Support NeoGAF

[DJ_Tet]

Man, I'm 28. I went to a private school and took BC Calculus my senior year. I got a five on my BC AP test and remember jack shit about calculus at this point in my life. That's all besides the point.

The point is, I had a TI-81 in my junior year of HS. This cost me (my parents really) about $100. I knew people that had a TI-82, TI-83, and I think TI-85 back in HS, the latter that went for around $150. This was 11-12 years ago.

As I'm currently trying to finish up my degree (long story), I thought it would be neat to get a TI-8x series calculator to mess around with, even if I never have to take any more calculus for my degree. It would be fun to play some homebrew games, and it's always nice to be able to graph functions and see them in a visual state. Imagine my surprise when I priced these badboys.

According to FatWallet, the cheapest price out there for a TI-83 is around $80-$100. That's basically what the prices were 10 years ago. What the fuck? Does TI think they are Apple? At least Apple adds features to it's iPod line. What does today's TI-83 have that the ones 10 years ago didn't? Last I heard, nothing. Hell at that price I want a screen capable of doing 3-D functions with animations.

Does anyone have an answer, or are they just gouging the competition, because there IS no competition? Seems like this market might be wide open. It should be easy in this day and age to release a $50 calculator that blows the TI-8x models out of the water. Why hasn't this been done?

 

[Shogmaster]

There are free Sci Calc emulators for Palms and PPCs. Check into those. Works great if you have a high res PDA.

 

[Willco]

TI-83s are the future!

 

[teiresias]

It's called a monopoly in an education market - works the same as textbooks.

 

[NotMSRP]

Same with most other stuff for school. They know you're going to buy it regardless so might as well rip you off in the process. All in the name of education and money.

 

[Ecrofirt]

I've got a TI-89.

I can't use it in my college Calculus class.

Fuck.

 

[commish]

Someone stole my ti-85 when i was in college.

Fuckers.

 

[goodcow]

It's called a monopoly in an education market - works the same as textbooks.

Why doesn't some Korean company create a clone for a fourth the cost?

 

[NLB2]

IDK, but my guess is that there's something like a tariff stopping the Korean company from making a cheaper calculator, otherwise they'd be doing making one.

 

[Phoenix]

Its simple....

you need it, they know it, they've got some associated patents (look in your book or on the back), and they keep people out of the market accordingly.

 

[Claus]

I've got a TI-89.

I can't use it in my college Calculus class.

Fuck.

Me neither. I bought it for that purpose and the teacher tells us nothing more than an 83+.

 

[Chony]

Me neither. I bought it for that purpose and the teacher tells us nothing more than an 83+.

We couldn't use calculators, none at all, in my college calculus test. Thats ok, it helps you learn better.

 

[Claus]

We couldn't use calculators, none at all, in my college calculus test. Thats ok, it helps you learn better.

Yeah, he said he'd rather not have us use calculators at all since they are just crutches. He wants us to learn the material and not learn how to use a device to do it for you. Just wish I knew beforehand so I didn't spend $150 on something I won't be using. :lol

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

I liked my first math teacher. He let us bring a note card to our tests that could have whatever we wanted on it. His thinking was that in the real world, you're going to have access to instructions so why bother making anyone remember these stupid rules? Sadly, he doesn't teach accounting so I won't be having him again.

 

[Phoenix]

I liked my first math teacher. He let us bring a note card to our tests that could have whatever we wanted on it. His thinking was that in the real world, you're going to have access to instructions so why bother making anyone remember these stupid rules? Sadly, he doesn't teach accounting so I won't be having him again.

Unfortunately the path to the real world (standardized testign) doesn't permit you to bring any notes in. I remember when I tool Cal3 & E&M & Physics3 in college. Even if you had all the equations (which my Cal3 prof allowed), if you had no idea how to use them you were even more screwed because you'd spend all day looking for equations. In later classes that utilize that knowledge (like E&M and Physics 3) you need to be building off a knowledge of those equations - otherwise you will be in for much pain and suffering.

Its like not learning the multiplication tables. Sure you could get away from learning them - but God help you when you get to advanced math.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

that's the thing - I HATE math. I have no urge to go into these advanced classes (though the college is making me take a Calc class) so I know that whatever I use math for, I'll either know how to do it (basic algebra) or I'll have a book handy.

I envy anyone who can do advanced math from their head.

 

[The Shadow]

There is no monopoly. There are graphing calculators by other companies like Sharp and Casio that are cheaper. If you think TI is the only maker of graphing calculators, you deserve to pay more.

 

[Willco]

There is no monopoly. There are graphing calculators by other companies like Sharp and Casio that are cheaper. If you think TI is the only maker of graphing calculators, you deserve to pay more.

There is a monopoly. All the teachers use are those dumb TI-83s and at my school, if you didn't have a TI-83, they wouldn't let you use it on a test.

 

[The Shadow]

There is a monopoly. All the teachers use are those dumb TI-83s and at my school, if you didn't have a TI-83, they wouldn't let you use it on a test.

Whoa. Just because a teacher suffers from mild retardation doesn't mean there's a monopoly.

There are comparable graphing calculators out there. If a teacher doesn't let you use it because it's not Ti, kick her in the nuts and beat the shit out of her with her own Ti-83.

 

[miyuru]

I went through all of high school (including introductory calculus in my final year, gr. 12) without a graphing calculator. Did really well too to boot. I borrowed them for tests, but seldom used them, as you'd have to show your work regardless. Only good for checking answers, but I never bothered since I hadn't become dependent on them like everyone else

 

[Willco]

Whoa. Just because a teacher suffers from mild retardation doesn't mean there's a monopoly.

There are comparable graphing calculators out there. If a teacher doesn't let you use it because it's not Ti, kick her in the nuts and beat the shit out of her with her own Ti-83.

I recognize there's other graphing calculators, but it wasn't just a single teacher. It was a county mandate. You simply cannot use anything other than a TI-83 on tests. That includes competitors or anything higher than a TI-83. And while it might be nice to save a few bucks on that Casio, it'll suck come test time when everyone can use their graphing calculators but you.

 

[retardboy]

We couldn't use calculators, none at all, in my college calculus test. Thats ok, it helps you learn better.

Hehe, me too... Wasn't bad though.



TI is basically the MS of the calc world. There are other options just like with Windows....
If you believe MS is a monopoly, then TI is too.