January 17, 2004
Add 'em up
A week or so before school began, i got a bit stressed out. I did as any well trained member of a capitalistic society is supposed to, and went shopping to feel better. Girls usually buy shoes; this geek buys calculators.
After much deliberation, I picked up a TI-89. I already have a TI-85 and TI-92 but i wanted a new one to start a new semester. The TI-89 is runs basically the same software as the TI-92, but its a lot smaller. I also considered the TI-83 Special Edition because its fun looking, but in the end i couldn't live without "pretty print". Its the feature that makes what you put in the calculator look like what you actually write on the paper and it works with variables rather than just numbers. I do the work on my own, but it helps me to check my answers and find any errors before i get too frustrated.
Of course, as soon i i bout mine, Texas Instruments announces two new calculators: the TI-84 Plus and TI-89 Titanium. They now have a direct UBS about rather than requireing a special cable to hook up to your computer. They also have a new form factor which i'm not all that thrilled about. I'm still happy with my purchase.
I have no idea why i love calculators so much. I guess i just respect them for the work they do. Because they are smart, it makes me look smart.
Posted by Matthew at January 17, 2004 04:59 PM