DM32 from Swiss Micros

[jonmoore]

(05-18-2023 05:57 AM)EdS2 Wrote:  

(05-18-2023 12:57 AM)FLISZT Wrote:  I don't know what SM's sales targets are, but obviously, opinions are divided because of the price.

Strictly speaking, yes, opinions are divided. But it's a self-selected sample - two or three people are grumpy about paying the asking price (or paying for postage) while many interested parties are simply putting in their pre-order. A much much larger number of people have no interest in buying.

It's easy to miscalibrate on a very small number of complaints.

I tend to agree with your summary of the situation.

Overnight, I had time to reflect on the valid points Eric mentioned yesterday, and today I asked my kids why they often 'borrow' my 32S or 32Sii. And they said it was because the 32 enables them to get through their class/homework faster than using the 'approved' Casio calculator. In simple terms it has nothing to do with the programmability, but is instead based on the direct access to mathematical functions that involve menu diving on Casio or Ti calculators. Although the older child does use the equation feature and simple step programming.

Excuse the little digression into Casio-land below, but it is pertinent to why I believe that an appropriately priced calculator that follows the design principles of the HP-32S/Sii would be a commercial success . Quite obviously not a mass market sucess, but definitely a 'cult' calculator success nonetheless. Especially if it was targeted at the individualist pre-university math student. Incidentally, mathematics is one of those classes where students are often told to put their tablets, smartphones and laptops away. The graphical calculator is going the way of the Dodo (due to applications/apps like Desmos and GeoGebra), but handheld calculators are preferred in many situations as they minimize distractions.

In fairness to Casio, their approved calculator is the fx-991ex and this is fairly decent with regard to direct access to functions, particularly when using the Australian variant, which my kids prefer as the face-plate is more legible than the Casio's attempts to inject some 'yoof' into the UK version (plus the AU version has LCM & GCD functions which British teachers object to, but only police in exam situations).



However, Casio have ruined what was good about the fx-991ex with the 2023 version which is now even worse than the TI-30X for menu diving, as the vast majority of functions can only be accessed via the Catalog and the simplicity of converting decimal to rational numbers (and between improper and mixed fractions) sits behind a horrendously convoluted Format key.



A classic case of a graphic design solution to an interaction design challenge, compounded by the typical nightmare of decisions by committee.

Back to Eric's points regarding the industrial design choices utilized in the DM32 (SoC architecture, LCD, casing and suchlike), maybe a DM32L landscape design with a cheaper architecture might slot into the product portfolio nicely. After all, you wouldn't buy your learner-driver teenage child a McLaren Speedtail as their first car.