ticalc.org
Basics Archives Community Services Programming
Hardware Help About Search Your Account
   Home :: Community :: Articles :: Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators
Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators

Posted on 26 August 1998

The following text was written by S.T.L.:

Let's see, it's late at night (or really early in the morning), and I'm reading Wired (a good magazine). September 98, pg 212, if anyone's interested. Nicholas Negroponte writes:

"But the potential for very low cost computers is wildly more than we have made of it. Why? Because inexpensive computing is a crummy business. [description of low profit margins, etc] US companies just do not know how to tackle the low end. And by 'low end' I don't mean the much vaunted sub-$1000 computer - I mean PCs that cost less than $100."

I argue here that Intel, and the other big chipmakers, are good at the very high end (can't wait for the Merced to arrive), but their attempts at "Network PCs" and (for example) the Intel Celeron, are laughable. Thus we shouldn't expect very low end computers to come from them. I say that the "PCs that cost less than $100" that Negroponte speaks of are ALREADY HERE, in the form of TI calculators. Just as with PCs that range from $2000 to $5000, one can pay less than $100 for a low-end TI (like an 81), pay $100 for a TI-85 (good general purpose calc) or splurge and get a $200 TI-92. Or $275 TI-92+.

Calculators used to be very simple. Add 2 and 2, please. They were electronic abaci. Nowadays, I would say that the TI calculators aren't abaci anymore, they are small computers in their own right. This isn't like saying a car is a computer, because it contains microprocessors. TIs (my experience is with the 85 and the 92) can do most anything an Apple computer can do (the old ones), and sometimes faster. PDAs will never be successful until they can act as a universal computer. I also would say that TIs and their decendants may replace PDAs as the small electronic devices of choice. I take notes on my TI-85 when I don't want to remember something. And small videogame systems, like the old 8-bit Game Boy. For example:
In the "olden days", someone could get an Apple to do math for them. TIs do this much better, and they fit in your pocket. (Well, large pockets.) In the "olden days", someone could take notes on a PDA. TIs do this, and more. In the "olden days", someone could play games on a Game Boy. TIs have a wealth of (mostly free) games.
And like a PC, they can connect to a large network of new programs (via a PC), and communicate directly with one other TI. (Like a modem-modem connection.) And remember - this was all done WITHOUT Texas Instruments really intending this to happen. The first assembly shells exploited loopholes that let them get to the core of the processor. Texas Instruments saw how people loved the computing capabilities this gave them, and then put assembly support into the 86 and others. The low-end future of computing is probably within TI's reach, if it can keep costs under (say) $300 max, and be even MORE versatile than the current TIs. If anything, the history of computing shows that *open architecture is the road to success*. IBM let everyone clone their computers and make OSes for it. Apple was hissy and only allowed itself to build their computers and write OSes. (Allowing cloning a decade later didn't help any). Result: you're probably reading this on a system that is IBM-compatible. Even more so: the current success of the "Wintel" systems is because Microsoft made a shell for MS-DOS that made it friendly, and powerful.

Texas Instruments probably planned to just make a calculator when it made (say) the TI-85. Yet because it left a loophole, people made shells, and OSes for it, and programs. And they did all that for NO pay at all. Just people hacking up programs in their free time. TI didn't even make it convenient to exploit that loophole, and yet the various assembler shells have large bases of support. (How large, I don't know). As processor costs go down, Texas Instruments will be able to either reduce the price of their calculators, or add new features. Weasels have developed memory expanders and figured out ways to get TI-85s to make sounds. And that's just with one link port. Imagine a TI-X that had the following features:

  • 1 MB user RAM, 3 MB archive RAM
  • 20 MHz processor
  • Headphones port
  • Calc/PC Link port
  • Calc/Calc Link port
  • Memory Expander port
And perhaps an extra port, for future devices such as IR links, pads that could allow handwriting recognition, etc. I don't believe the name "calculator" would apply to such a device, it would truly be a low-end computer. The interesting thing is, (except for the increased on-calculator storage and processor speed), all these things are here already in the TI calculators: more ports would just make it more convenient. Right now, the TI port functions as the sole "extra port for future devices", and it wasn't really intended as such.

My opinion is, that Texas Instruments should also finally ACKNOWLEDGE that TI calculators can do other things than calculate, and in future TIs make it easier for people to add features to TIs. Look what's happened so far. What's your opinion?

  Reply to this item

Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Dark Ryder

This is actaully something I hope to demonstrate with the TI-89. I trying to recruit 68K programmers (so far, only two ;) to write a simple replacement ROM for the 89 that includes built-in PutSprite, greyscale, word-wrap, etc. Simply something to demonstrate how powerful these devices could be. As for the difference between the 'Tiny PCs' and educational calcs could be something as simple as a 32-bit external access port for memory, keyboard, or color screen. The educators can then make a simple rule like 'No calculators with device ports on exams.' and there would be very little 'blurring of the line.'

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 03:20 GMT


Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
S.T.L.

I like your comments. :-D Perhaps have a standard device port(s) on the new TI-xx, but disallow anything to be connected IN it when the test begins?

Reply to this comment    27 August 1998, 02:35 GMT

Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Charlie B. Han
(Web Page)

I think that the idea for low-cost "PCs" in the
form of a graphing calculator is beneficial
to the students/workers that require the use of
such calculators. I mean, less than $200 US for
a low-end "PC" with excellent power in mathematical computations and graphing functions is an excellent idea. Now we just need Pentium II
versions of the TI-92 =)

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 03:35 GMT

Re: x86 Calcs :)
Dark Ryder

Chicane found a 486DX2/66 that can fit inside his 86. Now all he needs is a new ROM. <j/k>

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 16:12 GMT


Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Brad Bortree Account Info

NO NO You want to get a G4 in that thing. Then it would be sweet!

Reply to this comment    17 October 2001, 03:20 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Article: Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators
Num Account Info

Never mind getting a G4. Get Linux. Most software applications are free and downloadable. If you know C++, you can reprogram them to suit your needs. GO LINUX!!!

Reply to this comment    13 October 2005, 02:20 GMT

Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Jeff

You made a good point about what we can do now with these calculators, but only in terms of gaming. I did like to play games during my math class, but only when I had nothing else to do. You never really mentioned the types of math applications people could program, since it it a calculator after all.

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 04:03 GMT


Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
STL137

Did I say anything about gaming? *goes and checks his article again* I mentioned the Game Boy. Don't think all I think about is games. In fact, I don't usually play games. On my TI-85, three years ago I made the excellent program (in Basic) called QUAD. It told you everything and more about determinants of quadratic equations and such. Two years ago, I made the excellent program called TRI. This solved (using trig) any triangle that had enough information in it. Last year (and I still have this program) I made "NUTON" which performed three variants of Newton's method for my Calculus I class. Now I have a 92, and Calculus II. :-D TI-BASIC is very powerful for math applications. But I was speaking in a "universal computation" sense. A Pentium II computer can do, can compute, anything, it can be used for anything. With very few restrictions. The TI line of calcs is so far a good step toward that.

Reply to this comment    27 August 1998, 02:40 GMT

Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Christopher Kalos

Zealots :)
Seriously, the TI calcs cannot be expanded to the level required for use as personal computing devices. They WILL get bigger and better, but in the end, they'll still be calculators. A QWERTY keypad will eliminate part of the usefulness of the 8x series calculators.
A more likely candidate would be the PDA market. We need to merge the two together in the middle. The Palm III, which IMHO is the best PDA ever made, has graphing calculator software already available. This is the ideal input system.
An onscreen keypad would retain compatibility, and handwriting recognition might even become acceptable for input at some point. After all, we're only programming the ROM to recognize numbers, right? :)
The rest can be done afterwards, and I'm pretty sure that this is the better approach. Cheaper PDAs, not more expensive calculators.

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 04:56 GMT


Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
S.T.L.

</RANT>
Yes, but what *good* IS a PDA anyways? All you can really do with it is take notes. Gosh, the good old pencil (mechanical, preferably :-D) can do that. You can't ask a PDA to help you with your partial differential equations. You can't ask it to plot a fractal. You can't ask it to (say) play games. (These are just piddly things, really. Desktop computers can do much more.) PDAs are very limited, and thus, I believe, will never succeed in being the truly low end of computing.
</RANT>
Aw, geez. Does my custom </RANT> count as an HTML tag?
*chuckle*

Reply to this comment    27 August 1998, 02:44 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Brad Bortree

Wow, I guess PDA's were a lot different back in '98. Well now as you all know, there are Palm Pilots and theit counterparts (IBM, Handspring) and Pocket PC's running Windows CE.
I posted a post up some ways on PDA's but in brief I said that you can do anything you can do on a palm pilot that you can do on a graphing calculator and more. PDA's can do almost anything a desktop can do. Sure they arn't as fast, but I bet they are faster than calculators.
My Palm m100 can graph fractals, heck I even wrote the program!

Reply to this comment    17 October 2001, 03:28 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators
Parker Adams  Account Info
(Web Page)

Have you ever seen a TI 86 calculate plotting points on a graph. IT'S SUPER FAST. I used my friend's TI-86 for Pre Calc, but I've ALWAYS had my I-85. It has a conversion function (2nd + 5) that has so much practical application, I've run two major business with it, stored phone numbers / names / order info, kept track of my gas mileage, and even converted acres of land into "drive .2 miles ahead"-type driving directions. I'd be lost without it. I can't stand palm pilots. They change all the time and use a lot of batteries. They're kind of pidly and pathetic. If PDAs controlled televisions, home lighting and security, acted as cell phones, handled excel docs and open beer cans, then I'd buy one!

Reply to this comment    10 November 2005, 23:39 GMT

Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Ken R

hey i thought the idea of another link port possibly a serial port would be use ful we did all this with one link port imagine what we could do with 2 basicaly evryone can have their calcs all connected at the same time imagine the games and the chat rooms

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 06:12 GMT

Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Jeff Min
(Web Page)

Imagine the battery drain. Someone would have to make an adapter kit (which would look pretty stupid).

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 07:19 GMT


Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Sam

Chat rooms? CHAT ROOMS? Why would you ever need a chat room for TI calculators? If you're using the link, then chances are you are in the same room, unless you have some sort of super-long link cable (which I have never heard of but could possibly exist. But my point is that you would never need to have a on-calc chat room. Geez.

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 07:41 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Jeremy Mullins

A super long cable would have too much impedence. You have to remember that the currents the port is working with is already small, and if the cable was too long, you'd have too much signal loss to get any actual data through.

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 16:23 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Stephen Clemente

It should be possible to add some kind of custom hardware to the link-cable that amplifies the signal (using it's own power supply).

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 16:46 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
S.T.L.

Extending link cables is possible. I have done it.
And chat rooms? Why, you newbie. Chat rooms are a novelty. If your teacher will let you string up the room, then they'll let you TALK. At least the 1-on-1 link cable is inconspicuous. :-D
And geez, my article wasn't entitled "The Future Of Gaming". It was about a much broader thing, computing.

Reply to this comment    27 August 1998, 02:47 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
ken r

aww shut up already it was 3 in the morning when i wrote that i dont think well in the morning espesialy that early anyways my teachers let us do almost anything (lucky arnt i) we have bout 25 trailers (school is being rebuilt) and the teacher can barely c the back of the trailer so if 5 people are hooked up back there he cant c it also not 1 calc would be powering the cabel 5 or 6 would so it wouldnt be as much of a drain

Reply to this comment    29 August 1998, 14:23 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Chris B.

I have long thought of a homemade r/f device as a solution to communicating with TIs when a visible cable can lead to trouble, or where cable length is a constraint. This is not that I tried to trade answers on a test with a cable running between desks and got caught, just playing multiplayer games in class:).

Let's settle the question of a multi'calc chat on TIs with 6 letters: QWERTY

Reply to this comment    19 September 1998, 01:49 GMT

Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
The Great aArdvark!
(Web Page)

When computers were first making their steps from room-size to desk size, the possibility of the personal computer arose. The big computer companies laughed at the idea and continued developing computers for the five-in-the-world purposes. This stunted the development of today's computer by a few years. When IBM finally picked up the ball, they made a very large amount of money off of this silly idea and are profiting to this day. TI may have just stumbled upon another step in that direction. Computers made the jump from a single room to half of the desks in the world. Is it that far fetched that everyone might be wearing a TI in 20 years?

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 08:13 GMT

Re: "Wearing TIs"
Dark Ryder

You know, I do like the sound of that. However, If computers ever get that small, I want a flexible color panel built into my wrist. Normally, I just displays the time, date, temperature, altitude, longitude, and latitude, but when you tap it (did I mention that it's a touch-screen?) in opens up into a wrist-top computer. It can recharge it's batteries from your movements (like those auto-winding watches), so it never runs down, and the chips and memory can be scattered in low-use areas of your body (like the common-sense area of my brain). If we've discovered how neurons work by then, we can even hook it directly into our nervous system and control it with our thoughts. And, of, course, it would have an ultra-fast subcellular modem so that we can connect to the internet at 8 megabits/second while we're driving to work in our null-grav cars.

Well, get working on it, TI!

Reply to this comment    26 August 1998, 16:22 GMT


Re: Re: "Wearing TIs"
Chris B.

You and your puny imagination. you might as well have a flexible lcd display put on your forehead and...j/k

I think your idea is not feasible. the fact is that there is a limit to smallness of computers with modern day interdaces, and all these cybersuits and everything of the like is science fiction. People will always need a watch on their wrist, a palmtop in their pocket, a laptop in their briefcase, and a PC on their desk.

Unless.....I'm all up for the day when I get a chip implanted in my brain that not only will make me smarter in my normal actions, but one that will enable me use a true virtual reality gui. and games, man, the games!

Reply to this comment    19 September 1998, 02:17 GMT

Re: Re: Re: "Wearing TIs"
Morgan

Don't be so sure about that. Afterall the history of computers has shown that they become ever smaller and smaller. Additionally, they already have wearable PC's. Quite ironically, IBM has developed them. The prototypes anyway. The idea actually came from divers. It used to be that when a person did some diving they needed waterproof manual devices (pencil + paper equivalent). Later, what they developed, inspired IBM, and others to create, what TI implements. Namely, multiple shift keys. The diver thus is able to carry a keyboard with all functions, that can be operated with one hand. The window generally is a mono-lens that comes rather close to the eye. Not very likely eh? Desktops are toast dude, Laptops, maybe not, but I am never going to be so foolish as to say never. Afterall, Computers will never get smaller than 1500 lbs right?

Reply to this comment    12 March 1999, 08:40 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Wearing TIs
Will Brown  Account Info

There is a new fabric that has been created that can conduct electricity that is still in testing, and with our current level of nanotech, is it so hard to beleive that someday the insole of our shoe could do exacly the same thing as our current desktop PC? Bluetooth could be used to communicate with user interface devices. Your clothes could be your computer! With the laser projection that is currently in testing phases, glasses could become computer projection screens. Your shirt could have your processor stiched in it. Your pants could store vast amounts of memory. I don't think it is fair to say that computers have any sort of limit to size.

Reply to this comment    1 February 2005, 15:59 GMT


Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
S.T.L.

I wholeheartedly agree with your comments, Mr. Aardvark. And besides, I already wear a TI. It fts in a (relatively large) pocket, at least the 85. Wearing a 92 will be....um....problematic. But not overly annoying.
I appreciate your analogy to IBM - that's what I was thinking of when I wrote the article. :-D

Reply to this comment    27 August 1998, 02:49 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Jon Pruente

It seems that everyone has this thing about IBM
building the home computer market. The last time
I took a computer class, we learned about the
Commodore 64, the TRS-80's, and the Atari series
as building the home computer market. All IBM did
was build a (now very limited) platform, and
release it to the public. IBM helped secure a
standard to build upon, but did not create the
home market. AFAIK the IBM compat.s began to
invade the home after many people began to use
them at work. This is also why many use a TI
calculator. One of the main facts is that
Commodore Inc. built many of the early portable
calculators. Because TI became a standard, and
that Commodore began investing in the largest
selling computer of all time (the 64) they have
pulled out of that market (and gone bankrupt.)

We must see who is really who and what they have
really done before we pass judgement on who was
first and best. IBM expected (and hoped) the PC
would fail, that is why a multi-national corp.
decided that the plans for some podunk engineers
computer could be released. That is also why they
inlcuded a CP/M knock-off as the OS. They never
felt that it would really compete with the other
competition of the day. They wanted a cheap
machine to make an interim while they designed
something better. Their machine was made of off
the shelf parts and had nothing of real innovation
in it's design.

TI's series has some innovation, thanks to it's
users. It is because of us that the devices have
succeeded, just as why the IBM did as well. They
may not have been the best when they started,
may not be the best now, but have had a little
T.L.C. inbetween.

This is why TI and IBM's have succeeded.

Reply to this comment    29 August 1998, 01:41 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Bill Barksdale

You have to remember that the main feature of the original IBM was compatibility. While the other computers of the time were popular and adequate, they were simply inferior to a system with compatibility between models. That is why IBM enjoyed immense initial popularity, and the effect snowballed.

--Bill Barksdale

Reply to this comment    29 August 1998, 07:06 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Jon Pruente

Like I said, IBM provided an open platform. With an open platform designed for maximum compatability, you are limited in how far you can stretch one system. At the time, the IBM's limits were not seen as such, but time has shown their faults. With each successive genreation of PC we step farther from these limits, but will continue to be held back by them in the name of compatability. If we can help design an open platform for out little TI's, we can hel them grow past the super-calc limits they are at now. They have already surpassed all limits seen by handheld calculators in the 70/80's, and can be brought along past the 90's as well.

Reply to this comment    30 August 1998, 19:55 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Dave

I have two Radio Shack TRS-80's!!!
And if IBM hoped that the PC's would fail, why did they make them?

Reply to this comment    30 August 1998, 19:47 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Jon Pruente

Why did Ford make a Mustang witha 4cyl engine?

Why did the Dodge Daytona turn from a 60's muscle car into an 80's joke of a sports car?

They each did it to satisfy a need. That need is characterized by the consumers want for a name on their product. The companies realized they could sell weak versions of their old classics, though they knew their market base was limited. IBM built PC/XT/AT's to satisfy the home users need for an "IBM" home computer. IBM knew that their big systems would continue to sell (like 8cyl 'Stangs) while those who had less cash could still get IBM products. Everyone had access to the presige of saying "I have an X brand of X." But now, if you have a Mustang, it had better be c'75 or before. If you have an IBM it had better be an AS/400. If not, you are put on the backburner of presige.

Reply to this comment    31 August 1998, 02:52 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Article: "Cheap Computing, The Future of TI Calculators"
Brad Bortree

Apple ][ was the first widely marketed desktop.

Reply to this comment    17 October 2001, 03:37 GMT

1  2  3  4  

You can change the number of comments per page in Account Preferences.

  Copyright © 1996-2012, the ticalc.org project. All rights reserved. | Contact Us | Disclaimer