As other tech companies are looking to revolutionize tablets, smartphones and more, HP is going back to its roots and is looking to revolutionize graphing calculators.
Since HP can't make up its mind if it wants to get back into the smartphone business, it's adding smartphone-like features and design to its upcoming HP Prime graphing calculator.
HP posted a very Apple-esque video to its You Tube channel, showing off all of the features of the HP Prime. The graphing calculator looks and acts more like a smartphone than the typical plastic graphing calculators we're all used to. At first glance it could be mistaken for a smartphone, due to its design.
HP has wrapped the HP Prime graphing calculator in brushed aluminum, added a 3.5-inch full color multitouch display, and also included built-in apps. Don't expect those apps to be games or something fun, although HP is including a whole slew of math apps.
The list of "apps" includes Advanced Graphing, Geometry, Spreadsheet, Function, Parametric, Inference, Polar, Statistics, Solve, Finance, Linear Solver and Triangle Solver. Not necessarily fun, but they do add functionality and take advantage of that 3.5-inch mutitouch display.
HP describes the HP Prime Color graphing calculator on its YouTube channel as:
"Full Color. Touch-enabled. Revolutionary functionality. The new HP prime graphing calculator puts the power advanced of touch-enabled graphing in the palm of your hand."
HP also built in sync software that allows the user to connect the HP Prime graphing calculator to a PC to create apps and programs and then sends them to the Prime. That functionality has the potential for more enjoyable apps if someone creates them. HP hasn't revealed when the HP Prime graphing calculator will go on sale, but ChipChick is reporting it should be available in the fall, just in time for back to school.
