Back in the day, when I was a struggling engineering student HP programmable calculators were all the rage. I lusted after the HP48SX. They cost over $200. Back then that was A LOT OF MONEY FOR A COLLEGE STUDENT. I held out as long as I could but I eventually bought one. The best part was being able to load in the formulas that some
I was reminded of this calculator when I was perusing the Android Market via App Brain. I found three different emulators for Texas Instruments calculators. I recalled seeing one for HP a while back but at the time it didn’t interest me much.
After showing the boys (who now have Android phones) these apps I dug around and found my HP calculator. Unfortunately the batteries had leaked and corroded one of the connections. It was now useless. Sigh.
I hit App Brain to search for the HP48 emulator. Sure enough there was one for an HP48. The colors are for the GX version (obnoxious teal and green) instead of the orange and blue of the SX but everything else seemed the same.
I wouldn’t even begin to know how to operate this thing anymore. Hell, I can barely make it add up numbers. That whole Reverse Polish notation thing was an anathema to me at the time I was using it back in the day. I’ve forgotten more vital things in that time span so I’m not much concerned about forgetting how to run that HP calculator. Besides, it doesn’t work anymore.
I’m toying with the idea of getting it fixed. Used ones are going for over $100 on eBay. Go figure. Hahahahahhahaha. Get it? Go figure!?!?!? Well, it amused me at least. If I still had my TI-55II from high school I would have quite the collection of nearly worthless geek toys.
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