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A comparison with the TI-89,
I got this calculator after having a TI-89 for several years.
What’s good about the Nspire CX CAS compared to the ’89? Quite a bit:
1. The screen. It’s very bright and has 10 brightness levels. Even outside it’s readable, just not very well. The screen is high gloss which may prove a challenge in some areas. It does have color distortion at large angles to the screen, but I’ve yet to notice this in actual use.
2. Some forms of input are much improved. Creating matrices is far less tedious. I also no longer need to remember the order in which to put values for summations and other similar functions. Functions that do not have a math print version and aren’t self explanatory often have wizards to guide you through their use.
3. It’s faster, substantially so. Complex graphs are no longer glacial. Very large numbers and functions no longer lock up the interface for seconds at a time.
4. The catalog is organized either by subject or alphabetical. When sorted by subject, instead of listing them as comDenom(, arccoth(, etc. They’re listed as Common Denominator and Inverse Hyperbolic Cotangent.
5. The calculator is thinner and the rubber feet have better grip.
There are also some disadvantages:
1. The pipe key is way more out of the way. It’s hidden behind 6 keypresses. This is countered by the ease in which functions can be defined, but that is only really faster than the old method if you’re doing functions with more than 2 variables.
2. The touchpad is touchy. I’ve had it suddenly go into touchpad mode when I was pressing the arrow keys and the movement is slow and jumpy. However, nearly nothing requires the touchpad’s use.
3. The majority of the math buttons are on rocker keys. Two buttons share a plastic button and pivot left and right. This makes the area near the center of these buttons dead zones that won’t click. With how small they are, it makes pressing some keys difficult, and the size of the dead zone feels unnatural.
4. The battery life isn’t as long, but with the rechargeable pack and the clear battery indicator, it won’t be bothering me.
5. No native code support.
6. Some functions are harder to get to than on the 89, as there are fewer dedicated keys.
All in all, the Nspire CX CAS was a worthwhile upgrade from the TI-89 based solely on the calculator itself. I would give the calculator alone between a 4 and a 4.5/5.
As for the included software, this is where things become annoying. The student software is the only way to really transfer files in and out of the calculator or do software updates. TiLP, an open source link program, says Nspire v3.0 is supported, but their Windows version is only available as a broken .zip file right now. The TI-Nspire Computer Link software absolutely refuses to do a system update as it was designed for the older non-CX Nspires, but some files do transfer.
This is a problem because you have to activate the student software online, and you only get 1 activation. There is no indicated way to deactivate a computer. Uninstallation doesn’t deactivate a computer either. If you need a new copy for any reason, TI charges nearly as much as the calculator costs for it.
In conclusion, I really enjoy the calculator, but the lack of freely available, fully functional connect software is a substantial con in my books. Hopefully, this changes in the future.
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|Want color in your Graphing Calculator?,
This is one of the first graphing calculators, just behind Casio, that provides a color display.
So what is great about this calculator?
1. Templates, templates, templates! Have a hard time understanding how to solve an integral or a system of equations on your TI-89? The TI-Nspire Cx CAS has easy to understand templates for solving integrals. In other words, this calculator will set up an integral just the way you would see it in your book, simply tab or arrow over to an empty box and fill it in.
2. CAS (computer algebra system) This helps solve for variables and can help simplify expressions that the non-CAS calculators couldn’t hope to do. For just 10 or 20 dollars more for this feature (it is included in this calculator!), it adds a whole new level of functionality to your calculator, and the non-CAS calculators will tease you about these functions, but will tell you that CAS is needed in order to perform them. Also, This calculator looks more professional than the standard CX calculator, at least in my mind.
So what is good about this calculator?
1. The screen provides a clear display, of course, the display could be improved on, but it really doesn’t seem that necessary. Another difference is that the screen is in line with the rest of the calculator (the screen is not indented into the calculator as it is with most other models), providing little protection against accidental drops.
2. The sleek design. It looks much more professional than the older Nspire models and is much more sleek, but it provides a little worry when it comes to strength and durability, but you would have to be rather careless in order to break it.
So what is slightly annoying about this calculator?
1. The Li-Ion battery. This may be a difference in personal opinion, but I don’t think I should have to charge my calculator at least every two weeks and eventually every other day or so. This calculator runs off a standard cell phone battery and so the longer this calculator is used, the faster it will die, and I just prefer that my calculator runs off batteries and works for months at a time. (Hey, uh, maam, I know we’re taking a test and all, but, uh, could you move over a bit so I can charge my calculator?) That really shouldn’t be much of a problem because it does have a battery bar, but if you forget one day, and happen to have the recharger, it just seems strange compared to keeping a pack of batteries as a spare.
-Battery correction located towards bottom of review
Added Friday, August 26, 2011
This calculator attempts to emulate or copy the general format of a laptop computer that happens to mostly only function mathematically and scientifically in the sense that it is possible to buy a variety of different sensors for this calculator.
I also forgot to mention that this calculator has what is similar to a touchpad that seems a little bit, well, touchy (The scrolling icon doesn’t show up unless the calculator detects/thinks you are trying to use the arrow pad as a touchpad). After I have had a small amount of time to try this calculator, I have found that it seems to be the type of calculator that is used more often for homework, not tests, because it is a great tool when you are not under pressure. This may be for a variety of reasons, one of which would be that I am much more familiar with the general layout of the TI-89 and TI-83/84. Before considering purchasing this calculator, one who has not owned a previous version of the Nspire line, should determine whether he/she is willing to put the time in to understand where to find the functions he/she will want to use.
In addition, the calculator features a basic keypad containing the alphabet in the abc, rather than qwerty, format which some may find annoying. But! Remember that if Texas Instruments were to make a qwerty keyboard on their calculators, then these calculators would not be allowed during most tests due to standard regulations.
In conclusion, I believe that you should probably only spend your money on this calculator if:
1. You previously owned an Nspire model, AND enjoyed using it!
2. You have never owned a graphing calculator and want the best of the best. (You know, color, resolution, processor, touch pad, three dimensional graphing, templates, sleek design, semi-intuitive button layout etc etc.)
3. You collect TI brand calculators
4. You enjoy manipulating graphs, rather than simply calculating functions.
I’m sure there are quite a few things I may have missed, but I wanted to be sure that I addressed a few more of the aspects of this calculator and to come up with a guide to whether this calculator may be right for you. Regardless of my main points, and despite the comments and reviews about cracked screens and assaults on durability, this calculator works and is relatively durable. If you are the type of…
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|Great calculator for students,
I am a high school student and purchased this calculator mostly for my calc 3 class I take at a nearby college. I had to decide between the ti-89 and this one and ultimately decided on the cx cas. My friends all own ti-89s and the key difference I saw between the two calculators was the use of templates. The ti-89 maybe much more familiar for many people but for me, the math templates makes things easier to integrate, differentiate, etc. Also the screen is quite beautiful but can be scratched easily. The screen is clear and vivid. The calculator is also extremely slim and looks amazing. Whenever I take this thing out, everyone always swarm over to admire its beauty. It always attracts attention. The battery life amazed me. It lasted longer than what Texas instruments said it would. I use this calculator very often and the battery was at 50% after 3 weeks of use. I am very happy with my purchase.
Pros:
Templates are extremely helpful
Battery life is amazing
Expect people to compliment you (until this thing becomes more common.)
Screen is clear and vibrant
Looks and feels amazing
Super thin
Nice change from the typical ti-89
Cons:
Screen scratches easily
Some people may “borrow” your calculator longer than you wish
Getting locked in test mode could happen quite easily and has happened to me already. (just find someone with any ti-nspire and connect the two calculators then open up the document called test mode to unlock)
Screen is a fingerprint magnet
Some may still prefer the familiarity if the 89
Hope this review helped!
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