The iPhone’s full of quirky, clever, funny and utterly useless aps that mimic real-life objects. We’re just glad this one actually has some real functionality alongside its totally retro fun allure. Though the TI-85 was the standard scientific calculator when I was teenager, I actually remember seeing one of these on my parents’ writing desk alongside the everyday stacks of envelopes and old school staplers.
According to PopSci,
HP has released a calculator app that is a near perfect imitation of the original HP15C. Released in 1985, this full-function scientific calculator had a root-solver, could handle matrix operations, and supported numerical integration. It also lasted about six months on one battery-–or about five months and 29 days longer than the iPhone.
The iPhone version didn’t disappoint. Alongside the functionality of the original HP 15C, it also “mimics every last feature, including the famous “solve” key that shows the root of an equation (look for it in the far upper right), goofy click sounds, and even photo-realistic detailing to really fan the nostalgia flames”.
While the app has a hefty $30 price tag, the calculator is nothing short of a gift for those who remember Animal House before it was considered a “classic”. Whether its Rubik’s cube or Marty Mcfly Nike’s we all go turn to the past as a haven of safety and familiarity, sometimes we just want to feel the way we did back then.
