Calculators were the original handheld computers, but unlike the whole PDA fad, they’ve had amazing staying power through their 40-year history — to this day, buttoned-up dudes crunching numbers at wooden desks have HP 12Cs next to them not for the kitschy retro street cred, but because they’re functional, familiar, and do exactly what they’re expected to do. Thing is, even purpose-suited perfection can only carry a product for so many years; eventually, raw technology and a new generation of users with different expectations are going to conspire to tear down the status quo. HP was the first giant to recognize that it might be a good idea to have virtual versions of its products available for a more modern medium, porting the 12C and 15C to the iPhone; now, TI — HP’s archrival in the calculator business for decades — is doing the same by offering its BAII Plus as a $14.99 download from the App Store. That’s exactly the same price as the 12C, so come on, you HP and TI diehards — duke it out and tell us which brand makes the better adding machine once and for all, won’t you?
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds
TI joins HP, creates official business calculator port for iPhone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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