Smartphones

[carrots]

For many Consulting Actuaries the Hewlett Packard HP 12C has been a mainstay pocket calculator for over 25 years.

How about Smartphones? Is there any consensus on a really good Smartphone for the Consulting Actuary? What Smartphone, if any, do you use?

What about phone service contracts for Smartphones? What company do you use for phone service? What does it cost?

Thanks!

[SoCalActuary]

Actually, I was always a TI-Business Analyst fan.

My Palm Treo was ahead of the curve, and it is not worn out yet. But the Blackberry phones look very good now.

Zero experience with Apple or Sony phones.

[david rigby]

Without commenting on smartphones, this included discussion about the HP12C, and others:

http://benefitslink.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=41289

[David MacLennan]

I've been anti-Apple forever . . . But, I like my iPhone. The apps are a big reason why. For example, for $5, you can get an iPhone app that emulates the HP12C exactly (looks like the HP12C too). The Hewlett Packard hardware version costs $70. The apps make the iPhone the best option IMO.

[mwyatt]

I've been using the same HP12C since 1984; did purchase a special "Anniversary Edition" 12C Platinum 2 years ago and the keys started malfunctioning after a year. Much faster processor, but a piece of junk. The 26 year old version still works fine, albeit with a slower processor. Buyer beware...

[Mike Preston]

Without commenting on smart phones, I have a comment on the 12c. It was alluded to in the other thread, but to be more blunt: the 12c can not do partial period amortization. Worse, it doesn't do the smart thing and give you an error. It merely produces a number that is incorrect. An actuary aware of the issue can work around it. An actuary unaware of the issue can make a boo boo. If you are unfamiliar with the underlying formulas you can't work around it, so get a business calculator (like the 17B mentioned or the good old 10B which is what I currently use) and avoid the issue entirely.

[AndyH]

I've been anti-Apple forever . . . But, I like my iPhone. The apps are a big reason why. For example, for $5, you can get an iPhone app that emulates the HP12C exactly (looks like the HP12C too). The Hewlett Packard hardware version costs $70. The apps make the iPhone the best option IMO.

This is very useful; I'll probably get that App. Just one followup: Does it emulate the old version or the "junk" version mwyatt references.

Just as an aside, FWIW, The Infinite Actuary offers on-line courses that are available (for now) only on an IPhone (or regular computer of course).