Omnimaga

Calculator Community => Other Calculators => Topic started by: bfr on December 28, 2006, 05:09:00 am

Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: bfr on December 28, 2006, 05:09:00 am
Do you think you will get one?  (trying to create some activity here)
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Spellshaper on December 28, 2006, 06:30:00 am
I'm maybe going to get one. A big MAYBE, though.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: bfr on December 28, 2006, 06:32:00 am
QuoteBegin-netham45+28 Dec, 2006, 12:24-->
QUOTE (netham45 @ 28 Dec, 2006, 12:24)
*netham45 points out that it is the Ti-nSpire CAS and that you miscapatialized(sp?) the name.  

 http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/US/nonProductMulti/nspire_cas.html

I could add CAS, but that's like adding PLT to Voyage 200.  I'll just change it anyway, though.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Halifax on December 28, 2006, 06:55:00 am
nope I'm not getting it unless a whole load of great games come out for it then I will probaly get it
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on December 28, 2006, 09:32:00 am
I'm not getting it. The only good thing there is seems to be the hardware and the improved CAS (well at least it will have). And I really hate the design.  :(sad.gif  I wish they made something like this: http://v3.espacenet.com/origdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=EP1424626&F=0&QPN=EP1424626
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on December 28, 2006, 11:16:00 am
If it was more prgming power and less new calc hype, still probably not. :Ptongue.gif
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: CureDesu on December 30, 2006, 07:03:00 am
Nope, I most probably am not getting one anytime soon.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on December 30, 2006, 02:40:00 pm
I heard from a guy who heard from separate source weeks ago that NSpire will be three versions.  One with a CAS, one without and NSpire for PC's...

I just think that that's weird...  :/confused.gif
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Netham45 on December 30, 2006, 02:49:00 pm
QuoteBegin-graywolf+30 Dec, 2006, 19:4-->
QUOTE (graywolf @ 30 Dec, 2006, 19:40)
I heard from a guy who heard from separate source weeks ago that NSpire will be three versions.  One with a CAS, one without and NSpire for PC's...  

 yeah, that's what I heard too.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on December 31, 2006, 09:41:00 am
the fact it seems to miss the BASIC draw function doesnt help either
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on December 31, 2006, 09:53:00 am
Nspire for PC??? Sounds like an emulator, nothing special...
But will it be the CAS or the noCAS model?...
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on December 31, 2006, 11:01:00 am
hmm that may be a totally different software, unless they are making a pc app that work like the nspire calc
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on December 31, 2006, 12:00:00 pm
Is TI seriously running that low on ideas? A bunch of z80 asm'ers could come up with a better calc than that (if being paid to do it I bet)!
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on December 31, 2006, 12:01:00 pm
true, if they have the hardware
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Halifax on December 31, 2006, 09:12:00 pm
yea it seems like TI is trying to milk a bad cow I think they should go to the farm down the road and get a new cow or go in town and find some people in the community that can help them milk a cow otherwise their cow is going to die and their truck will break down leaving them with nothing and no where to go.

haha do you like my analogies
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Fryedsoft on December 31, 2006, 10:33:00 pm
QuoteBegin-graywolf+30 Dec, 2006, 20:4-->
QUOTE (graywolf @ 30 Dec, 2006, 20:40)
I heard from a guy who heard from separate source weeks ago that NSpire will be three versions.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on January 01, 2007, 04:13:00 am
my only hope is that it will be reliable for making games as well. while calcs should be used for maths, its always good if students can entertain themselves outside classes after finishing all their works.  
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on January 01, 2007, 05:42:00 am
I'm not familiar with TI-89 lingo, but "not programs" sounds very bad...
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 01, 2007, 10:58:00 am
Well... not programs is bad, but if program commands and supported in functions, then its ok (assuming strictly TIBASIC).

As for games, again if you look at the design of the calculator, it will be hard to game from a physical point of view due to to the arangement of the keys. But since the hardware is better, games will also be better prolly.

Most likely the model will be a CAS w. computer software either free or optional. Basically this is TIs attempt at a ClassPad 300+.

If the thing I heard about a non CAS version is true, why get N-spire at all. I guess you might as well stick with a z80 calc right...? (Unless you want the better games  :Ptongue.gif ) And I'm sure you can easily fake the calc as CAS or nonCAS.

As for the concept... TI is now focusing completely on CAS calcs, many of which are not permitted in school, tests, etc. Therefore, I think that it should focus on x80s and 68ks with better HW, but not so radical stuff...  
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: bfr on January 01, 2007, 11:22:00 am
Good points.

By x80s, I take it you mean TI-8x.  ;)wink.gif
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Fryedsoft on January 01, 2007, 01:34:00 pm
QuoteBegin-graywolf+1 Jan, 2007, 16:58-->
QUOTE (graywolf @ 1 Jan, 2007, 16:58)
If the thing I heard about a non CAS version is true, why get N-spire at all.

Thats Exactly what Ti wants to do with this calc I believe. They don't want you to get an Nspire. They want Your School to get one. or two, ETC.

Looking in the manual, there's a introduction to the Nspire. It sounds a lot like what you would find in a marketing brochure for the calc, and from the way it's worded, It sounds like it's being marketed as a learning platform to benefit teachers learning experience. (I'd post it, but the PDF's are encrypted to disallow text copying. I don't feel like breaking the DMCA) It also talkes about a "Cradle Charging Bay" that will charge up to four 4 "connectivity sleds" (my guess: they mean Nspires, but I could be wrong. It doesn't refer to connectivity sleds anywhere else in the manual.)

If this was a calculator that student's would buy, why would the intro focus so much on how this benefits the learning experience instead of ease of use and functional power like previous calc's were marketed? Also, why would it need a charging bay for four calculators?

The more I read these docs, the more I think Handheld Powerpoint presenter, data collector for labratory work, new age interactive learning device, and less graphing calculator.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on January 01, 2007, 01:45:00 pm
z80. But you were close enough for me to understand.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 02, 2007, 08:19:00 am
Sorry for the ambiguities. And I agree that it is no longer a real "calculator" anymore.

Also, if I remember correctly, Nspire is supposed to have a mouse controlled with arrows right? I remember some shells for the 89 used arrow based system instead of the F1, F2, etc. The arrows weren't that effective whereas the F1, F2, etc. built in was a lot faster and overall better.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Fryedsoft on January 02, 2007, 09:16:00 am
Don't quote me on this, since I don't have the PDF in front of me, and really haven't read a lot on how the interface works since I focused more on the index at the back of the manual, but i believe the button in the middle of the directional star acts as some sort of trackpoint similar to how IBM does the mouse on some of their laptops. EDIT: handbook says it's a pressure sensitive directional pad for cursor movement. sounds like a trackpoint to me.

Although I'm sure it's not a graphing calculator by the way we define one, it is an interesting device nonetheless. It looks like Ti is trying to compete against PDA's in the classroom with this thing, but instead focusing on making a PDA specific for math and science learning. If it has a solid price advantage, it just might take off.

There's some images in the manual of it having test questions, reviewing notes from teachers already programmed in by the teacher, complex data capturing and analysis, as well as breakdowns of complex equations. I'm almost thinking of getting one with the CBL/CBR set just to see if it can replace the antiquated Logger Pro probe software we've been trying to kill here.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 02, 2007, 05:11:00 pm
The Nspire idea sounds cool, but its just that its not a calc anymore... I just hope that any CAS updates on Nspire will also be made available for 89s, 92s, and V200.

As for pricing I think I heard that it would sell for the same as an 89T.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on January 03, 2007, 11:05:00 am
If it does, it won't get much sales. The people getting the 89Ti are the smart people that need it, not the people that just need a graphing calc. The people in that 89Ti price range would realize the 89 is a better deal.

Or maybe the nspire can do all that and I'm just still angry about the lack of proper programming support...
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 03, 2007, 02:44:00 pm
By "smart people" if you are refering to math people, then the Nspire will have a superior CAS, but in the classroom, I think teachers would rather see the 89T.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 19, 2007, 04:55:00 pm
I think the Nspire lacks this: (can anyone confirm?)
1. A small loudspeaker to alert when a process is finished. (Like HP calcs)
2. A color screen. (Like Casio calc)
3. A clock to time start & stop of functions. (Like HP calcs)
4. A memory chip (SD like Casio calc and HP calc)
5. More powerful programming features. (Flags, error caching, single step, indirect memory addressing. Like HP calcs, old TI calcs.)
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on January 20, 2007, 02:55:00 am
1) mhmm ew i dont want my calc to do noises when something is finished, imagine what would it be in a BASIC game where the calc is often in a busy state

2) that would rule but the color screen on casio is crappy, its just 3 layers or 4 i think and it look weird when the calc is tilted

3) true

4) same

5) and i hope it even have BASIC programming stuff included as well as DRAW functions at all
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on January 20, 2007, 05:01:00 am
I can imagine taking a test and out saying "Function completed. X=32" then everyone else listening and copying it :Dbiggrin.gif

Color... give it RBG and at least 100x200 pixel screen, and I say yes.

So TI didn't like the timer idea they started with the 84+?

You can never have too much memory :)smile.gif Same for powerful functions, though I'm sure the nspire programmers will figure out some nice hacks.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Alex on January 21, 2007, 05:50:00 am
This won't take off anywhere except perhaps awkward lab rooms. It looks clunky and limited to appeal to hobbyist programmers, and will probably cost more than it's worth.

I honestly think that the 68k line is as good as a calc for programming can get. Their built-in Basic language kicks a**, I still can't believe how great it is. Whenever I remind myself of it I'm tempted to code something in it just for old times sake :') It may not be blazing fast but it has a great syntax, powerful graphic functions (you can draw sprites on screen without any external lib!) and fairly advanced features like those indirection strings which can make code so much faster and cleaner :)

I still want to make an epic BASIC game some day, but then again I want to make a lot of things I never get around to... :(
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Jon on January 21, 2007, 07:10:00 am
If it doesn't include programming, then there will end up being someone who will find a way to manipulate one of its files (kinda like the 82/85, yet kinda not) to allow for assembly.  As for basic, or any other interpreted language, that may never happen, unlesss......
Jon takes a stealthy look at MLC....
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: bfr on January 21, 2007, 07:30:00 am
...unless MLC is ported to the Casio AFX!  

:Ptongue.gif
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 24, 2007, 02:37:00 pm
For those people who want to try the Nspire CAS on on their computer, see the download below.

http://www2.bigupload.com/download_frame.php?id_file=BCB585EF
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Radical Pi on January 24, 2007, 11:48:00 pm
They already have the emu?
*Radical Pi
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: CureDesu on January 25, 2007, 01:01:00 am
If it doesn't include programming, it's almost sure I won't get one.  My 84+SE gets me by just fine as far as math is concerned.  (And there's nifty apps for it like Symbolic)  :)smile.gif
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Fryedsoft on January 25, 2007, 11:44:00 am
That emulator is actually the PC Nspire software. it's supposed to emulate the calc in function (not like true emulation Ala Virtual TI), but I could never get it to work. (including this one. It keeps saying that a file is missing.)

The PDF is the interesting part of the download, since it has the command reference in it. It pretty much matches up with what I have in the calc handbooks.

Still no programming commands from what I see. It still has the function capabilies that I posted on my ongoing forum topic http://www.bluecrimson.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?b-tinspire/m-1161633215/, but nothing else.
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on January 25, 2007, 11:54:00 am
I haven't tried installing it yet. I only found a link for it :(sad.gif
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: graywolf on February 26, 2007, 02:13:00 pm
Check out http://education.ti.com/educationportal/sites/DEUTSCHLAND/productDetail/de_nspire_cas.html?subid=1&topid=73 for more information. It seems that the Nspire has a new interface that is easier to use, slightly different hardware specifications, a different keyboard/cursor layout, and has the ability to switch keyboard plates with the TI84. Unfortunately, the design is still aesthetically unpleasant and specifications about programming support and CAS are still unavailable :(sad.gif .
Title: TI-Nspire CAS
Post by: Liazon on February 27, 2007, 11:03:00 am
o.oblink.gif it just snaps in...

Well, I wonder if we can get it to play z80 games (Emu8x perhaps :)smile.gif )