HP mid-range graphing calculator with exam mode

[Mic]

Does HP plan to release a mid-range graphing calculator with exam mode and LED ?
Do not let TI & Casio still dominating market...

[Jake Schwartz]

(04-15-2015 02:35 PM)Mic Wrote:  Does HP plan to release a mid-range graphing calculator with exam mode and LED ?
Do not let TI & Casio still dominating market...

A couple of questions...

When you say "LED", do you mean "LCD"? I have never seen an LED graphing calculator.

Also, by "mid-range", are you talking about something less powerful than, say the hp39g or 40g or perhaps the 39gII?

Thanks,
Jake

[Thomas Ritschel]

(04-15-2015 08:14 PM)Jake Schwartz Wrote:  When you say "LED", do you mean "LCD"? I have never seen an LED graphing calculator.

I think he's referring to those "fancy" LEDs on the HP Prime which are blinking in exam mode.

Are there any other calculators having those LEDs? I'm not aware of any TIs or Casios having them...

[parisse]

He probably means a sub-Prime in the 39/40 price range, with a flashing led during exam mode.

[Mic]

Yes I do

[toml_12953]

Speaking of the LEDs, is there any way to control them from HPPL? I wouldn't think so but it doesn't hurt to ask!

Tom L

[ww63]

Hello Tom L

wouldn't this compromise the exam-mode? Perhaps a programmer would be able to set the right "flash-code".

[debrouxl]

Quote:Are there any other calculators having those LEDs? I'm not aware of any TIs or Casios having them...

The version of the Nspire Clickpad sold as non-CAS has provided an exam testing LED since 2007, over 6 years before the Prime hit the market

In 2015:
* TI is releasing four new models: TI-83 Premium CE and TI-82 Advanced (in France), TI-84 Plus CE-T (in Europe), TI-84 Plus CE (in Northern America). Only the latter does (surprisingly) not have an exam testing LED, we have no clue why there isn't a single "84 Plus CE" model with an exam testing LED;
* Casio is releasing the Graph 25+E, Graph 35+E, Graph 75+E (those are the French names, international names are usually different). All of them have have exam testing LEDs.

I agree with Mic: HP should release something along the lines of a 39gII with a color screen, > 256 KB of RAM, > 4 MB of Flash memory... and a relatively bug-free OS, too. [EDIT: besides the obvious direct, official access to native code programming, which the 39gII doesn't offer.]
Indeed, while Casio didn't seize the opportunity to improve the hardware characteristics in this year's crop of new models (sigh), TI did, for once, at very long last: the 83PCE and 84+CE(-T) feature an eZ80 processor, albeit still coupled with slow, 256 KB RAM and slower 4 MB Flash memory, making them slightly less outdated than the existing TI-Z80 series.
The 83PCE/84+CE(-T) basically fix the severe slowness problem of the '2013 84+CSE. The new models could be made over 4x faster (according to community members' tests) by using proper RAM and Flash which doesn't require wait states. Maybe that's an upcoming feature of the ~2020-2025 "TI-83 Ultra CE" and "TI-84 Premium CE", who knows
The 83PCE/84+CE(T) keep offering direct access to native code programming, which should be a hit on that platform, especially given that unlike the old original Z80, the eZ80 is a halfway decent target for C. Surprisingly, the 82A doesn't provide access to native code programming, it's just monochrome 84+ hardware running a severely crippled OS...

[Sukiari]

(04-15-2015 02:35 PM)Mic Wrote:  Does HP plan to release a mid-range graphing calculator with exam mode and LED ?
Do not let TI & Casio still dominating market...

I thought that was exactly what the Prime was...

[Mic]

I think it is a high range model...

[Thomas Radtke]

Are those blinking LEDs a test for photosensitive epilepsy?

[Tim Wessman]

(04-23-2015 05:29 PM)Thomas Radtke Wrote:  Are those blinking LEDs a test for photosensitive epilepsy?

Not unless a 10 second cycle will set you off...

[Thomas Radtke]

(04-23-2015 06:53 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  Not unless a 10 second cycle will set you off...

I'm fine, just easily distracted by regular patterns. Glad something like this did not exist back then, else I'd have had to devise some kind of blinder ;-).

[StephenG1CMZ]

(04-23-2015 06:53 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  

(04-23-2015 05:29 PM)Thomas Radtke Wrote:  Are those blinking LEDs a test for photosensitive epilepsy?

Not unless a 10 second cycle will set you off...

Don't forget though that although each calculator might be flashing every 10s, 100 of them in an exam could mean a flash every 0.1s. Or are they accurately synchronised?
I would certainly have found that distracting, just when you need to concentrate.

Although controlling the LED on/off from PPL might be thought as compromising exam mode, I think two options might be possible, if the LED can be triggered and latched, rather than repeatedly switched on and off under PPL control.

One option would be to flash a LED upon program completion. Another option would be to flash a LED if a divide-by-zero or other runtime error occurs... Provided the PPL cannot switch that off and continue a program, it will be unable to simulate exam mode.

Speaking of exam mode, I would like to see an "I am not a student" setting...
So I can stop worrying that one day I will accidentally press that exam button and lose the functionality of the calculator for however long it takes.

[Joe Horn]

(10-09-2015 11:55 PM)StephenG1CMZ Wrote:  

(04-23-2015 06:53 PM)Tim Wessman Wrote:  Not unless a 10 second cycle will set you off...

Don't forget though that although each calculator might be flashing every 10s, 100 of them in an exam could mean a flash every 0.1s. Or are they accurately synchronised?

If the teacher starts the exam mode correctly (using the wireless classroom kit), the LEDs are VERY accurately synchronized. They have to be, to serve their purpose of verifying that they are all still in exam mode. As soon as any calculator stops being exactly in synch with the others (which is strikingly easy to see, at a glance), it means that that calculator somehow exited that exam mode.

Quote:I would certainly have found that distracting, just when you need to concentrate.

The LEDs are not distracting, because only the teacher or proctor at the front of the room sees the LEDs. A standard "classroom-style seating" arrangement of the desks is assumed. The students being tested don't see the LEDs at all, unless they turn around and look at students behind them, which of course is never allowed anyhow.

[Tinue]

(04-23-2015 05:15 PM)Mic Wrote:  I think it is a high range model...

In Switzerland, the HP Prime is the cheapest CAS graphing calculator that is available (with the exception of the HP 50g, of which there are still a few available here and there). All CAS models of TI or Casio are more expensive.

Of course this does not imply that the HP Prime must be the "weakest" of all these calculators But it does say that the HP Prime is very competitively priced in the marketplace.

If one wants to find cheaper graphic calculators in Switzerland, one must look for non-CAS types. Even there, some models are more expensive than the HP Prime. As for the ones that are cheaper, I don't know which ones do have an exam mode.

All in all it looks to me like the HP Prime actually is a high-end machine with the nice price of a "mid-range" one.

[KlaasKuperus]

Why a cheaper one? Competition (CE-T and FX-CG20) is slightly cheaper (not on school-offers though) and offers way less. HP Prime has better graphics, is faster and offers a saver exam-mode. We see more and more schools shifting... I don't thing a cheaper model of Prime will help sell more against competition to be honest...

[parisse]

I disagree, at least for France. I made a survey with my students this year and last year, about 5% of them have a CAS calculator, and that's because 90% of them will not spend 100 euros or more in a calculator (and some math teachers are happy to see CAS calculators at high prices, because they fear CAS...). I think that a cheaper Prime sold just below 100 euros would be very successfull in France and probably elsewhere (the Prime is confidential here). I bet that TI is about to release a touchscreen nspire, and perhaps they will flood the market and HP will remain an outsider.