wouldn't it just be a matter of someone writing drivers for it? How difficult would that be? (i'm not saying it isn't difficult, i have no idea and would like to know)

I would think that drivers for windows or linux machines should be easy to write. If they are only working on mac software, drivers for other operating systems should be available shortly after that. Unless there is some major problem with getting a PC link working with USB, but I doubt it.

Exactly!

Apparently, TI has decided to get the Mac community a chance to be up-to-date in a rather sad business market, and the drivers are the only thing holding back a PC version of the USB compatible TI GraphLink software. That is if they haven't allready made them and released them by the time I write this. There seems to be a trend lately since the debut of MacOS X Server, and the upcoming X Client (read: Desktop version) that is making some companies such as Id rethink their plans on how to handle market support. With OpenGL and USB, it is just as cheap to write the whole thing on a Mac and then compile the code for Win32 on the same machine, AND test as well, then doing the whole thing on a PC and then spending a large amount trying to port/test something that is allready written. Just my thoughts.

Linux Forever! :)

Does this USB thing speed up the transmission speed in any way? If not, I'd be happy sticking with my normal Graph-Link... (of course Mac users might feel differently...)

Does it really matter if Super Mario Quest transfers in one second or ten. Either way it doesnt take very long to transfer programs using a serial link. I think if you own a serial link it would be a waste of money to purchase a USB link.

Yeah, it's probably just for people who don't have one yet, but decide that they want to use their USB port for something.

not that I'm technically literate, which I am really the opposite of, but I hear the little port on the calcs only handle 9600kpbs at a time; the same speed my old packard bell's (yuck) modem went at :P

make that 9600 bps; I WISH I had something going at 9600 kbps :p

I, for one, have a serial-based graph link, and am looking forward to the USB graph link. My serial graph link is on my Power Center 150 with G3. I just got an iBook, though, and that has a USB port, not a serial port. Therefore, I would much rather have a USB graph link then port all the programs over to my other computer just to put them on my calculator.

speaking of announcements from TI... I think Geometer's Sketchpad has been officially released.

That is, for the 89. It would have been pretty stupid if I had meant the 92+... that was out a while ago.

Well, if my comment is still pointless, never mind; just disregard it. :-P

I am not gonna but ANOTHER TI graph link.... I already have a gray one, and a black one... man.... beside... I don't have any USB ports left!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong, can't you, theoreticly, daisy chain a thousand USB ports or somthing. (Many multiple devices will go into one port and only use the bandwith when that device is being used.

yeah. you can theoretically connect 127 devices at once. But i think thats "theoretical" because of bandwidth.

exactly. It doesnt matter that much and i certainly wont dish out another $40 for something thats faster casue we wont be donwloading anything big on the 89s unless Ti is planning to release the 89+ (more mem and stuff or something) and...

Uhhh... I don't think so, I don't know where you got your information. Eventhough it's not said that the 89 is a "plus" calculator. The only real difference is the addition of flash memory giving the ability for upgrades, which the 89 already has, I doubt that there will be a "+" relese of the 89. However they could release one with backwards compatability and a reflective color screen like the Game Boy... that would be nice.

while we're dreaming, they could also release one using ibm's microdrive, too :P

Eww... no game boy reflective color screens, please... Unusable in the dark. Get something that actually emits some light, like the GameGear displays of old ;]

And run it off 4 AAA's about...3 minutes. :P

I know this is a little off topic, but has anyone tryed that Turbo83+ program for ION that shortens your interrupts to turbo your calculator? I looked at the code and it looks a little unstable, does it work?

its... interesting, on maybe half the games it works.. it didnt crash fer me.. only thing i dont like about it is the keys to activate and deactivate the damn thing

forget that above comment, i was thinking of that ion addon lol

havent tried this and prob wont