What's the best-looking and best-functioning calculator in your opinion?
IDK I really like the old designs, but these Nspires really take the cake ^w^
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
Catwheezle
I kind of feel that calculators are as obsolete as wristwatches... but I have yet to find a decent calculator app for my droid phone :(
TetrisGuy · 26-30, M
That's because they don't exist ;) Calculators are specific to their needs and can do *far* more complex things than a simple phone calc can. There's a reason why calcs are so damn expensive ;)
Catwheezle
I'm afraid that, as a programmer, I can't believe that.
Seems to me that any general purpose computing machine can be made to perform the same operations that any calculator can.
A calculator's CPU is not special in any way, whether it's a basic arithmetic calculator or the most sophisticated graphing calc.
So there's nothing to stop people writing an app for this.
In fact, the app store has emulators for all the popular programmable Ti-8* graphing calcs, amongst others. It also has graphing-calculator apps with UIs better suited to the modern high-res touch-screen of a phone, like algeo and mathlab.
I just hadn't found one that "does it" for me, Then again, I've never found a good programmable calc that did it for me either: the options I'd use daily (display in hex, octal and binary; understanding of signed/unsigned and different word-lengths; bitwise logic operators; signed and unsigned shifts; etc) usually aren't front-and-center, because the calculators are designed for non-programmers. And the "programmer's calculators" tend not to be programmable, have no graphing, and so on.
Seems to me that any general purpose computing machine can be made to perform the same operations that any calculator can.
A calculator's CPU is not special in any way, whether it's a basic arithmetic calculator or the most sophisticated graphing calc.
So there's nothing to stop people writing an app for this.
In fact, the app store has emulators for all the popular programmable Ti-8* graphing calcs, amongst others. It also has graphing-calculator apps with UIs better suited to the modern high-res touch-screen of a phone, like algeo and mathlab.
I just hadn't found one that "does it" for me, Then again, I've never found a good programmable calc that did it for me either: the options I'd use daily (display in hex, octal and binary; understanding of signed/unsigned and different word-lengths; bitwise logic operators; signed and unsigned shifts; etc) usually aren't front-and-center, because the calculators are designed for non-programmers. And the "programmer's calculators" tend not to be programmable, have no graphing, and so on.
TetrisGuy · 26-30, M
Nono, what I meant was that because of their specific function, the *makers* will put in more effort to do it. Sure, third-party people can make calcs for the phones, but it doesn't come built with it, and even if they do so, it's still quite pricey. The TI-Nspire CX does a lot of what you want in a calc, though, hehe. Also, there's one thing that a phone can never have what a calculator does have: the lovely feeling of those physical buttons. x'D
Catwheezle
Interesting calculator.
Looks like it's deliberately crippled in a few ways (abcdef keyboard instead of qwerty; trackpad instead of touchscreen) just to get it allowed in exams: this is one of my more common gripes with calculators, that they have certain functionalities deliberately excluded or disabled so that they comply with examination-board regulations. I'm not a kid any more, and I'm not willing to buy a product that treats me like one. I want a professional calculator, not a crippled-for-students one.
As a programmer, I'd need separate ABCDEF buttons by the numeric ones, and of the same size. I'd also need buttons for common operations like AND OR XOR NOT NAND rotate left/right, shift left/right (signed and unsigned) to be at the same size and priority as basic arithmetic, rather than hidden off on a submenu.
I'd need a way to change the number of bits for my integers; selecting a length of 8 bits, hexadecimal display and hitting the ± button should toggle "6" to "FA": with 32 bits, it'd be "FFFF FFFA". Only for decimals would it be "-6".
Microsoft's Programmer's Calculator that comes by default with modern versions of Windows is the closest I've yet found.
Looks like it's deliberately crippled in a few ways (abcdef keyboard instead of qwerty; trackpad instead of touchscreen) just to get it allowed in exams: this is one of my more common gripes with calculators, that they have certain functionalities deliberately excluded or disabled so that they comply with examination-board regulations. I'm not a kid any more, and I'm not willing to buy a product that treats me like one. I want a professional calculator, not a crippled-for-students one.
As a programmer, I'd need separate ABCDEF buttons by the numeric ones, and of the same size. I'd also need buttons for common operations like AND OR XOR NOT NAND rotate left/right, shift left/right (signed and unsigned) to be at the same size and priority as basic arithmetic, rather than hidden off on a submenu.
I'd need a way to change the number of bits for my integers; selecting a length of 8 bits, hexadecimal display and hitting the ± button should toggle "6" to "FA": with 32 bits, it'd be "FFFF FFFA". Only for decimals would it be "-6".
Microsoft's Programmer's Calculator that comes by default with modern versions of Windows is the closest I've yet found.
TetrisGuy · 26-30, M
They have logic operators in them. I think there is a float/fixed bit thing, and a method to use the various bases. A programmer's calculator, you say? Is it a physical calculator?
Catwheezle
They can be - most often, though, since we tend to be working on computers, you will see them as software. Since Vista (or maybe Seven?) there's been a "Programmer" mode in Windows' calculator, which is actually pretty darn good, for a dumb, non-graphing calculator.
I'd really, really love to find a programmable, graphing programmer's calculator someday :)
Maybe I should write one...
I'd really, really love to find a programmable, graphing programmer's calculator someday :)
Maybe I should write one...
Catwheezle
And by coincidence, came across this article today, which pretty much sums up how I feel about graphing calculators (and also oscilloscopes, but that's a whole 'nother rant...)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/09/02/the-unstoppable-ti-84-plus-how-an-outdated-calculator-still-holds-a-monopoly-on-classrooms
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/09/02/the-unstoppable-ti-84-plus-how-an-outdated-calculator-still-holds-a-monopoly-on-classrooms
TetrisGuy · 26-30, M
Oops I didn't see this ehehe
Yus :V you shoud xD
Yus :V you shoud xD
TetrisGuy · 26-30, M
I disagree with the final statement of the article. I mean, I will always be brand-loyal to TI, but I've recently seen that the Nspires are gradually replacing the TI-84s. Slowly but surely, I see more and more kids with them. I used to be one of the very few kids that owned one, and now I see more and more kids having them. Most kids, if they have a graphing calc, have a TI-84. I keep mine for sentimental value, but Pierre's *loads* superior in every way. Within 5 years, the TI-Nspire CX will become the new TI-84.