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Texas Instruments makes it harder to run programs on its calculators
Texas Instruments has pulled the support for assembly-based programs on its graphing calculators -- it's meant to fight cheating, but also hurts hobbyists.
Test-approved app could kill off the graphing calculator
Math students have a love-hate relationship with the funky, expensive TI-84 graphing calculators, but thanks to a new deal, they'll soon get a free option. Starting this spring, pupils in 14 US states will be able to use the TI-like Desmos online calculator during standardized testing run by the Smarter Balanced consortium. "We think students shouldn't have to buy this old, underpowered device anymore," Desmos CEO Eli Luberoff told Quartz.
Texas Instruments has a gold-hued graphing calculator
Want to prove that you're a cosine champion at your next math exam? Texas Instruments thinks it has the answer. It's trotting out a limited edition version of the TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator that comes in a gold-hued (as TI puts it, "Golden Ratio") metallic shell -- yes, you can show some swagger while you're visualizing functions. There's also a special "Bright White" model (below) if you're not quite so ostentatious. Both calculators should arrive this summer without a price premium (existing models sell for $108 on Amazon), so you won't have to pay extra to bring some flash to your calculus class.
TI's super-slim graphing calculator shows that math can be stylish
Who said that graphing calculators were dead in the smartphone era? Certainly not Texas Instruments -- if anything, it's showing that there's still plenty of life left in dedicated math machines. Its new TI-84 Plus CE is 30 percent thinner and 30 percent lighter than the regular Plus, making for a surprisingly sleek-looking way to crunch numbers. It has six times the memory, too, so you can store more color graphs and images (and, let's be honest, a fresh copy of Drugwars for goofing off mid-class). TI hasn't divulged pricing for the Plus CE, although its new design and advanced feature set hint that it'll be relatively costly when it arrives in the spring. Look at it this way, though: you might just be the envy of your fellow students when you take this svelte plotter out of your backpack.
Mod turns your graphing calculator into a selfie camera
Your graphing calculator may not be getting much use these days now that other mobile devices can do the job, but it still has a few tricks up its sleeve if you're willing to do some tinkering. Christopher Mitchell's latest project, ArTICam, lets you turn a TI-83 Plus or TI-84 Plus calculator into a selfie-oriented camera. The mod mostly requires a Game Boy Camera and a programmable Arduino board like the Uno. After a little bit of wiring and some (thankfully ready-made) code, you can snap self-portraits with a calculator command. The 128 x 123 grayscale pictures you take won't win photography awards, but that's not the point -- this is more about having fun with gadgets that might otherwise sit in the closet gathering dust. Hit the source link if you have the gear and want to give ArTICam a whirl. [Thanks, Christopher]
Forget quadratic equations, play 'Super Smash Bros.' on your TI-83
The geniuses that guided Rosetta's lander onto a freaking comet no doubt put their TI-83 programmable calculators to good use, but you know what the rest of us were doing with them? Yeah, playing Wolfenstein. Now you can misspend physics class with another game: Super Smash Bros. Programmer Hayleia managed to port it over to the TI-83/84, and even left the code open for anyone to modify. It has a great zoom effect to make better use of that low-res screen, though for now you've only got Fox and Falco to play with. Yes, yes, we know that there are brand new versions of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U (soon) with over 40 playable characters each, and you should totally try those. Meanwhile, you've got something to do (while appearing productive) when your trig prof hits a new level of boredom.
Texas Instruments confirms color TI-84+ calculator is on track for a spring 2013 release
You've seen the recent rumors of a TI-84 calculator with a color screen, and now Tech Powered Math has gotten the official word from Texas Instruments that such a device is indeed coming, finally bringing the popular line of calculators out of the monochrome age. As those earlier reports have suggested, however, you'll have to wait until sometime in the spring of next year to get you hands on one, and pricing has yet to be confirmed -- the site says the MSRP "could" be in the neighborhood of $150, though. Apparently, one reason for the lack of specificity with a release date is that the apps from the older calculators aren't compatible with the new TI-84+ C, so Texas Instruments has been focusing on rewriting the most popular ones in time for the calculator's release, with an eye towards releasing more over the course of the summer. TI assured the site that the new model is "not replacing anything," though, and adds that it has no plans to discontinue the standard TI-84+ or the TI-84+ Silver Edition. Those interested can find plenty more details on the calculator and TI's plans at the source link below.
TI-84 calculator with color screen surfaces, geeks giddy with anticipation
Texas Instrument's TI-84 makes quick work of graphs and equations like nobody's business, but it's done so for years while clinging to an outdated black and white screen. Now, however, it looks like that'll change for at least one flavor of the souped-up digital abacus. Cemetech forum user 0rac343 posted a photo of a TI-84+ C Silver Edition, claiming that it was one of 24 provided by TI for in-classroom testing and that it's slated to launch next spring. Tech Powered Math reports that a contact who's worked with Texas Instruments has confirmed that the calculator is the real McCoy. In fact, the firm's website has a page where visitors can sign up for updates about the number cruncher in question. With the help of the refreshed TI-84, we might finally be able to tell if Blinky, Inky, Pinky or Clyde is the ghost chasing us down in the hardware's Pac-Man clone.
Graphing calculator web browser lets you visit your favorite sine wave fan sites (video)
Graphing calculators: essential tools for math education or low-res Game Boys? The debate rages on. Advocates of non-mathematical applications for the devices have scored a major victory with the introduction of Gossamer, a new web browser for various TI graphing calculators, which lets users visit some very basic versions of webpages, using the CALCnet and globalCALCnet protocols. The 1.0 version can request, display, and scroll pages. Logging in will bring you to a portal with links -- the application's developer has promised to add the ability to directly enter URLs in a future version, however. There's a demo video after the break, though you may want to wait until after math class to check it out.
PS3 jailbroken with... a TI-84 Plus calculator
Sure, you can jailbreak a PS3 using a USB drive, or even a Palm Pre or Nokia N900 -- but isn't that a little too straightforward? Jailbreaking a PS3 with a TI-84 Plus calculator, on the other hand; well, that's more like it. Still skeptical? Head on past the break for the video evidence, and hit up the source link below for the necessary details to perform the feat yourself. And don't worry -- no calculators were harmed in the making of this exploit.
TI-Nspire graphing calculator gets a new touchpad, nerds swoon world o'er
Texas Instruments has been making graphing calculators for twenty years now, and things look pretty much the same as they were in that bygone era of Amy Grant and C&C Music Factory. The company's latest, TI-Nspire with Touchpad, features -- you guessed it! -- a touchpad above the keypad for scrollin' around, as well as a letterpad (apparently they had to forgo QWERTY to make this compliant with tests like SAT and ACT). And, like its precursors, it comes with a snap-in TI-84 Plus keypad so your old dog won't have to learn any keystrokes. Available now from your fave e-tailer, look to pay around $140.
Texas Instruments finally gets fresh, unveils TI-Nspire calculators
We're not exactly sure if Texas Instruments' widely utilized TI-83 / TI-84 line of calculators have reached the same success as Casio (but it's fairly safe to assume a "yes"), but the firm is finally throwing out a substantial update to the graphing calculators that you, your folks, and probably your grandparents all used throughout high school. The TI-Nspire lineup maintains the same relative form factor, but offers up a few swank advancements such as multiple representations, "grab-and-move" functionality, resizing, dynamic linking, and of course, the oh-so-sweet ability to save and edit in-progress work (shown after the jump) right on the device. Additionally, Windows / OS X software will be available to mimic the on-screen abilities of the handhelds, which means those days of viewing the monochrome display via an overhead projector are long gone, and for those who just aren't willing to make the transition, TI is even including a snap-in TI-83 / TI-84 Plus keypad so you can upgrade your machine without relearning keystrokes. The TI-Nspire and TI-Nspire CAS are both slated to hit instructional dealers this Fall for educators (commercially available by Fall 2008), so we'd suggest pinching those pennies now in back-to-school anticipation.
