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| Brand: Hewlett-Packard
Category: CE
List Price: $175.99
Buy New: $96.03
You Save: $79.96 (45%)
New (37) Refurbished (1) from $96.03
Avg. Customer Rating:  148 reviews
Format: Cd
Color: Black Face
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries: 3
Batteries Included: Yes
Operating System: N/A
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 7.2 x 3.4 x 0.9
MPN: F2229AA#ABA
Model: F2229AA#ABA
UPC: 882780502291
EAN: 0882780502291
ASIN: B000GTPRPS
Release Date: July 15, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 An HP Calculator to be Proud Of September 13, 2006
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I thought that I would never own another HP graphing calculator after I purchased an hp49g some years ago. I am a huge fan of RPN and own an hp33s which I think is great for its features and usability. The hp50g is not for the beginner, this is a power calculator for college students in math or engineering, professionals, and firmware hobbyists. This calculator just works out of the box. The keys are firm but responsive, unlike the hp49g which required lots of force to activate the buttons. Also I haven't been able to find any errors in the calculations, also unlike the hp49g which required a firmware upgrade to correct blatant math errors. I think this latest model restores some hope for hp's future offerings - it's not just a printer cartridge company any more...
HP hit a home run! September 5, 2006
28 out of 28 found this review helpful
I've owned a number of HP calculators-- from the 32s to the 49g+. In general I like HP equipment. I like reverse polish and that keeps me coming to HP. I liked the functionality of the 49g+, but alas! it seemed as if it were an HP calculator in a Casio body. Hated the color and the cheap feel of the keyboard. With the HP 50G the HP touch is back! GREAT calculator; getting the user's guide (on line from HP, .pdf format) is a MUST. The 50G has a number of built-in math functions lacking in the 49G+. It has easier connectivity and formats an SD card! (Instructions in the manual supplied with the 50G for formatting are not quite right, but it's easy to figure out!). I down loaded Tetris and a C-compiler for the 49G+, I'll port those to the 50G,and I doubt if I'll ever use the 49G+ again. I've learned to program a bit using RPL and this makes the calculator quite powerful. This is the calculator I expected from HP.
An exemplar of the scientific calculator. September 3, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
First, one must understand that HP is the company who invented the scientific calculator. HP calculator owners have a fierce loyalty to the brand, not just because of the HP calculator heritage, but because of the fact that these machines have a long history of accuracy and indestructability. Recent models have suffered somewhat in the latter attribute, however HP has attempted to make good on complaints and have come out with the 50G to address the problems with the previous top-of-the-line, the 49G+.
In short, this is the most powerful calculator in the world. It has a fairly wonderful CAS (computer algebra system) which can solve both numeric and symbolic problems. It does so better and generally faster than the main competitor from Texas. But the best features of this HP go far beyond its basic capabilities.
The 50G, like its predecessor HPs, is programmed in RPL, not BASIC. BASIC is just plain inefficient. On top of that, SysRPL is also available for those wanting to get into the calculator and make it do incredible things at incredible efficiency. Not for the faint of heart, SysRPL really flies. If that isn't fast enough, there's a freely available C compiler, which extends the machine's efficiencies further.
HP calculators use what is called RPN for basic arithmetic. Although there's a learning curve, shallower than many newbies would claim, this makes the calculator a powerhouse for solving quick-and-dirty calculations, even complex ones. Once one learns how to use RPN, one will never go back to the much less efficient algebraic. For those wedded to algebraic entry, this HP does that, too.
If you are serious about mathematics, this is the only machine you should consider. Forget the Texas products and get the real deal. You won't be sorry you did so.
 Significant improvement but... August 30, 2006
148 out of 154 found this review helpful
It's 10/5/06 and I'm editing this review right up front with the first paragraph, because this little calc has a problem that I hadn't noticed initially. The new HP keys, as I describe below, are great. They have a solid click and a good rollover ability - meaning that you can push the number 1, then push the number 2 before letting go of the 1 entirely, and you'll still get "12" on the screen. That's perfect. Here's the downside: Rapidly enter the number "1100." Click-click-click-click. And yet my screen says "10." Why? Because a rapid double-click of a numeric key results in the calculator noticing only the first click. If a typewriter worked that way, I'd be attending metings every day instead of meetings.
**UPDATE - 10/14/06** One of the commands available, not documented in the 50g material, but documented for several earlier HP calculators, is a KEYTIME command. Quite simply, replacing the default keytime with "500" eliminates missed keystrokes. This corrects the problem I described above.
And now back to my original review:
First, the keypad issue has been addressed with this model, and each key has a feel that is similar to the HP41 - just about perfect for data entry without needing to look at the keypad. Now all that's necessary is for HP to return to the complex keys that allowed for print both on the top surface and the beveled edge; that would allow for some improvement in the user interface. But overall this is a major step forward from the HP49 line.
Next, the display is bright and legible with good contrast. These multiline displays still aren't quite as good as the single line displays from years past in terms of visibility at odd angles but we're coming close. There's plenty of information here with a seven line stack in the default mode.
The manual is where the calculator loses a star. While the new manual is an improvement over the HP48/49 series (though it has less information, it is more understandable), it is nowhere near as complete and useful as the HP41 series manuals were. HP needs to bring back a well-written manual series with use of color, high-end paper, and quality typesetting. For example, the calculator comes with a user's manual; on page 1-20, it says that additional references can be found in Chapter 1 and Appendix C of the calculator's user's guide. What user's guide? They don't mean the manual since that doesn't have any Appendices (or an index, for that matter). Where would I get the user's guide? Then I discover that it is included, and is on the CD-ROM in pdf form. Apparently it is a larger version of the user's manual, with additional information, including an index. Much of the information in the Guide is duplicated from the Manual - but we still don't have complete programming and functional command discussion. Don't get me wrong - everything you need for standard operations is here; but if you really want to get into the capabilities of the calculator (and that's why you're spending $129, right?), we want the full manual. Oh, and bring back the manuals that are spiral-bound so we don't have to weigh the book down with something each time we turn to the calculator to try something.
Here too is a connectivity kit of software, none of which runs on my Mac. I tried plugging it in to the Mac using the standard USB connecting cable (included) but nothing happened. Since I didn't buy the HP with any need to hook it up to my Mac, it's not a problem, but what good is connectivity if noone bothered with the Mac software?
There are a few little nits that still need to be picked. For example, the stack is right justified but data entry is left justified. It is much easier to quickly review an entered number and compare it to numbers on the stack if they are similarly justified. The enter key needs to return to double-width just above the numeric portion of the keypad, and HP should finally pick a standard numeric/operator layout and stick with it. The HP41 had the major operators on the left. The HP48 put them on the right and changed the sequence. The HP50 keeps them on the right but bumped them all up by one key. For those of us who essentially touch-type on calculators, this relearning is a pain.
I must admit that if HP simply rebuilt the HP41C series with more memory, they'd have a clear winner. And given the prices that those models sell for on eBay in new condition, HP could clearly do well with such a product.
The connectivity issue would have cost another star, but the overall build quality, computing capabilities, programming capabilities, and incorporation of RPN on the 50g make it clearly worth 4 stars.
Much better August 26, 2006
23 out of 24 found this review helpful
I have used HP calulators since 1973. I own a 49G and a 49G+. The keyboards of these products left a lot to be desired. Even though the 50g is virtully identical to the 49G+, the keyboard and display are much improved. The 50g also has a better look and feel than th 49G+. It reminds me of the old HP quality.
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