Customer Reviews

Texas Instruments TI-NSpire Math and Science Handheld Graphing Calculator

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Strengths:

The document management system -- multiple "problems" can be kept in the calculator at the same time, and each problem keeps its own variable names; good graphing capabilities; ability to split the screen and work with multiple views of the same problem; spreadsheet application. The calculator has 5 "applications" (calculator, graphs & geometry, spreadsheet, data & statistics, notes), and information can be shared between them.

Weaknesses:
The documentation is very poor. There are two user guides, with considerable overlap in the contents. In User Guide Part 1, which comes packaged with the calculator, there are 25 pages on the Graphs & Geometry application, and the information on how to actually plot a graph is barely mentioned. User Guide Part 2 comes as a PDF file, and has more detail, but is badly organized and missing a lot of information. For example, instructions for a number of operations say to "drag" something, but nowhere in the manual does it say how to do that.

Keypad: other reviewers have commented on the difficulty pressing the right buttons on the keypad. Even worse is the "mouse" operation. I finally discovered that dragging involves holding the center "Click button" while pressing the arrow keys on the "NavPad". It is very difficult to control the cursor with the NavPad, and doubly so when trying to hold down the click button. Also, what operation is done by a click or drag is dependent on where on the screen the cursor is, and it's difficult to control the cursor location with the level of precision needed.

TI-84 compatibility: This seemed like a great idea. However, as far as I can determine, there's no way to integrate TI-84 functions with TI-Nspire functions. When you put in the TI-84 keypad, you get a TI-84. With the TI-Nspire keypad, you get a TI-Nspire. If you want to transfer information from one to the other, it seems to be impossible. The only relevant information in the documentation about TI-84 mode is a warning that if you update the operating system, all your added TI-84 applications will be deleted.

Lack of software: The TI-84 has a lot of user-contributed software. There's almost nothing on the TI web site for the TI-Nspire. I also didn't find much with a web search, and some of what is available requires the CAS version. For example, there don't appear to be any built-in physical constants or conversion factors for units. I could switch to TI-84 mode and get them, but then what's the point of buying the TI-Nspire?

Summary:

This calculator does not appear to be well-engineered or well-supported by TI. I would recommend waiting to see whether they give it the support that it deserves.

I began using Texas Instruments' graphing calculators with the TI-83. In addition, I've used the TI-81 and TI-82. I've seen the calculators improve through the TI-83+, the silver edition, and the TI-84+ and its flavors. They were all improvements and refinements, but not revolutionary. My classroom uses them all and, except for the TI-81 and 82, it's not a problem.

The TI-Nspire is truly a new design. Texas Instruments has implemented a true file system, a great display, "pretty print", and a nice, organized interface for solving problems. Even better, the student can save the problems, link graphical, numerical, and spreadsheet analysis, and even add notes. The ambitious teacher could even create calculator-based problems that utilize all these features and load them on student calculators.

I'm interested to see if I can get a few of these for next year. Then I can talk about how well it works out in a classroom.

There are some distinct drawbacks. The greatest is the keyboard. I like the letters. For quick notes, they're fine. Unfortunately, there isn't quite enough room for my fingers. I keep bumping letter keys. Just a tiny bit extra space would be great! In addition, some functions, such as editing a solution, are not obvious. Nor is moving files around obvious.

This calculator is compatible with the CBL with the TI-84 keyboard installed, but I hope to see this functionality added with its regular keyboard. I also hope that TI soon releases software so that I can use this calculator with my Mac or even my Linux machine.

Overall, I like the machine, but it does need some polish.

Edit (4-29-08): I recently ran into an irritation. While "playing" I decided to have the calculator find a limit of a function. The calculator informed me that I needed to have a CAS. It really bothers me that TI would include features on this calculator that it cannot actually perform.

This calculator offers SOME improvements over earlier models. I find the statistical functions, especially regressions and distributions, and the calculus functions to be far more intuitive. You do not have to remember all the parameters needed to use these functions. The menus are very easy to understand and I do not find myself running to an inadequate help manual as I did on earlier calculators.

The higher resolution and bigger screen give a much nicer presentation. Problems are entered and solved in text almost exactly as you would see in a book. Graphs also look more accurate and detailed.

But there is one thing I DO NOT like on this calculator....THE BUTTONS!! The letter keys are small green keys nestled among the number and function keys. Hence you are constantly hitting the letter keys by accident and so you have to waste time correcting typing errors.

Another huge negative for me is the awkward nature of the graphing screen when finding roots, max/min points, and points of intersection. To find roots as well as max/min points you have to trace along the graph and when the tracer arrives at the point it provides the coordinates on the screen. However, the coordinates are often conflicting with the same space as the graph itself and hence you cant read the point. So you have to grab the coordinates and drag them to a spot on the graph where you can see it. And if you happen to trace past the point too quickly, the coordinates disappear and you have to trace back again. The same procedure applies to max/min points. Finding graph information with the TI84 and TI89 is far easier and quicker.

I also believe the snap on keyboard that converts the calculator to an 84 will eventually prove to be a bad idea. How many of those keyboards are going to get broken or lost?

Overall a decent calculator if you are willing to deal with some upfront frustration. But I do not see enough advantages yet to choose this over an 84 or an 89.

My trust TI-84 was lost the other day and I needed a graphing calculator for Calculus (I'll be going through about 4 semesters of Calc). Since TI was showing the Nspire as the secessor to the TI84 I figured I'd take the plunge and see if it did the job better. Big mistake. Instead of going into a rant I'll be fair and show what TI did right and what they did wrong.

The good...
- Large higher res screen.
- You can display multipul things on the screen at once.
- Comes with a TI-84 keyboard that literally turns it into a TI-84. Useful for tests that don't allow the nspire and if your instructor is using the 84.
- WYSIWYG, basically you don't have to memorize calculator syntax.
- Runs faster than previous calculators

The bad...
- Larger than previous TI calculators
- In order to see the screen clearly it must be either very birght or you must look almost directly down at it.
- Virtually no programming support, so unlike previous TI graphing calcs you won't be able to add functionality via 3rd party apps unless TI fixes this.
- Complicates simple problems. Problems that were simple to do on the TI-84 are much harder.
- Intstead of the 2nd key, those functions are seperate buttons raised above the normal keys. These green buttons always get in the way when you're entering problems. They should have stuck the the 2nd key fintionality.
- Under it's new skin the funtionality is the same as the TI-84
- Since it looks like a PDA it makes instructors nervous that you're cheating on tests.
- The cover is too tight, they designed it so that the cover pushes into the raised keys scratching the inside of the cover and I have a feeling it will break off the keys before long.
- Take a long time to load after switching out the keypads.
- Not every TI-84 app works with the TI-84 keypad/mode.

Overall it the internal hardware is a huge improvement, it holds a lot of potential. Unfortunatly between the poorly designed keypad and software, it falls flat. Stick with the TI-84 for now. Maybe the Nspire 2 will get it right.

My school loaned these to us for a year, so I had the opportunity of using the nspire alongside my ti-84+ silver edition. TI had some great ideas with the nspire, such as being able to multitask by keeping multiple things open at once with the tab based window management system and the nice big screen. However, in my experience it still takes me much longer to do actual math on this calculator than on my ti-84 once you get past pretty workbooks and things the teacher can distribute.

Pros:
Awesome data and statistics and Lists and spreadsheet programs. (Though their interface is a little confusing too.)
Cool file management system.
Tab based window management.

Cons:
Keyboard:
The number of buttons in the same amount (actually less) space has basically doubled with the addition of separate keys for each letter and symbol. At first, this seems like it might be a nice thing for typing, but in my experience it 1: causes a lot of mistakes when trying to type in numbers and consequently makes me type them much slower, and 2: actually causes me to type LETTERS slower. That's right, I was really bored in class and timed myself :-). Of course, I am something of a ti-84 touch typist, so that might have influenced that.

Graphs and Geometry:
Graphs and Geometry is by far the worse designed application on the inspire IMHO. Everything that is extremely straightforward and usually requires one or two button presses on the 83/84 takes travel through multiple menus etc... to figure out. For example, to change window settings on the nspire you have to press MENU, then WINDOW, then WINDOW SETTINGS. This may not seem that annoying, but, at least to me, it is. I wish they had a few more hard buttons that could accelerate these kinds of tasks. Another thing that doesn't work very well in Graphs and Geometry is trace. Accessing tracing is three key clicks, it is painfully slow, and it is also, as far as I know, the only way to find things like maximum and minimum values of a function. The y= window has been merged into the graphs and geometry window, which takes up space and obscures the graph, not to mention the confusing interface to switch between it and the graph. The labels for stuff on the graph which are always coming up often appear on top of one another and you have to drag them around to read them. But the most annoying thing about graphs and geometry for me is having to use the incredibly slow and cumbersome cursor/pointing device so much.

Lack of programmability and hackability:
On my Ti-84 I have tons of third party software, as well as some I've written myself. This includes interfaces to run assembly applications which are light years faster than Ti-BASIC, an awesome program called Omnicalc which adds a lot of features and another program called Symbolic which actually adds some symbolic math capability such as crude symbolic derivation and simplification of expressions to the calculator (like the ti-89.) I believe that the nspire, however, has DRM built in to prevent assembly programs from running and has practically no third party ti-BASIC software. I have not been able to run anything on my inspire- I typed in a prime number calculation program and couldn't make it run even after looking through the terrible documentation.

Conclusion:
Spare yourself a lot of hassle and get a ti-84. (Or I guess you could get an inspire and use the ti-84 keyboard, which I don't have.) You won't be sorry. Here's hoping for an nspire 2 with function keys just like the ti-89 and 84, a usable keyboard, and a more open and malleable software design.

I am an engineer and went to College in Late 70's early 80's. I have only used the TI-Nspire calculator about 10 times with my son. My son is 11 years old and starting 7th Grade next year and is taking Alegbra I, which is considered advanced for his age/grade. I talked with his next year math teacher to find out what they recommened, which was a TI-84.
I compared the TI-84, Plus, and silver edition, then compared the TI-Nspire. My son loves math and will continue with advanced math. The TI-Nspire will allow both the TI-84 keypad and functions, then replace the keypad with the TI-Nspire keypad for a much more advanced calculator.
This is a complicated calculator to use. I purposely bought the calculator so my son could get used to it during the summer before he has to use it.

Main stand out differences.
1) TI-84 Display mode has less resolution and I believe only allows 1 screen to display. The TI-Nspire has a higher resolution screen and allows up to 4 screen areas at the same time that you can see. You can show spreadsheet, graph, note page and another at the same time.
2) TI-84 advertises an organizer, and I have not found the organizer feature in the TI-Nspire version yet
3) Easy to connect to a computer to update calculator, get actual screen captures, etc.
4) Seems usable on all/most college entrance type exams - see comparison link below.
5) See comparison chart below for the function differences.

Plan on spending a couple of hours learning how to use this calculator from a great link listed here. This calculator can be used after about an hours worth of lessons, but seems like using it for a year to really understand how much that can really be done with this powerful calculator.

My son mastered many basic features and is flying thru all types of menus and screens within an hour after going thru the A. Basic Lessons 1-8 from the following Tutorial Link.

[...]

I bought this for a class I was taking, hoping it would be of some use. While the TI-Nspire appears to be a great product, it turned out to be almost completely useless for me as the documentation is literally the worst I've seen in many, many years. I've now printed out a huge amount of material on how to use it but none of those materials really covers the nitty-gritty and it is left up to the user to find something that works.

This is really as shame because the TI-Inspire appears to be a very useful device that is filled with features for many, many different types of students. At the present time, there are also no books available on how to use it (even the "dummy series" - which I generally do not like - keeps getting delayed). After trying to get help for several weeks, I did get a TI rep to help explain a few things but, even then, it was not enough.

The only problems I've had with the hardware is that the the screen can be extremely difficult to read if there is not enough light (it should have been backlighted) and the keys are rather small. If you're careful, you won't have many problem but you do need to make sure that what you've intended to enter is what really made it in.

Another, rather disturbing, problem is that TI has a software application that can be used to create materials for the Nspire. That software, should be provide free but, instead, TI charge almost as much as the device.

At this time, I can't recommend the Nspire unless you have a LOT of time and patience trying to learn how to use it or have someone who is very familiar with it, who can show you.

Although I did not buy this calculator from Amazon, I regret buying it at all. The calculator is pointless for modern Calculus classes because there is no CAS functionality. The calculator itself works fine, but their computer software is beyond stupidity. The accessibility is so moronic and unresponsive, every time I upgrade the operating system, it takes me 1+ days to work the connectivity software. To add insult to injury, Texas Instruments, in their bumbling arrogance, deleted the connectivity software from their website. For people who lose the CD, like me, finding the software necessary is like researching a college paper. When I finally find the program necessary, it refuses to work. I know this is not my computer because I consider myself at least computer literate and I bought my computer a month ago, so I know it has all the latest whatnot. The support also takes forever to respond. IF YOU BUY THIS CALCULATOR, DO NOT EXPECT ANY SUPPORT OR HELP FOR A WEEK FROM TI. I know TI calculators have become a standard in education, but this does not excuse their arrogance and neglect towards support of the customers who are supporting them.

The TI calculators and in particular the NSPIRE are terrible. The NSPIRE has a supposedly advanced interface but it is clumsy, cumbersome, non-intuitive. I find my self reaching for a reference manual on every effort with this. Furthermore there are NO useful manuals or texts for actually using this calculator for actual work rather than as an educational tool of some sort. I have doubts as to it's utility for that considering how arcane the GUI is. Common functions like delete a tab window is buried way down under tools, I constantly forget how to close out unneeded windows.

This is the second one we have purchased (2nd child in advanced math classes) The inerchangeable face makes it so they can use it with the teacher and her power points, or used the more advanced on for themselves. The calculator is approved for the SAT and ACT, and grows well with your kids. I have one just starting algebra 2 and one in Calc. works great for both. will get them through highschool math, and some or all of college math depending on how math intensive they are. I highly recommend this calculator. I only wish there was a nice carrying case to protect it. Amazon does not have the best price on this, but we were desperate and couldn't wait. watch your big box office supply companies in the fall for back to school, we got our first one for almost $30 less from them.