That Fail Calc.
That other day, Kiam and I drove over to the city Post Office to collect a much-awaited package arriving half-a-globe away from Canada. We were led by Post Office staff through a maze of mail sorting stations, piles of parcels and whatnot. At the customs inspection, Kiam pryed open our package, revealing three used TI-84 graphical calculators.
One of which, is mine:
Introducing, the TI-84 series of graphical calculators - the world’s most overrated.
It’s fat, ugly, slow, ancient, and expensive.
You see, we were told to get ourselves a graphical calculator since the day we stepped into Swinburne. But getting one could set us back about 600 bucks. And so we persevered throughout two semesters of Math in Foundation using our faithful Casio fx-570MS from the days of SPM.
Everytime we’d find a way to solve different Math problems using the fx-570 (when it is thought that only the TI’s can solve them), we’d pride ourselves at how we manage to save 600 bucks - yet again and again. I must say I’ve discovered a lot about the abilities of the fx-570 more than I’ve ever knew in Form 5. Like I never knew it does matrices!
Of course, we all know it draws boobies rather well:
=D
Unfortunately, even the faithful fx-570 couldn’t hold up anymore in degree-level Math.
We had to get a calculator that draws what the fx-570 couldn’t draw, other than boobies - graphs.
Thanks to Kiam, we managed to get used TI-84 Silver Editions for merely 450 bucks each rather than its original sub-RM700 price. And so we reluctantly joined the rest of the class tapping away on the TI-84.
There’s a reason why I never really liked the idea of getting a graphical calculator such as the TI-83/84 series - the price just doesn’t justify what we’re paying for.
Other than its outrageous pricing, the TI-83/84 series calculators are down right dinosaurs in today’s age. They’re absolutely bulky and inferior to the say, iPhone - the real gadget of today’s age.
Get what I mean? It’s so huge it feels awkward to hold it with a single palm.
I need not remind you of what the iPhone is capable of, albeit being at a (much) smaller size. It’s a cell phone, mp3 player, internet browser, camera, video player, touch-screened, and another 1001 features with its support for Apps - including, yes, graphing.
Heck, imagine graphing apps on the iPhone!
And the TI-83/84? It’s..a.. calculator, and a uh, *fumbles through the TI-84 guidebook*.. one that draws graphs. =\
Heck, it doesn’t even draw graphs well. Thanks to its 15Mhz processor (psst, the one in the iPhone runs at 620Mhz), it draws graphs a painstaking pixel-by-pixel!
In all it’s fat glory.
I haven’t even gone into comparing the technical specs of the two gadgets which would leave you wondering just what the engineers over at Texas Instruments are doing.
Okay I’m aware of the huge price difference between the two (~RM700 for a TI-84 Silver vs. ~RM2500 for the iPhone 3G). I’m aware that it’s cruel to pitch the 2004 TI-84 against the 2007-released iPhone. I’m aware that few gadgets out there do if ever, come close to rivaling the iPhone in its features-to-size ratio.
I just wanted to point out that the TI-83/84 series calculators could either be slimmer given the limited functions it performs. Or, it could have more features given it’s humongousity.
Oh well, I guess that’s enough bashing.
If there’s one thing I like about the TI-84, it’ll be this:
Woots! Block Dude rocks! =D
Feed:
A better way of drawing boobs would be to use pi in-between the dots.
As in (.?.)
Okay, now I better stop before you figure I’m a calc pervert or something ;P
It looks like a pretty cool graphic calculator… speaking of which… now that I saw your calculator, I think I need to go and pick one up… *sigh* the joys of re-taking Math 30 pure… now I need to find myself a calculator again…
@Eli James, Oh yeah! We certainly figured that out right after the initial boob craze. =D The one I showed is the basic form in all its glory.
@Destiny, you mean you wanna pick up an iPhone. =P
The TI-84 is definitely not a cool calculator, don’t waste your money on it!
Oh, and you *don’t* wanna take Math again. =P
Hey I have that same exact same chunk of overrated calculator! Heh. But I think you paid wayyy too much for yours eh. I got mine brand new for 110 USD (I was already cursing under my breath at the checkout cashier -__-lll)
hay, if i’m not mistaken swinburne lets you borrow(rent) the Ti-84 calculator on semester basis. Not sure abt the cost though.
homg u nearly scared me… (the title)… i thought the calculator died on u already… o_o;
Rachelle: the reason it’s rather expensive is because of the shipping charges… we opted for express mail because exams are coming up and we needed them badly
@Rachelle, Whaaa? For a brand new one? Spanking new ones sell like >600 bucks (about 140USD) here! And that’s not even the Silver Edition. =(
@Saad, I read about it once on BlackBoard! Guess I missed it. =
@Kiam, Well what if it died? You gonna compensate me with your Studio 17? XD
Well Rachelle’s TI is a new one.. plus shipping charges like we did, it could only be around RM400 at most after conversion. =
Ouch!! Hefty spending. Thank God my course didn’t need me to buy such a calculator. RMM600 is more worth spending on a new mobile 3G phone.
Where did you guys buy ze calc from?
I would definitely try looking at what Amazon.com has to offer next time, they usually have pretty awesome deals! (fyi, the Amazonians aren’t paying me to write this comment. no worries. xD]
@cdason, Exactly! And to think we have to spend 600 bucks for something three times the size of any 3G phone but with a gazillion times less the features. Pffft. =(
@Rachelle, Kiam up there ordered a batch of used ones from a lecturer in Canada. And no, we didn’t get it from Amazon. (Even if they did pay you to advertise on my blog) XD
Yeah, graphing calculators are ridiculously priced, considering you can get PowerGraph for free on the iPhone. It does everything a typical TI graphing calculator does.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=290224120&mt=8
But doesnt the texas instrument do formulas, graphs, statistics and stuff like that. Not to mention extensive programming as well.
But rm600 is a hell of a price to pay. When I was in college 6 years ago, I used a ti-83 which costs rm375 brand new.
@Josh, I know! Imagine how pretty those graphs would look like on the iPhone.
@Luminoth, Yeah it does. I didn’t mention those functions (other than graphing) because those are expected of a scientific calculator, to say the least. Simple scientific calcs like the fx-570 would do the trick. It’s just that the TI’s prolly takes it a step further with better graphical representation, etc.
It does programming. But not so sure on the extensive part.
Wow. RM375 for a brand new TI-83? And you’re sure its not a second-hand one? That price certainly sounds like what you can get for a used TI-83 in my campus. =(
Ya, it was RM375 brand new. Everyone had to get one. It came in this hard plastic packaging. After I used it for one year, it sat in my room from then onwards.
nawww… no more funny ideas abt my studio… XD
@Luminoth, Yes the new ones come in hard plastic packaging! Damn, that’s cheap! =)
@Kiam, I haven’t come up with half of the ideas I have with your studio yet! =P
Ti-83 is an older version than Ti-83+ o.. ^^” Yup, RM350 for a used Ti-83+ in campus o.O Renting cost RM500 from the uni for 1 sem, after return will get bek RM450, but tats specially for Business students I think haha.. I think some companies engineer are using Ti-84+ too.. OMG! Boobies! swt..
Ah, that explains the cheaper price, Serene! And no wonder my lecturer didn’t mention anything about TI renting from the campus. =\
And don’t tell me you never drew those on your fx-570 during high school. =P
I am amazed to read such illogical and baseless comparison of gadgets… RM2500 iPhone and TI-84Plus. The next we would here comparing Kancil with the 5 Series of either Mercedes or BMW or even Rolls Royce or the Chilli Padi type of food served with that of Hilton etc….
If you can spend RM2500 for an iPhone, or RM1300 for the Sony Ericsson or Nokia, can’t you spare a thought for the investment for your professional career that will be part and parcel of your rest of your life (which would be the next 40 years if your are unlucky to die at 60 and if you are lucky to stay professional that is).
Shame on you in trying to save yourself the RM150 in buying the 2nd hand unit; when you go and shout yourself and your friends at expansive restaurants!
Perhaps you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth… that’s why you can afford iPhone. What car are you driving or you are driven to the door of your Swinburne class?
Perhaps you should consider switching your course to one which does not require graphing calculator. But which course would there be these days which does not require one form of hi-tech gadget or another?
Count your blessing and count yourself lucky that you are introduced (and allow to use) the hi-tech tools to solve simulated engineering problems in your uni life. Try solving 4×4 matrices or even 5×5 using your 570! Have you visited http://www.ticalc.org?
Think thrice before you open your mouth; before you make comment and comparison!
Count yourself lucky that you have a chance to study tertiary education!!! Because I didn’t…
I did my homework on the TI calculators coz needed to buy 2nd hand TI, as the calculators rented by the uni finished adi hehe.. Use for 1 sem oni.. ><
Maybe wasn’t notty enough haha..
lol I really din drew the boobies during high school using FX-570 before
@Danny : Ouch.. so harsh o.. ^^” btw, not 150, but more than that adi ^^
@Serene: sorry… I get mad with people who are… like what they say… half tin full make the most noise… just be thankful (in more way than one), that’s what I am saying.
People, who can afford iPhone, should not wind and wind and get petty with the RM200?
I am sure, when you pay RM6xx, it is virgin brand new and it comes with the TI warranty, right? That is well worth the difference. In biz sense, when you invest in a used unit, if anything goes wrong… you will be hit by more than just the small difference.
Many companies make use of TI Graphing Calculators in aiding and lifting the work efficiency of their staff… that’s why I know http://www.ticalc.org. A lot of free stuff there.
O… if you are studying business and accounting, I was told that TI also have the world renowned financial calculator too… also a lot of support from the various online sites!
Happy Studying.
Ya… buy with garantee, always best advice…. i bought my from Cr. Chai of Diamond Technologies, uni got his contact number (uni said, he was Lecturer with Swinburne before he becomes Councilor). Very nice person, come to uni to take order and cash and deliver to me (to uni also) when it arrives. got problem… call him… he also go to pick up and fix and sent back. peace of mind, no sweat. ^.^ Those who buy 2nd hand… pray your unit ok…
@Danny. Wow I’ve been waiting for someone to disagree with me.. until you showed up.
But.. *sigh* your argument is an utter disappointment.
First things first, did you even finish reading my post? I *explicitly* claimed in a disclaimer above that it was indeed unfair pitching those two together, comparing them head to head. I know the price difference between the two. I know the iPhone came out after the TI-84.
What I really wanted to point out is that the engineers at Texas Instruments could’ve done a better job at improving the TI-84’s feature-to-size ratio. As in, as I’ve stated above, the TI-84 could’ve been slimmer given the limited features it performs, or it could have more features given it’s sheer size. Simple as that, no more, no less.
Your analogy of my comparison isn’t accurate either. Comparing a Kancil and a BMW would be akin to comparing an Abacus and a TI-84. In which the former is cheap, barebones but the does the job, whereas the latter is an overpriced option that also does the job, though with a myriad of features (when in direct comparison).
If I were to come up with an analogy of my comparison of the TI-84 vs the iPhone, i’d compare - wait for it - apples and oranges.
Why are we drawing up analogies anyway.
You’re comparing a vehicle and another vehicle. I wasn’t comparing a calculator and another calculator. The two gadgets are really in they’re different worlds. One’s a calculator, the other’s a smartphone.
It is the low feature-to-size ratio of the TI-84 that compelled me to pitch it against the obvious king of the highest feature-to-size ratio of gadgets - the iPhone.
One more reason I chose the iPhone - though it would make a weak point in argument, but I’d just point it out anyway - is just for the fun of writing the post. Would you rather read something with the hip and cool iPhone in it or would you read an utterly boring technical comparison between two graphical calculators?
It gets even interesting going further through your comments. Where on Earth did you get the idea that I actually own an iPhone?
Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t own one. I’m sorry if that obviously doctored image of the TI FAIL - iPhone WIN photo led you to believe otherwise.
I couldn’t afford the iPhone and wouldn’t get one even if I could. Why else do you think I’d save the 150 bucks for a 2nd-hand TI-84? Heck, if I could afford an iPhone why would even lament about the TI-84 being so costly?
So don’t go around accusing me of showing my ass in expensive restaurants with my friends because I don’t. And that statement of me being born with a silver spoon in my mouth is totally uncalled for.
I’m not totally ungrateful to being required to get a TI-84. I’m aware of its widespread usage and adoption, its possibilities in the engineering/business world. And I know ticalc.org allright.
I never said its useless. I never doubt its potential.
Perhaps you need to see my reasoning from looking at the TI-84 from a geek’s point of view. The feature-to-size ratio it has, the rather outdated and ancient technology and components that powers it, etc. Then you’ll see how the TI-84 fails to be slimmer or more feature-ful.
I do not get mad with people who are apparently “half tin full make the most noise”. But I’m really, really good when it comes to spotting one.
Oh, AND, its ‘whine’, not ‘wind’.
Happy realising how nonsensical your comments are.
@Serene, Oh you innocent fun-deprived little thing! I don’t know anyone who hasn’t drawn boobs in their fx-570s before! =P
Sorry to hear you didn’t get those rented TI calcs from campus too. =(
@Johnny, Yes we were informed of a Mr. Chai that supplies TI’s to Swinburne. But getting them from him is like the most costly option. We opted for cheaper 2nd-hand units instead.
Like you said, we won’t be eligible for warranty if anything goes wrong. That is well, something we won’t be hoping for down the road.
o_o << at those uber loooong comments…
(i just had to post something here)
dude i gotta show u the silliest thing over for the calculater. maybe u’ve seen it.. it’s where the cal goes bonkers really bonkers haha. and with games stuffed inside your fail cal… no wonder got fail la
@Kiam, don’t even bother to read them. It’s a waste of anybody’s time. XD
@aronil, LOL that sounds really bad! Where did you see that bonkered calc? Well yeah haha. I’m already finding myself tapping away on games on the TI-84 during my Math lectures. =P
1. Draw (,)(,) on the fx-570ms.
2. Imagine how that would look like in the real world.
3. Get a brain haemorrhage.
I’m gonna refrain from doing just that. o_O
Well, I am a high school student, senior science III. Talking about calculators……we are studying pure maths too and I am using Casio 570ES(around RM40+-), it has more functions compared to the 570MS, but the speed is%^&*…….I need 2 calculators during exam….
As for graphs, we use computer software-Mathematica, and it is brilliant (but you have to learn the commands first)….
So far we still dont need a graph calc…but thanks for sharing, maybe i will need one in future.
Wow. 2 calculators during exam? I think I’m gonna resort to just that too! Considering there are some functions I can’t live without on the 570MS and haven’t yet found out how to perform on the TI-84.
I should really try out Mathematica!
Remembered the days in the uni which I was required to use a TI-83 as well. Well, I managed to find a AUD50 Ti-83 second hand from Ebay and I am sure there are loads more. I actually have one as well which I want to get rid off. Haven’t been using it for ages and just sitting inside the box doing nothing.
One wonderful thing that this Ti-83 can do is to store data as well. There is many wonders it does in exams, but the memory sure can load many things. Funny part is, there is a special version of the Ti -83 firmware which a cheat program can be installed. When the memory is cleared, (as in exams) it can be recovered in just pressing 2 buttons! (I think i still got that program somewhere).. Very very useful during exams.. that’s for real.. best personal experience in uni life!
That’s really cheap! Even after conversion to local rates. Actually that explains the usefulness of that calculator after we graduate doesn’t it? I’ve heard plenty of stories where TI-83/84s go obsolete after university.
I’ve actually tried uploading games and successfully stored Super Mario and a simple Minesweeper game onto my TI-84. =P But wow, that memory cheat program is godsend! Finals are like two weeks away and I should really try that! XD
Thanks for the tip!