Ti-nspire Cx Cas Handheld

[Billy Cromer]

TheTI-Nspire is a graphing calculator line made by Texas Instruments, with the first version released on 25 September 2007.[1][better source needed] The calculators feature a non-QWERTY keyboard and a different key-by-key layout than Texas Instruments's previous flagship calculators such as the TI-89 series.

The original TI-Nspire was developed out of the TI PLT SHH1 prototype calculator (which itself was derived from the Casio ClassPad 300), the TI-92 series of calculators released in 1995, and the TI-89 series of calculators released in 1998.[2]

In 2011, Texas Instruments released the CX line of their TI-Nspire calculators which effectively replaced the previous generation. The updates included improvements to the original's keyboard layout, an addition of a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, 3D graphing capabilities and reduced form factor.[3] TI got rid of the removable keypad with this generation and therefore, the TI-84 compatibility mode.

The TI-Nspire series uses a different operating system compared to Texas Instruments' other calculators. The TI-Nspire includes a file manager that lets users create and edit documents. As a result of being developed from PDA-esque devices, the TI-Nspire retains many of the same functional similarities to a computer.

The standard TI-Nspire calculator is comparable to the TI-84 Plus in features and functionality. It features a TI-84 mode by way of a replaceable snap-in keypad and contains a TI-84 Plus emulator. The likely target of this is secondary schools that make use of the TI-84 Plus currently or have textbooks that cover the TI-83 (Plus) and TI-84 Plus lines, and to allow them to transition to the TI-Nspire line more easily.

The TI-Nspire started development in 2004.[citation needed] It uses a proprietary SoC of the ARM9 variant for its CPU. The TI-Nspire and TI-Nspire CAS (Computer algebra system) calculators have 32 MB of NAND Flash, 32 MB of SDRAM, and 512 KB of NOR Flash.[4] However, only 20 MB and 16 MB are user-accessible respectively.[5]

The TI-Nspire released in two models; a numeric and CAS version. The numeric is similar in features to the TI-84, except with a bigger and higher resolution screen and a full keyboard. The feature that the numeric lacks is the ability to solve algebraic equations such as indefinite integrals and derivatives. To fill in the gap of needing an algebraic calculator, Texas Instruments introduced the second model with the name: TI-Nspire CAS. The CAS is designed for college and university students, giving them the feature of calculating many algebraic equations like the Voyage 200 and TI-89 (which the TI-Nspire was intended to replace). However, the TI-Nspire does lack part of the ability of programming and installing additional apps that the previous models had, although a limited version of TI-BASIC is supported, along with Lua in later versions. C and assembly are only possible by Ndless.

The TI-Nspire CAS calculator is capable of displaying and evaluating values symbolically, not just as floating-point numbers. It includes algebraic functions such as a symbolic differential equation solver: deSolve(...), the complex eigenvectors of a matrix: eigVc(...), as well as calculus based functions, including limits, derivatives, and integrals. For this reason, the TI-Nspire CAS is more comparable to the TI-89 Titanium and Voyage 200 than to other calculators. Unlike the TI-Nspire, it is not compatible with the snap-in TI-84 Plus keypad. It is accepted in the SAT and AP exams (without a QWERTY keyboard) but not in the ACT,[7] IB or British GCSE and A level. The body color is grey.

On 8 March 2010, Texas Instruments announced new models of the TI-Nspire Touchpad and TI-Nspire CAS Touchpad graphing calculators. In the United States the new calculator was listed on the TI website as a complement to the TI-Nspire with Clickpad, though it was introduced as a successor to the previous model in other countries. The calculators were released alongside the OS 2.0 update, which featured a number of updates to the user interface and new functions.

The keyboards on the touchpad keypads featured a different and less crowded key layout along with the touchpad, which is used for navigation. The touchpad keypads were also compatible with older calculators that are running OS 2.0 or newer. New calculators that were shipped with touchpad keypads supported an optional rechargeable battery. The second generation was available in two models, the TI-Nspire Touchpad and TI-Nspire CAS Touchpad; each model has maintained the color of itself, with the base model being white and black while the CAS is black and gray. To reduce theft of school-owned TI-Nspire calculators, Texas Instruments also introduced the EZ-Spot Teacher Packs with a bright, easy-to-spot, "school bus yellow" frame and slide case. The hardware of both versions are the same, with the only differences being cosmetic. The TI-Nspire calculators that were released after the touchpad TI-Nspires also have EZ-Spot versions.

The TI-Nspire CX series differ from all previous TI graphing calculator models in that the CX series are the first to use a rechargeable 1,060 mAh lithium-ion battery (upgraded to 1,200 mAh in the 2013 revision). The device is charged via a USB cable. TI claims that the battery requires four hours to charge, that a full charge powers the device for up to two weeks under normal daily use, and that the battery should last up to 3 years before it requires replacement. The battery is user-replaceable.[8]

With the exception of interchangeable TI-84 keypads, the CX series retain all features of the previous TI-Nspire models. The colors of the calculator are still the same as those of the TI-Nspire models; the CX is white and dark blue, while the CX CAS is gray and black. The external connectors have changed slightly. The mini-USB port, located at the center on the top of the TI-Nspire series, has moved to the right on the top on the CX series. On the CX series, TI added a second port immediately left of the mini-USB port, for a new wireless module. The new wireless TI-Nspire Navigator adapter, which allows teachers to monitor students and send files, is not compatible with the previous TI-Nspire models. The third port, located at the bottom of the handheld, is for the TI Charging Dock and Lab Cradle. The keypad layout is very similar to that of the TI-Nspire Touchpad.

Both models have 100 MB of user memory and 64 MB of RAM. The retail package comes in a plastic blister case and does not have the full manual, while the teachers edition comes in a box with a TI-Nspire CX poster for classrooms and the full manual (in English and French in the US). Both devices ship with the student/teacher software for Windows/Mac OS X. According to Texas Instruments, The CX is accepted in SAT, IB, AP, ACT and British GCSE and A level exams. The CX CAS is only accepted on SAT and AP.

Four models aimed for the Chinese market were launched, with specialized features. All four models have Chinese labeled keyboards. The CX-C and CX-C CAS models are similar to CX and CX CAS, but included a concise Chinese-English dictionary. The CM-C and CM-C CAS are cheaper, featured a more stream-lined design, but have only 32 MB of RAM and no port for the wireless module.[10]The systems of the Chinese versions are not interchangeable with those of the international models.

In 2019, Texas Instruments introduced the TI-Nspire CX II and TI-Nspire CX II CAS.[11] They feature a slightly different operating system with several enhancements and slightly improved hardware, including Python integration.

Like China, the continent of Europe also has models aimed for its market. These calculators include a "-T" after the CX. The CX II-T and CX II-T CAS both have different body color designs than their North American counterparts. One of the main feature differences in the European versions is the inclusion of an exact math engine in both the CAS and the non-CAS version. European models also omit the WiFi adapter port from the top of the calculator.

Texas Instruments offers several different versions of software for their calculators. They offer CAS and non-CAS versions of their student and teacher software. This software allows users to share results with classmates and teachers and gives the user an emulated version of the TI-Nspire. TI also offers a computer link software for connecting their handheld to their computer to transfer documents. The software allows for the syncing of documents to and from the calculator or computer. This software requires a license in order to be used.

With the release of OS 3.0, the Lua scripting language is supported, allowing 3rd party programs to be run without the need of exploits.[12][13] There are currently more than 100 third-party programs and functions for the Nspire that introduce new functionality, like Laplace transforms, Fourier transforms, and 3rd and 4th degree differential equations, that are not included by default.[14] The actual LUA Version is 5.1 in OS Version 5.2 (September 2020).

The TI-Nspire Lab Cradle is a Calculator-Based Laboratory system introduced in 1994. It is a portable data collection device for the life sciences. The CBL system was replaced in 1999 by the CBL 2. The TI-Nspire Lab Cradle has three analog and two digital inputs with a sampling rate of up to 100,000 readings per second. The cradle also has 32 MB of storage space to store sensor data.[15] The Lab Cradle allows the TI-Nspire series to communicate with older Calculator-Based Laboratory systems that previous TI calculators used (TI-73 series, TI-82, TI-83 series, TI-85, and TI-86).[16]

The TI-Nspire Lab Cradle used the rechargeable battery of the TI-Nspire and support three different charging options: wall adapter, USB cable to computer and TI-Nspire Cradle Charging Bay. The TI-Nspire Lab Cradle is marketed by Texas Instruments and developed as part of an ongoing business venture between TI and Vernier Software & Technology of Portland, Oregon.

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