Texas Instruments TI-89 Advanced Graphing Calculator
by Texas Instruments
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Our Price: $249.25 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $49.94 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Texas Instruments TI-89 Advanced Graphing Calculator
Customer Review: TI-89 Much better choice than TI-83
Summary: 5 Stars
The TI-89 has a built in algebra system which is easily better than the 83 and that the 83 does not have. The algebra system means that it can do derivatives and very annoying, sloppy, and difficult integrals easily and display it in simpliest form. It can also desolve differential equations in algebraic symbols (however it does not show the work, so you can't just use the calculator for tests and not study for it). It can also graph in 3D, very good for 3D plots which can be a pain in the [neck] in Multivariable calculus (second year of calculus). It also have many other smaller features (which i can't mention them all) and also a better screen (as in resolution-wise).Being in BC calculus, its much better to use a 89 than a 83. However, on MY tests and on the AP the 83 and the 89 DOES NOT have any advantage over one another. They gear the AP (college level which you can get credit for) test so that one another would not have that much of a difference in your results. I pulled off a 5 (highest score) with ease with the 83. In more advanced classes in college (not just calculus) you will need this calculator: it does a lot more things in algebraic form and also faster as well since the CPU is clocked higher.
All in all, it comes down to price. In my opinion, its worth the extra 50-70 dollars. Usually in class when my teacher wants to double check the answer, he draws out his 89 or he gets another classmate to check. If you are not intending to push beyond first year calculus, the 83 is better. If you do intend to go further into math, then the 89 is needed. Who wants to memorize the derivative of arcsec(x)? With the 89, all you do is type that in and pops out the expression.
Customer Review: Too much money, too much hassle.
Summary: 3 Stars
Yes, this calculator works fine and has all of the necessary features. I do have some serious complaints about it's design:
1. It is too big. These days, with our current technology, there is no reason for a calculator to be so big, thick, and heavy. It won't fit in any reasonable pocket, so you need to carry it in a bag or something.
2. The shape is terrible. I know that almost all calculators are this shape now, but this is still a problem. With the menu system, there is less of a need for all the keys, allowing a better layout and smaller package.
Now, I basically consider this calculator a tool for middle class kids to cheat. The fact that graphing calculators are allowed on ANY standardized test is a tragedy. When I took the SAT in the early nineties, there were NO calculators allowed.
This calculator will not help you learn anything. Parents, if your child needs this calculator for a class or test, get in touch with their teacher. TI has an undeserved monopoly on calculators for education. I have taken a total of 7 high-level undergraduate math classes requiring graphing calculators (And recommended TI's). None of these classes used the graphing features, except a statistics course which was used to illustrate a bell curve. Duh.
So, if you are also a graduate student, you know what you need and should ignore me. Otherwise, this and most other graphing calculators are a waste of money. Buy a small scientific calculator. It is way cheaper, and often uses solar power. Bottom line, if you can't do math without a TI-89 titanium calculator, you can't do it. Save your money.
Customer Review: The best calculator out there
Summary: 5 Stars
The Ti-89 is a truly powerful calculator - one of the most powerful on the market. After using this calculator even once, I'd bet that many people who swear by their Ti-83 Plus will never pick it up again.
Texas Instruments has taken all the calculating power of the Ti-92 and put it into an average sized calculator. Math students no longer have to tote around the bulky and unwiedly Ti-92; they can simply slip a Ti-89 into their bookbags and be done with it.
The functions available on this calculator are truly amazing. You can factor. You can integrate. You can simplify complex exponential problems. This calculator can perform almost any mathematical calculation you can name. And yet, it's small enough to fit into your pocket.
Everything on the Ti-89 is set up in a logical, easily figured-out manner, making it easy to use during math tests. In fact, I think that the Ti-89 may be the easiest calculator of the Ti-8x series to use.
As a calculator programmer, I was very impressed with the programming capabilities of the Ti-89. Unlike the Ti-83, where a programmer has to wade through several menus to even find the 'If' operator, the Ti-89 allows the user to simply type commands into the program manager, saving loads of time. Equally appealing is the fact that Ti-89 Basic is, in my opinion, the closest to "real" programming languages like QBasic than any of the other Ti-8x Basic languages.
There is almost nothing this calculator can't do. I highly recommend it for anyone who's looking for the most powerful calculator on the market.
Customer Review: Great calculator. But!
Summary: 4 Stars
Everything that has been written by other reviewers is pretty accurate. I however take issue with the "easy to read" mentioned in the "Amazon" product description. If you work in a low light area such as a radar facility or a "blue/red lights" only environment you will be nearly blind if you have to depend on this calculator. The pull down menus when converting units and measurements, and even setting the calculator mode functions are way too small. This calculator seriously needs backlighting or a attachment like those for gameboys if you have to perform any calculations under less than ideal lighting. The problem isn't with the contrast it's with the pixel size.
If you are new to ti calculators the manual that came with the calculator, the 250 pages version will require you to visit a ti web site and download the larger version. It's free. Trust me about this one. Once you have the larger manual read it.
Things I would like to have seen. A simpler conversion system for units. An "And" key instead of having to type it out. An option to show/display all work which is for helping kids understand the basics and less labor intensive for teachers. A TI89 math/workbook with questions and steps in order to help newbies learn all the functions and features.
If you are doing homework or enjoy nerding around on calculators this is a great buy. I love using it, but I recognize that unless I can hit a halogen lamp I am forced to take another calculator to work. Even with 20/20 vision.
Customer Review: TI 89 NOT AS GOOD AS HP48 OR HP49
Summary: 2 Stars
The only reason I have a TI 89 is that many of my students use some sort of TI calculator and I can see what they are talking about when they ask me a question about it. For my day to day work I use either my HP48 or 49. There is a much greater availability of free programs for both the HP 48 and 49 than for most of TI's calculators. Texas Instruments has always been more proprietarily oriented than HP. An example is the computer interface Graph Link cable. You have to pay twice as much it compared to the standard RS-232 cable that you can use for HP 48 and 48 calcs. Also you have to buy proprietary software to transfer files to their calulators, but Kermit is freely available for many platforms to use with the HP 48 and 49.
It also must be remembered that the TI only transfers lists that are translated by the calculator, which in my opinion is a definite drawback.
The copy protection of the calculator also makes it harder than it needs to be to upgrade the operating system compared to the HP 49. I have upgraded the ROM on my 49 several times and have had no problems, but I have not done so on my 89 because of stories of how an interrupted upgrade of the ROM can cause the calculator to become useless.
Back in the middle 70's and early 80's TI had somything to brag about with the 50 series calulators. The only thing they really have to brag about now is that they have a greater market share than HP does in terms of calculator sales. Microsoft does too, but we all know what junk Microsoft produces.