Texas Instruments TI-89 Titanium Graphing Calculator
by Texas Instruments
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Texas Instruments TI-89 Titanium Graphing Calculator
Customer Review: THE TRUTH
Summary: 5 Stars
ah kay, now im gonna tell you the truth from a 4+ year ti-89 user. Let me tell u something i used that baby for nearly everything. Unfortunately it was stolen at school last month. This is where the titanium comes in. First let me tell you a little about the 89's in general, then I'l get to the new features. First of all, I'l admit it, the TI-89 IS a little complicated. It takes a while to get used to. Especially if you use an 83/84. My school lent out an 84 plus to me, and I think it's honestly crap. anyways back to the 89. The main thing many will notice(this is a preset option on the titanium, is that the apps are organized into a desktop. The home screen is where the classic calculator functionality comes in. Some find this annoying, others like it this way. My solution: just press the mode button and turn off apps desktop. This way it starts out as at calculator mode. All of your apps come as a drop down menu when u press the apps button. About the home screen. This calculator is a beatiful thing. First of all, all previous calculations are able to be called back. Up to 99 calculations. What happens is there on the home screen there is a bar where you enter the problem, and the area above is used to display the previous problems. What is really good is that you can just press up and you will go back to the history and can pick out the number from there. Next we get to menus. As you have probably noticed the Y=, graph, table, etc. buttons up top have been replaced with f1-f8(f6,7,8 are available by pressing the second key) These are used for drop-down menus that show up in the calculator. Next we come to the actual graphing functions that have been replaced by f1 and such. Relax people, just press diamond then the function number to use it. Don't worry, they are all listed. Now there are four modifiers, diamond is almost the same thing as second. alpha is for letters and some symbols. the ^ arrow (up) is for captial letters and for the cut/copy/paste feature. Yes there is a copy/paste feature in the 89, its very useful. you just hold down arrow and move with the keys to highlight stuff. and then just press cut, copy, or paste. One more thing, for calculator management, instead of the memory button. You would go to Var-link instead. This manages files, links to other calculators, etc. 3D graphing is a good feature as well. As I'm only in precal and mag physics i havent really had much use for it yet, but I've had a lot of fun with it. The preloaded apps are most useful, but if you don't need it, don't use it because some are specialised and hard to understand unless you know what to do.
Now some people have had problems with it, here's some of the main ones that people say are bad
1) the screen contrast is bad
2) you can't see from an angle
3) it's hard to see the keys(including the modifier labels above them)
4) the font is too small
5) it's too complicated
6) the manuel doesn't explain much
7) the case is too tight
Now come my answers
None of these are true except for the last one by the way
1)the contrast is perfectly fine, personally i think it's pretty hard to confuse the black text with the background of the screen
2)you can see perfectly fine from an angle
3)Now this i don't understand, the keyboard is set on a greyish brownish surface. the modifier labels above the keys are written in light blue for the 2nd key, bright green for the diamond key, and white for the alpha key. I don't see how this is hard
4)the font may be smaller, but is perfectly visible. Also, the resolution is so good that even though the font is smaller than the 84, it's much clearer.
5) It may be slightly complicated but after a little while you will understand everything necessary.
6) yes this is unfortunatly true, the manuel doesn't let on much. My advice is go to a ti community and ask for help in forums. One of the best is ticalc.org, it also has archives for free apps, programs, and games.(these archives are huge)
7) I'm sorry but a monkey could figure this out. All you need to do is push the calculator out of the case from the butt of it. just push out, there is a slight dent in the cover for that reason
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Customer Review: They never last....
Summary: 2 Stars
I've gone out, and bought, this calculator three different times. Each time, I've been rewarded with a calculator that does everything I need it too - namely, it has a decent enough computer algebra system (CAS) with some ability to perform more limited calculus operations, can store notes (which can be typed on a computer), and is very easy to use. I'm an electrical engineering student - so it's basically been a lifeline to doing things that are extremely time-consuming by hand: basic calculus, linear algebra/matrix operations, polar/phasor notation, etc.
Where this calculator falls apart (no pun intended), is reliability:
TI-89 #1 - works well. In full disclosure, I bought this one used. Makes the SAT math section easier, by far. Apparently I gave it an evil look or something though, as the LCD cracks while I'm using it. and I pretty much use a calculator the same as anybody - I sit it on a desk, and I just press buttons with a light level of pressure. The calculator was always stored in its case, which in turn I stored in my backpack. The backpack was never thrown around, just used normally. Apparently, any LCD problem is automatically the customer's fault according to TI. There really great response to this problem was to offer me a discount in their online store - where the calculator still was more expensive then say...Amazon. As I said it was used when I got it, but the person I bought it from had only had it a few months.
TI-89 #2 - works great, like the first. I had no issue buying it, as in mind there was some possibility that my friend had misused it before I came to own it (even though it functioned for almost year after I bought it). TI had done some upgrade since the first, and I now had the icon interface. This calculator just started randomly freezing every 1-2 minutes. When it would freeze, nothing worked. You couldn't even turn it off. You would have to cycle the batteries. Eventually it just stopped working all together. It was outside of TI's warranty period, which you'll note is only 1 year.
TI-89 Titanium - I was a little annoyed with TI at this point, but I had just entered engineering school and I pretty much HAD to have a decent calculator. I bought it for $140 at the time. It seemed to be really nice - it felt more solid then the TI-89, had enough memory to actually be useful without archiving everything, and it was notably faster. It actually lasted a little while too. I bought the extended warranty to add two additional years to the original warranty. Guess what happens in year 4 though? Like the second one, it just stops working except that it didn't do the freezing thing like the 2nd one did. At this point, since I'm an electrical engineer, I take it apart to investigate. Unfortunately, the LCD seems fine and there isn't really anything I can do. My first inclination was to buy a 4th used one that had a damaged LCD, but I decided to just sell the damaged calculator for a fraction of what I paid.
As I said, these are really great calculators functionally, but TI seems to crank them out with crappy parts that seem prone to fail over time. Their support, will absolutely always argue that LCD failure is the customer's fault and will refuse to do anything. Unfortunately, this calculator really only has one competitor. If you're in grade school, you're probably forced to use TI products. If not, the HPs are still too complicated for most people to want to learn and use. My suggestion, since you're probably going to be forced to buy this, is A) get the extended warranty. Amazon offers the SquareTrade one, and they are really decent to work with. If you buy it in store, you can still usually get the SquareTrade one, and I recommend that. B) be extremely careful. That LCD will break with little provocation. C) take up some religion and do whatever you have to do in said religion to ask the guy in charge to spare your calculator. Also about the extended warranty thing - most Amex cards, along with a few MC, Visa, and Discover credit cards (usually not debit) will double the original warranty to two years for free - so call your credit card company.
Customer Review: Clumsy Output Formatting, Poor Documentation
Summary: 3 Stars
I recently purchased a TI-89 Titanium for the CAS (Computer Algebra System) that comes preinstalled on it. I have a Casio Algebra FX 2.0 calculator that I purchased about two weeks ago, and I was somewhat perturbed to hear (on Wikipedia) that the Casio Algebra FX 2.0 calculators quit working after a couple of years due to the short life of the flash memory Casio used in them--so, I decided to get the TI in case the Casio goes belly-up sooner than expected.
Now, I have to say, Texas Instruments did a rather poor job when they set up the calculation output formatting on the TI-89 Titanium. When you set the machine up to do symbolic algebra (such as factoring a polynomial,) you need to have the Exact/Approx Mode set to either AUTO or EXACT; the problem is, once you do this, when you do ordinary arithmetic calculations like 12/157 or sin(38), you get unhelpful results like "12/157" and "sin(38)", whereas the average person would reasonably expect DECIMAL answers.
And what is Texas Instruments' brilliant solution to this annoyance?
Why, you can either enter the number (or one of the numbers) with a decimal point after it, or hit the green "diamond" button on the calculator, then hit ENTER so the calculator converts the "exact" result to the more desirable decimal form. No matter how you slice it, this is a nuisance and not a "feature", and it slows down doing computations unless you force yourself to make a habit of putting in a decimal point each time you do a calculation. I teach Physics part-time at a local university, and I can tell you every second counts when your test consists of lots of calculations, especially when your answers are all supposed to be in decimal format.
The Casio Algebra FX 2.0 doesn't have this problem, so in terms of output format, Casio has (or had) it all over TI in that department--their only problem seems to have been using crummy flash memory. Believe me, if it weren't for the short-flash-life issue, I would unhesitatingly stick with the Casio, since it doesn't oblige me to dink around to get a decimal answer for ordinary computations.
Now, on to the topic of Poor Documentation:
The User Manual for the TI-89 Titanium isn't very well written, and when it comes to using the built-in applications like Numeric Solutions or Simultaneous Equations--you're on your own, buddy. There's simply NO documentation in the manual about these apps at all; in my own case, I was saved by the fact that these apps are VERY similar to the ones on the Casio Algebra FX 2.0. To the guys at TI: Hey, how about a little information, guys?
And it's not just the apps that are lacking in documentation or detailed info either--I couldn't find ANYTHING that gave any details on what the AUTO setting does for the Exact/Approx output format. Zero, zip, nada. And it's not just that---reading through the User Manual left me with the distinct impression that TI put really MINIMAL effort into telling the customer the ins and outs of using this product; you aren't told, for example, what sort of problems the "factor(" utility will and won't handle (it will handle polynomials with rational, real roots, but NOT polynomials that have imaginary or complex roots. You can factor things like x^2 - 4 into (x - 2)(x + 2), but the TI can't handle things like factoring x^2 + 2, whereas the Casio can, by using the "rfactor(" utility.)
It's not a bad calculator, but it has enough annoying eccentricities to make it less easy (and fun) to use than the Casio Algebra FX 2.0, which is why I rated the TI-89 Titanium 3 out of 5. Frankly, if it weren't for the flash memory burnout issues plaguing the Casio Algebra 2.0 and 2.0 Plus, I'd never have bothered with the TI-89 Titanium; but since I paid $150 for the beast, I guess I'll keep it and hope maybe TI will come up with some sort of downloadable fix to the output issue and maybe write a better User Manual...
Customer Review: Does everything, but has drawbacks
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all, this calculator does everything I would want it to. 3d graphing, equation solving, integrals, precise answers, pretty print, these features are all wonderful and well documented. However, I would like to present some of the disappointments I encountered when using this calculator.
Speed (pt 1): When graphing my first equations, I immediately noticed that the 89t was slower than the 83+. I happen to have both (and a stopwatch as well) so I performed a few tests and found that on average the 89t graphs about 40% slower than the 83+. At first I was shocked, but I reminded myself that the screen has a slightly higher resolution and the 89t probably does more precise calculations when graphing. But I am still shocked, 40% reduction in graphing time can really add up when your plots are complicated.
Speed (pt 2): The 89t has a fancy "apps desktop" that comes up when you first turn the calculator on. I recommend disabling this launcher because it introduces a 0.5 second boot time and then requires you to press "HOME" before you can start typing in equations to calculate. For me, this adds up to about a two second gap between pressing the power button and pressing the first digit of the calculation I want to perform. Now, the catch with disabling the "apps desktop" is that if its "off" its off completely, you can't bring it up when you want it. If its "on" its on every time you turn on the calculator. I'd really like a start-up screen option somewhere so that I can keep the "apps desktop" but not start-up to it every time.
Speed (pt 3): The Speed in other areas seems good compared to the 83+.
Interface: Several reviewers have commented about the interface. There are a few problems here. The biggest one is the 'hidden' functions of buttons. Pressing the diamond and then the "EE" button will bring up a 'key' showing you where these 'hidden' functions are. The most annoying hidden function is 'log' which is associated with the '7' key, the rest are not as commonly used-so just remember diamond-7=log. The key I miss the most compared to my 83 is the x^2 key (this key was a one-button way to square a number), on the 89t you have an extra keystroke for the common task of squaring a number.
Screen: I have fantasies about a TI calculator with a large colorful touchscreen (honestly, TI, these things haven't changed much since the 90s, where is the innovation?). This screen has a higher resolution than the 83, but the screen is about the same physical size, so you really don't notice the extra resolution unless you are playing games. The 89 also sucks up 10% of the screen space with the function menu that is always across the top of the screen. So when looking at plots, you actually get a smaller view than you would on an 83. It would be nice if you could toggle the presence of the function menu.
Conclusion: Of course this calculator can do just about everything you'll ever need it to. And what the built in programming can't handle, you can probably download a custom program to do--there are tons of programs on the web for these calculators. Unfortunately, this calculator is a little slower to graph things, takes a little longer to input things, and has a pretty cramped little screen. Even if it costs four times as much, I would definitely buy a TI calculator with a large colorful screen-so I hope TI is listening!
Customer Review: TI-89 Titanium For Statistics
Summary: 5 Stars
Pros:
- The display has a Pretty Print option (default), which is very helpful when inputting long formulas.
- Great for Statistics, which is why I bought it in the first place since that is my major in college.
Cons:
- This is important if you are a college student. The math and statistics books all refer to the TI-83 when explaining how to perform the calculations using a calculator. So while the teacher is talking out loud walking the students step by step on how to perform a calculation, you're sitting there with the most powerful calculator in the class and out of luck. Then you have to scramble flipping thru the menu items to match the menu path of the TI-83, AND you're trying to learn the math at the same time. That happened to me in a statistics class and that wasn't fun at all! So be prepared for the inevitable; this is your warning. I recommend you study the upcoming textbook chapter ahead of time and learn how to perform those functions before you get to class.
- PDF files exist to explain the Flash applications loaded on the TI-89 Titanium. Unfortunately they are not easily found on the TI website. To get the PDF's, you have to follow the menu path as if you want to download the application. Then on the web page where you download the application, the PDF is there. TI should have also have placed the PDF in the "Documentation" section of the website. If I had not updated the application, I would not have known the PDF existed. Make sure you download the PDF for the TI-89 Titanium, not the PDF for the TI-89. Some functions are different. For statistics, be sure to download the PDF "Statistics with List Editor Guidebook For TI-89".
General:
- I did the Operating System upgrade, but with a few bumps along the way. For example, I have Windows XP Pro SP2 on my PC and it doesn't recognize the driver when plugging in the USB cable. TI knows this and is part of the calculator-to-PC connection instructions on their website. So you'll have to uninstall the driver and then let Windows search for a driver. Eventually Windows found it but I got a horrific message saying the "Microsoft strongly recommends you backup before installing..." In fact, Windows set a System Restore point before installing the driver. The driver worked but why can't TI certify that driver with Microsoft so that message will not scare the heck out of the average user?
- Make sure you register before beginning the OS upgrade. You need to register to get any of the downloads, so do it as soon as you get the calculator.
- You'll notice that the dates listed in the "About..." menu in some of the Flash applications are almost the same as the dates listed on the TI website. Don't bother to download those because the applications are the same version. Don't know why TI lists a different date on the web page from the date displayed in the "About..." menu in some of the applications.
Hope all this helps,
George