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Epicurus.com - Ti-nspire Cas Graphing Calc
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List Price: $170.99
Our Price: $154.67
Your Save: $ 16.32 ( 10% )
Availability: Usually ships in 1 to 2 months
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
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Average Customer Rating:   
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Binding: Electronics
Brand: Texas Instruments
EAN: 0033317190683
Feature: .
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: Texas Instruments
Manufacturer: Texas Instruments
Model: NSCAS/PWB/1L1
Publisher: Texas Instruments
Studio: Texas Instruments
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Editorial Reviews:
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The TI-Nspire CAS handheld and computer software has all the functionality of TI-Nspire technology plus built-in CAS (Computer Algebra System) capabilities. Explore, evaluate and simplify expressions, numeric problems and variables symbolically. Experience all the functionality of TI-Nspire technology plus built-in CAS capabilities, which provides the ability to explore, evaluate and simplify expressions, numeric problems and variables symbolically. The TI-Nspire CAS handheld does not include the snap-in TI-84 Plus Keypad, which is compatible exclusively with the TI-Nspire handheld. White box.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: TI-Nspire CAS -- A Product-in-Progress
Comment: I probably would have given this product three stars, but I feel that I must balance some of the overly generous grades given by other reviewers. I do not believe that a product that merely works merits a five star rating.
The Nspire CAS has the hardware potential to be a quantum upgrade to the aging TI-89, which is based upon late 1980's processor technology. And yet, at the time this review is being written, the TI-89 is a generally more powerful and easy-to-use programmable calculator than the Nspire CAS.
The built-in software of the TI-89 is very mature, and has much more programming capability than the Nspire CAS. This enables it to run thousands of free user-supplied programs, which can be readily downloaded into the '89 from the internet (via a PC) using only software freely available from TI. The Nspire CAS, by contrast, has no "free" connectivity to the PC or internet. Even if it had this, it cannot run programs written for the '89 due to the lack of many programming features, like input/output and menus.
Possibly TI will remedy the deficiencies in the Nspire CAS programming capability in time, but one should not purchase a product that might be upgraded at some indefinite time when a product that already has the needed features is available right now.
I believe that TI is aware of the foregoing and other deficiencies in the Nspire CAS (many mentioned by other reviewers here). That's why they've priced the Nspire CAS about the same as the TI-89 Titanium, despite the Nspire's superior processor (potentially 3x faster execution), massively larger (20x) user memory capability, and somewhat better display.
In the end, it's the software that does the work, whether on a calculator or a full-fledged computer. The TI-89 has proven to be an enduring example of superb hardware/software integration and value engineering, whereas the Nspire CAS, mostly due to immature software, is a beta product masquerading as a production release.
I am hopeful that the TI Nspire CAS will eventually supercede the TI-89. Given software capability that is merely the equal to that available with the TI-89, the Nspire CAS would today be the superior value proposition. Alas, that's not yet the case.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Crippled Giant
Comment: This could have been the best calculator ever. It does amazing things. But in crucial ways it is a step backwards:
--Previous TI calculators come with software that allow you exchange data with your PC or Mac. NOT SO THE NSPIRE. For that, you have to buy the desktop version of the software, costing over $100 dollars PER COMPUTER. You can write notes for the NSPIRE, but you need to do that on a computer to make them of any length. So you need to buy the desktop version for that feature. A cynic might call this bait and switch.
--The programming is not as powerful as the TI-83/84. It does not appear to take input. Since Texas Instruments is touting this as a teaching calculator, educators need to be able to write complex teaching programs, but they cannot.
I give high marks to the engineers who created this powerful calculator but the business people who crippled it should be sent to Siberia. Although I've spent hours playing with this, I'll still recommend my tutoring students get a TI-84, which can easily import and export data and has teaching and programming capabilities.
Shame on Texas Instruments.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Nice item, escecially when you need it for class
Comment: What else can be said, but this is another calculator made by TI that works and is required in the class room.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Completely Illegal, yet lots of fun.
Comment: After using this calculator throughout 10th grade Algebra II, I thought I might as well get around to writing a review of this newest TI product.
The Pros:
Elegant and efficient solver screen. This calculator does everything: it solves equations, matrices (in pretty print, no less), factors, solves systems of equations...just about anything you ask it to. I could *almost* use this calculator exclusively in algebra class and sleep through the lectures. The only problem I ever had with it was when I wanted it to "complete the square;" a rather obnoxious process in Algebra that takes forever to do by hand. The prevalent pretty print is nice, and I agree with the reviewer who said that parentheses errors are a thing of the past with this calculator...as well as fractional errors, radical errors, order of operations errors, etc...
The Cons:
Just like most of the other reviews said, terribly documented. Figuring out this calc is a real hit-or-miss, guess-and-check process. I cannot access half of the graphing features on this calc, and I don't even know where to begin when doing stat plots. The ability to run split-screen programs is nice; especially if your problem asks for the XY chart of a graph. However, finding intercepts, linear-or-quadratic regression, stat plot trends, etc, are all pretty much lost in translation, and I don't have the time to figure the features out in the middle of a test. Thus, even though I have the calculator that can do everything, I still need to use my TI-84 at times, which draws jeers from my classmates (as in "Geez, how many calculators do you NEED?!"). Also, this calculator is prohibited on almost all standardized tests, as well as most school tests, due to its ability to solve equations, so it loses value right there. Minor issues include screen contrast and button placement (I have big thumbs, and often times, the side of my finger inadvertently hits those annoying little letter keys). One further problem is that the N-Spire's keyboard features different keystrokes from the scholastic standard TI-84, so you have to adapt to classroom demonstrations on the fly, which can get annoying while trying to take rapid notes.
Overall, I love this completely illegal piece of cutting edge technology, but be forewarned: get your PhD in rocket science first if you want to use all this calculator's features, because you sure will need it. Or else, bring your TI-84 along as backup and endure the jeers of your classmates.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Potential but fails big on key features v/s TI89
Comment: Hi All,
I have been using this calculator for 4 months,I've previously owned a TI-89... TI-NSPIRE CAS has a nice resolution, but the LCD is really difficult to read, your eyes must be perpendicular to the calculator and with very good lightning. The spreadsheet function is nice but you cannot use it as a real excel (like in TI-89), if you want to select a range of cell (ie. =A4*B6) you must type it, no way for navigate to them as with the TI-89. Also no functionality with MS excel (you cannot send it directly from excel to the calculator), No MS WORD support also if you want to save text files. Finally it is extremely big (I'm, 6" tall and even for my hand is too big). Also there is no SDK kit (so you cannot port other applications i.e SIMPLEX or a game ie. Chess etc.)
I hope Texas will improve the software and the LCD (why not color LCD??)I really enjoy maths and I'd like to have a companion for hard on the go calculations, but I will advise to all of you to stay away until texas changes the software and the Guidebook (is really bad!!!).
Regards form Chile!
Patricio
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