply.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your 2 comments, Paul. I too started out with HP calculators (the 28S) when I was 18 and just entering engineering school in 1989. The first edition HP Prime is Model No. NW280AA, aka Model A, which came out in 2013 and lacks wireless functionality. HP revised the hardware in Model No. G8X92AA, aka Model C, which came out in 2014. In August 2016, HP slightly modified Model C to have darker colors printed on the keys, and that is the version I have (shown in my video). The newest HP Prime as of Feb. 2019 is Model No. 2AP18AA, aka G2, aka Model D, which includes a faster CPU and 256MB of RAM (vs 32MB for previous models). Even to this day, the G2 Prime is still not sold worldwide, which is why I could not buy one when I looked in the summer of 2018. For some odd reason the G2 Prime is sold only in Europe. Strange because HP is a US company. It seems that you have the G2 version? If you do, it should say "G2" somewhere on the back of the calculator. Since I have no experience with that new model, and since it runs slightly different firmware, I would strongly recommend that you join us in the following forum and copy/paste your experience in a new post there. The reason why is because representatives of the HP Calculator group watch that forum and reply to posts. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@iwantoiwanto60804 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- I had just wanted to ask you about your HP Prime hardware. But after scrolled some comments, case closed. Thanks for your review. Now I'm waiting for you to get G2 and review it.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
@@iwantoiwanto6080 G2 donations accepted! :-) Seriously, I don't have one of my TO BUY list, but if someone wanted me to review it (even HP) I would certainly do a detailed follow-up review. But even if someone wanted to buy one, they are still pretty hard to find globally. HP does a terrible job these days marketing their calculators. Anyway, thank you for your kind words, and best wishes!
@RichardGreen54302 ай бұрын
unfortunately I bought a hp prime. but display is always upside down. so not readable! didn't you see that? weird!
@JDW-2 ай бұрын
I have no idea what you mean. If indeed the screen was upside down, I personally would return it for one that was not defective.
@@JDW- To clarify, the viewing angle is terrible when viewed from a normal position with the calculator flat on a desk, but swivel the calculator round through 180 degrees so that you're looking at it from the point of view of someone sitting opposite you and the screen is much more readable.
@JDW-6 күн бұрын
OK, but I am looking at the English language where the opening post said “the display is always upside down.“ those words in English say something totally and utterly different to me than saying this: “only when viewing the LCD 180° opposite of the normal way you would view it is the LCD more readable.” The source of my confusion about both ways being described here is that I personally don’t find it difficult to read. However! As I have long said, it’s not nearly up to the quality standards of your typical retina display on an iPhone. And now in 2024, I think it should be. Actually, it should have been up to the iPhone display standard when originally released. I think there’s room for improvement. Sadly, HP really doesn’t care about calculators these days and actually hasn’t for a long time. I’m surprised they’re even selling it. That complaint from me has nothing to do with my positive feelings about their calculators. It’s my beef with HP. Back in the 70s and 80s they put their entire might into making the best calculators possible. They haven’t done that in decades. So when people find something they dislike about modern HP calculators, it usually stems from that.
@tango99442 жыл бұрын
great video !
@JDW-2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I'm pleased you liked it.
@paulgets27375 жыл бұрын
Hello JDW. I can confirm: my HP Prime is the G2 version. Now i am testing it, but i already noticed a quite strange result. If i calculate Sqrt(i) i get the right not approximate result. But if , with the same settings, i let him calculate the square root Sqrt(4i-1), i get the approximate result. The same calculation performed on my very old HP 49g+ gives the correct, exact result . Am i wrong in something or is this a bug of the HP Prime? Thanks for your answer.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Sorry, I somehow missed your question. Since I am now answering this, I deleted your follow-up comment. The answer from your Prime depends on which mode you are in. Press the little icon of a house (Home) and you will ALWAYS get a numerical approximation result. For example, doing "Sqrt(i)" yields the answer: "0.707106781187+0.707106781187*i". And Sqrt(4i-1) in Home mode yields the answer: "1.24962106769+1.60048518044*i". But if you press the CAS button and repeat, you should get Sqrt(i) =(1+i)/Sqrt(2) (which is NOT a numerical approximation). However, doing the same for Sqrt(4i-1) in CAS mode yields the same numerical approximation as Home mode. Sometimes CAS on the HP Prime doesn't give the exact answer but a numerical approximation instead for reasons I do not fully understand. If you wish to pursue this in-depth, I highly recommend that you copy and paste your question to me in the HP Museum forum, where calculator buffs more savvy than I (including HP engineers) can offer you their thoughts: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@paulgets27375 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your reply.
@DanielleMoren5 жыл бұрын
I am having some troubles with normal distribution on the Prime. On my casio that I had for a short while you could enter upper and lower limits etc. I can't find that on the prime, nor can't I find how to plot a normal distribution curve with the given answers. I'm still in high school so sorry if I'm unclear, but I have a test on it next week.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Danielle, thank you for watching and for your question. Please join our discussion forum at the following link. You can post your questions there and get quick replies. HP engineers also post there too. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@DanielleMoren5 жыл бұрын
I found a slow but effective way to calculate normal distribution graphically, you can use NORMALD(mean, std deviation,x) in Function Symbolic View and use signed area for the upper and lower limits in plot mode. Also i read that you can use NORMAL_CDF(mean, std deviation, lower, upper) but this way is only effective symbolically.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Danielle, I started a new discussion thread on your behalf at the following URL. I would strongly encourage you to registered to become a forum member (it's free) so you can participate in that discussions and start new topics of your own. That forum is a wealth of information from people who know math quite well and how also know how to come up with the best solutions on HP calculators like the Prime. www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-12463-post-112556.html
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
Danielle, I'm not sure if you are following the forum thread I linked for you, but today Tim Wessman of HP posted a reply there that you should read. Again, I strongly recommend you become a forum member there so you can ask questions on your own, but you can still browse the forum even if you aren't a member. Take care.
@lisarodak68904 жыл бұрын
With your knowledge of the HP calculators, any ideas on replacement parts? My HP50 screen was hit so there's a section that doesn't display... I love the calculator so I hate the idea of replacing it with a different one.. either way I got a lot of information from your video. The prime will be my next buy if I can't replace my 50's screen.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
You would need to search EBAY and other sources for 50g's being sold "for parts or repair" because there is no vendor of dedicated 50g parts. You can also post in the classified section of the HP Museum forum to see if anyone would sell you a problematic 50g for a cheap price: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-6.html
@mellowtube2 жыл бұрын
Your master point was the college testing. These are allowed. Check mate. (Not to mention that it creates a curiosity of how to program a computer.)
@stevew397813 күн бұрын
I'm still trying to figure out how to store and recall intermediate values under RPN on the HP Prime. The Sto button has no effect, and there's no RCL button.
@JDW-12 күн бұрын
Because my two HP Prime calculators are in the possession of my children who now live away from home, I cannot verify anything by touching the actual calculator. But from memory I can say this... The HP Prime is set to Algebraic mode by default. You mentioned use of RPN. That tells me you have already pressed Shift-Home to open the Settings and then changed "Entry" from "Textbook" to "RPN." If so, we can proceed to the next step. To get STO to work, you enter something you wish to store in a variable. Let's say 5. So type a 5 and press Enter. That will appear on the stack. Now press Shift and then press Vars (to get Chars). Choose an apostrophe character then type out your variable name, then end it in an apostrophe. Example: 'AAA' Then choose OK. Now press Shift and then press EEX (for STO). The 'AAA' vanishes, which is the calculator's way of telling you that 5 has been stored in variable name AAA. The 5 will remain on the stack, however. To RECALL your variable, you just double-press the ALPHA key to initiate character lock and type the name of your variable. In my example, that means you must press the Vars key 3 times to type out AAA. Then press ENTER and your variable will appear on the stack. (In my example, that would be 5.) So that is how to use STO to store a variable and how to RECALL it. Going further, I will say that you can then press the Vars key, then tap on User, then choose User Variables to see a complete list of variables you have saved. In the case of my example, AAA should appear. If you require further assistance that the HP Prime documentation cannot answer (the documentation describes what I just mentioned to you above), I recommend you post your questions in the HP Prime forum here: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@stevew397812 күн бұрын
-Thanks for the detailed explanation. I haven't had a chance to open the HP Prime user guide yet (I will eventually), but your detailed explanation above shows that storing and recalling numbers on the Prime involves many keystrokes. Without the dedicated STO and RCL buttons found on previous generations of HP RPN calculators, the HP Prime lost the keystroke efficiency that HP RPN calculators were known for.
@Chris-hf2sl6 күн бұрын
It doesn't seem to have a 'swap' button either, to swap the top two items on the stack (like the HP28S). Well, at least, I can't find it, if it does exist.
@JDW-6 күн бұрын
@Chris-hf2sl As to your SWAP button comment, I should say for the record that there are differences in buttons among older HP calculators as well, such as comparing the 48GX to the 50g. I’m talking about key differences in general, not something specific to SWAP. But to answer your question about the SWAP key more specifically, and to help you out with future questions you might have, I wish to direct you to the excellent HP Museum Forum where I myself often go when I have questions. And here’s one specific thread that talks about the SWAP key: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-19597.html
@stevew39785 күн бұрын
@@Chris-hf2sl I passed the EIT exam around 2008 using the poorly designed and poorly built HP33s. A year later, I passed the P.E. exam using the HP35s (a very decent calculator for basic engineering/scientific number crunching). I would not use graphing calculators, such as the HP Prime, for basic number crunching. From what I can see, the HP Prime is exceedingly tedious for basic number crunching. For basic mathematical/scientific/engineering number crunching where keystroke efficiency counts, you want an RPN calculator with such basic functions as STO, RCL, +/-, XY register swap, Last x, Clear X, Clear All, E, stack manipulation capability, etc to be easily accessible. If I were to take the SAT today, I would bring two calculators: a graphing calculator such as the HP Prime for specific applications and a basic RPN calculator for basic scientific/engineering/mathematics number crunching.
@mcmh95234 жыл бұрын
Darn it! Already bought a TI-nspire CX II CAS. You wouldn't believe how poorly this calculator is put together; the plastic rattles every time I use it.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
I am sorry to hear about your purchasing mistake. I can only say there is not rattle or creaking with the Prime or any of my older HP calculators either. TI has a death grip on the US educational calculator market. HP is missing out big time because they won't advertise and make deals to get their calculators placed on store shelves. It's sad because HP calculators are vastly superior to TI in many ways.
@mcmh95234 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- I absolutely agree. Perhaps it's just that "the grass is greener on the other side", but I truly believe HP is making calculators far superior to TI products. After all, they made the world's first pocket scientific calculator. Thanks for the great video and kind reply. Wish you'd have a good day.
@waycoolscootaloo3 жыл бұрын
I would say the TI-Nspire CX 2 (CAS) is the overall better calculator for "most" people. Hardware performance isn't really that big of a deal usually. But software and support is. And most schools want you to use a TI in North America. But also if you run into a problem and ask for help, your teacher or Professor will more than likely understand a TI better when it comes to helping you with learning your calculators abilities. Plus schools and universities work with TI and such. And the Nspire has features that the HP doesn't have thanks to a 6 year software development head start. The HP is great. But in terms of software the Nspire can't be beat. HP wins on the hardware front. Pros and con's to both. But both calculators will get most anything you want done at the end of the day. It also just comes to personal preference. Better is always subjective depending on an individuals needs or wants. But I always recommend TI calculators just because by default the school system's understand it better and use it more. Funny thing is that I had to Google to see if the HP is still even available. HP doesn't even have it on their website. That's not a good look in a consumer's eye if their trying to shop for a calculator. Especially one they are spending a lot of money on. 😕
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your thoughtful and honest comment. I don't see any benefits for my own personal usage when pitting the Nspire against the Prime or 50g, although some students may feel differently. I still recommend HP calculators, because I personally like them (I'm a huge fan of RPN) and it's not possible for me to recommend a calculator I do not love deeply and regularly use. With that said, you are 100% correct about the stupidity of current HP management hiding the Prime from view most of the time and otherwise showing the world they couldn't care less about their flagship calculator. I've complained about this in the HP Museum forum in the past, actually. HP Japan has NEVER shown the Prime here at all, which is utterly absurd. Simply put, all HP execs in charge of the Calculator division should be dismissed and replaced with people who do care. Someone at HP must take the initiative to break TI's MONOPOLY on the education market. Just as monopolies are not good in the general tech industry, they are not good in the educational calculator market either. That is another huge reason I refuse to recommend TI. In doing so, I would be recommending a monopoly, however convenient and beneficial some may contend that monopoly is. Sadly, it is largely the fault of HP for not having marketed their excellent devices better, preventing TI from having made so much headway in the education market. betterapps on phones to be used in class or on tests, and certainly not on big tests like the SAT and ACT. Even so, I simply cannot see that lasting forever. Can you really see us 100 years from now still debating this? If handheld, calculator-only devices are still required in classes 100 years hence, it would be a sorry state of things. We need to make some progress on the technology front when it comes to education. And as much as I love my HP calculators, they really aren't riding the wave of the future.
@waycoolscootaloo3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I don't get why HP doesn't market their flagship calculator better. One would think that it's pure profit since your essentially manufacturing a device with 20-year old compute power. For Texas Instruments, they know they have a cash cow on hand. HP only really has Texas Instruments and Casio to compete within in the graphing calculator realm too which is crazy to think about. Other calculator manufacturers like Sharp and Canon, as well as Victor, don't make anything more powerful than scientific calculators and primarily just concentrate on basic calculators and printing calculators and such. So why HP doesn't wake up is beyond me. Definitely sounds like lackluster management as you said. As far as phones and why calculators continue to survive? It's that cell phones allow for cheating. It's too easy to text and pass notes from one student to the next on them. Plus not everyone uses the same calculator on a phone. And even if they standardize a calculator app, you still can't get around the messaging capabilities. Not to mention not every student uses the same phone device. And apps on phones are often not perfectly stable. You're trying to create an app that runs on 100 different chipset designs in the phone world. So bugs are an issue from one devise to the next. And yeah you could make it where everyone has a tablet. But tablets cost more than calcualtors. And if your ultimate goal is to have a calculator that everyone uses that's very similar and doesn't promote cheating and is stable and affordable and just plain works incredibly well. Well....Your Texas Instruments, HP and Casio calculators already hit every single one of those check marks. So maybe not 100 years from now, LOL! But in the next 20 or even 30 years, I don't really see the status quo changing. I think basic, scientific, printing, and graphing calculators are here to stay. (For the foreseeable future anyway.) They're cheap compared to any alternative. They do exactly what they are meant to do very well and very effectively, as well as reliably. And they don't introduce the chance to cheat as other alternatives do. And most all teachers and professors know how to use traditional calculators across the nation. So I think this is why we see traditional calculators surviving even in 2021, where we have game systems like the Playstation 5 that can pump out literal Pixar-level quality computer graphics in today's games. 😂 Also a fun fact. In many companies, you are not allowed to have your cell phone on your person. I work in a big chemical plant. And I can't keep my phone or any personal devices on me. Except for traditional calcualtors. So all of the employees use a basic or scientific calculator where I work for keeping track of all our product weights and product counts. And our receptionists and front office people still use printing calculators despite everything else being done on PCs with all sorts of very custom programs. So yet another reason why calculators survive. LOL! Sorry for my long-winded reply. 😅
@JDW-3 жыл бұрын
@@waycoolscootaloo I love long-winded replies because I am long-winded! :-) Seriously, I've had a couple people in the comments complain my video is too long, so there you are. I like to explain things. As far as what the future holds, I guess we need to check our Star Trek reruns to see if any of the characters are using a hand-held calculator on their math exams! :-)
@waycoolscootaloo3 жыл бұрын
@@JDW- Well....I did have dinner with John de Lancie a couple of years ago right before season 1 of Picard was announced. 😉 Q and a character known as Discord both have a lot in common actually. 😎
@Kuromi45533 жыл бұрын
Those are long replies 😳
@ChristosBassCovers4 жыл бұрын
Found it... Thanks bro. Great Video
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Glad you found it, but if you didn't find it in the text description just below the video above, you should scroll up and click SHOW MORE to check out the other text content I wrote there. Lots of useful links!
@holyfknsmokesigotmymoneyup5 жыл бұрын
Hey man. I seriously need a reply as quick as possible. Which HP calculator has the most and best functions and is the most efficient? I’m willing to buy at any price. Thank youS
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
That's a question lacking an easy answer because I don't know if you are a student or engineer in the field. If you want a true RPN calculator, the 50g can still be found online and is the best you can buy. But if you don't really know what RPN is or don't care, then the Prime is a more modern calculator with apps, color screen, rechargeable battery, and touch. You add to the 50g with SD cards, but on the Prime you connect via USB to your computer. I'm not saying the 50g and Prime are the only picks, but you asked for the cream of the crop, so I have given you my experienced opinion. I hope this helps.
@holyfknsmokesigotmymoneyup5 жыл бұрын
JDW thank you very much man, what are your thoughts on the Ti-Nspire CX CAS? Is it any good? I’m a engineer and student but I want the best current graphing calculator.
@JDW-5 жыл бұрын
The CAS in the Nspire is on par with the HP Prime. The graphing speed of the Prime is faster than the Nspire, especially the newest "G2" Prime that is only now becoming more readily available online. There are fewer buttons on the Prime versus the Nspire, making the Prime not only more aesthetically pleasing to the eye but a bit easier to use too. Please consider joining us in the following forum where you can read questions and experiences of those who use the HP Prime, including talk about the Nspire: www.hpmuseum.org/forum/forum-5.html
@Kevin-lq1xc4 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed watching the video. I just wanted to ask if you knew what those three dots at the top of the HP Prime are for? They look like LEDs for battery life or something.
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your comment. I’m afraid I’m not sure what dots you’re referring to. If you start watching my video at about 45:00, you will see a close-up view of the display. In the top right corner you’ll see the battery indicator, and if you tap that it gives you even more information. There are no LEDs on the Prime that I can see. See page 3 of the following QuickStart guide for detail descriptions of the various parts of the Prime: www.hp.com/united-states/calculator/HP_Prime_Quick_Start_Guide_EN_2015.pdf
@Skrapshak4 жыл бұрын
This, from the Wikipedia entry for the HP Prime: "The HP Prime has a feature called Exam Mode. This enables various features of the calculator (such as CAS functionality, user-created apps, notes, etc.) to be selectively disabled for a specific time, from 15 minutes to 8 hours. This can be done manually within the calculator's menus, or by using a computer with HP's connectivity software.[7] LEDs on the top of the calculator blink to let the instructor see that the calculator is in this mode. Despite this feature, the Prime is still prohibited in many examinations, such as the US's ACT college-entry test.[8] It is however starting to be accepted in other examinations, like those run by the Dutch CvTE,[9] the Swiss IB,[10] or Alberta (Canada)[11] education authorities."
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
@@Skrapshak Thank you for reminding me about Exam Mode. The LEDs are at the top edge, as shown in this video: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mbGTmc2gvNq7hp8.html
@JDW-4 жыл бұрын
The 3 LEDs are also shown in HP documentation here: hp-prime.com/files/composite_file/file/150-hp_exammode_en.pdf
@Kevin-lq1xc4 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the clarification. Was kinda hoping that it was a battery indicator. Just Subscribed!!