Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:  
Summary: Converted me from HP calculator to TI (great for education)
Comment: I have owned the TI-NSpire CAS calculator for about two weeks (purchased in early November 2008). Let me begin, by saying if you truly are a "math person", and like seeing symbolic calculations, then I would recommend the TI-NSpire with CAS technology over the regular TI-NSpire.
Being an engineer and also a math and physics tutor, I am absolutely impressed with TI's committment to the educational market. It is not fair to even call this technology a calculator, but rather a very small computer. It is comparible to running MathCAD with graphical representation on a handheld, although less powerful. I really like the concept of "pages" and "problems" to create educational solutions. It is like having a "live" text book in your hand, and the ability to create educational content is unlimited. You can link variables between pages and create dynamic learning content. The "split" screen option, being able to create graphs on one side of a split screen, and the polynomial function on the other, change variable, and then see graphic impact of the change is truly remarkable in terms of educational value.
Besides the calculator, TI has a complete website where people can create their own educational content that you can download for free! As a result, TI is encouraging a very strong educational user group to develop around this product/technology. I personally believe TI has shown some real innovation, and it is obvious they are committed to the educational market ...... great busines decision.
Like any new technology, there are some initial drawbacks, and it is mostly design related which I'm sure TI will correct in the future, but keeps me from giving it 5 stars in my review. Although the graphics screen is large and high resolution (can create very complicated "clear" looking graphs) it suffers from poor visibility when you look "off axis" from the screen. May I be so bold to suggest to TI's design team that you incorporate a "backlit" screen. I would gladly pay $20 more for the product just for this feature, and the user could turn it "on" or "off" by choice as a battery conservation measure. In addition, although a valiant attempt at a keyboard user interface", the current layout has much to be desired. Yes, I've gotten use to it, but I spend way too much time looking for buttons and functions.
All in all, it is a great product and I have incorporated it when tutoring calculus, especially the symbolic integration feature.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An incredible calculator!!!
Comment: Based on the somewhat negative reviews, I almost didn't buy this calculator. I'm really glad I took the chance. I've been using a TI-89 Titanium for calculus and statistics/probability ... and the TI-nspire CAS is an incredible improvement. I don't "program" the calculator or use it with my PC--both areas where I understand the 89 has some advantages. For my needs, though, this calculator is fast, easy to use, and has a great display and graphing capabilities!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Handheld Solution Manual
Comment: Purchased this item a few months ago. I'm currently taking calculus, and wanted a reference tool to solve more of the difficult problems that were not explained in the solutions manual. I didn't really listen to the negative reviews about the product on this site, and honestly I'm glad I didn't...this is a powerful tool. I guess my only complaint is I would like to import and export data from Excel into the Spreadsheet program on the calculator. I haven't figured out how to do this yet.
Don't plan on bringing this thing on test day...it solves everything, including simplifying trig identities, graphs inequalities and piecewise functions.
Another cool features is the SI unit capability. For example, you can save variables with units, like x can equal 1 Volt. Divide this by 1 Amp, and the calculator displays Ohms! Pretty powerful tool.
Recommended buy for anyone needing the real answer to math problems.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Is this some kind of joke?
Comment: I bought the calculator and thought the software license was included in the price. It turns out that I paid for the license, but there is a disconnect between Amazon and Texas Instruments and no amount of phone calls can resolve the issue. The calculator is nice, the software interesting, but I would not recommend buying this system from Amazon.
Customer Rating:
Summary: TI...Did you forget to include something with my Nspire CAS?
Comment: I'm basically saisfied with the product,but can't begin to discribe how poorly written and incomplete the documentation that accompanied it is. Case in point, my TI 83 plus came with a approximately 500 page manual. In contrast,the much more complex Nspire arrived with a 134 page guide. Can't wait for other publications on this calculator to hit bookstore shelves!
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